Clarence Birdseye (AC 1910) Field Journals

Clarence Birdseye (1886-1956) revolutionized the frozen food industry with his invention of the "quick-freeze machine" in 1925. Birdseye attended Amherst College from 1906 to 1908. In 1912 he took a job as a fur trader in the arctic peninsula of Labrador in Canada, traveling by dogsled buying and collecting furs until January 1916. By observing the Eskimos in Labrador, Birdseye discovered the quick-freeze process that would prove so successful. The 13 handwritten field journals in this collection document his experiences during these exciting years, and describe how he learned about the indigenous people's food preservation techniques. There is also mention of Birdseye's work and friendship with Sir Wilfred Grenfell, the famous medical missionary. The journals also contain Birdseye's scientific reports, definitions of new terminology, and medical notes. One of the journals was written by Perry W. Terhune, who ran Birdseye's store while Birdseye traveled. Clarence Birdseye was awarded an honorary Masters Degree by Amherst College in 1941.
(Introduction adapted from Alison Edwards Petrilla's description of the collection.)