Biographical note

Richard Albert Tewkesbury was born in Montour, Iowa in 1907. He graduated from Iowa State College (University) (1927). After graduation, Tewkesbury went on to teach mathematics at schools in Illinois, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.

Tewkesbury is best known for taking two expeditions through the Darien Jungle of Panama during the summers of 1939 and 1940. He wanted to prove that the jungle and its inhabitants were not barriers to plans that would create a Pan American Highway. Tewkesbury was one of the first non-native men to trek through the Darien Isthmus and come out alive. For his efforts, he received a commendation (1941) from the Pan American Congress.

Tewkesbury passed away December 19, 1969.

Collection description

This collection (1934-1976, n.d.) contains news clippings, correspondence, maps, and a comic book story (1942) detailing Tewkesbury’s expedition through the Darien Isthmus. In addition, there are several files of “Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940.” These files contain correspondence, maps, photographs, news clippings, and Tewksbury’s accounts of the trips. The collection also includes his passport and a certificate (1962) for crossing the equator.

Tewkesbury’s papers also contained several small artifacts; these items have been placed in the University Archives Artifact Collection. The artifacts include a small plastic elephant, his compass, small hand carved wooden statue, and a native child’s mola blouse. The statue and the mola blouse were items he received from the natives of the Darien Jungle. Mola is the traditional textile art form of the Kuna people of Panama and Columbia. Molas are cloth panels with intricate designs made from multiple layers of cloth in a reverse appliqué technique. The plastic elephant is an example of the items Tewkesbury gave to the native people during his trip.
 

Organization

The collection is arranged alphabetically.

1

1

Certificate of achievement for crossing the equator

1962

1

2

Clippings

1940-1941, n.d.

1

3

Comic book – True Comics, article regarding Tewkesbury’s trip to the Darien

1942

1

4

Correspondence and clippings

1934-1976

1

5

Photographs (1 3x5” B&W and 1 1x1” color) and passport

1937-1941, n.d.

1

6

“Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940” – prefatory and prologue

1942

1

7

“Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940” – A1: Tewkesbury’s writings, unpublished

1939

1

8

“Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940” – A1: Tewkesbury’s writings, unpublished (6 3x5 b&w photographs)

1940

MAP

C409

CASE

D10

“Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940” – A1: Tewkesbury’s writings, unpublished maps

1939

1

9

“Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940” – A2: Tewkesbury’s writings, published

1940-1942

1

10

“Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940” – B1: Tewkesbury in publicity – periodicals and publications

1940-1941

1

11

“Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940” – B2: Tewkesbury in publicity – radio scripts

1941

1

12

“Richard A. Tewkesbury:  Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940” – B3: Tewkesbury in publicity – controversial material

1940-1942

1

13

“Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940” – C: Indians of the Darien

1942

1

14

“Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940” – D1: Pan American Highway – continental (1 8x10 and 1 3x5 b&w photographs)

1941-1942

1

15

“Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940” – D2: Pan American Highway – Latin America

1942

1

16

“Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940” – D3: Pan American Highway – United States and Canada

1942

1

17

“Richard A. Tewkesbury: Source Material Relating to His Trips to the Darien in 1939 and 1940” – epilogue

1942

Artifact Collection

2002-R010.01 – Small plastic elephant

n.d.

Artifact Collection

2002-R010.02 – Compass

n.d.

Artifact Collection

2002-R010.03 – Native child’s mola dress

n.d.

Artifact Collection

2002-R010.04 – Small hand carved wooden statue

n.d.