Frederick Schwatka

author

Frederick Schwatka

1849–1892

An army officer, doctor, lawyer, and explorer, he packed an extraordinary amount into just 43 years. He is best remembered for bold Arctic journeys in northern Canada and Alaska and for the books that brought those expeditions to a wide audience.

3 Audiobooks

Along Alaska's Great River A Popular Account of the Travels of an Alaska Exploring Expedition along the Great Yukon River, from Its Source to Its Mouth, in the British North-West Territory, and in the Territory of Alaska

Along Alaska's Great River A Popular Account of the Travels of an Alaska Exploring Expedition along the Great Yukon River, from Its Source to Its Mouth, in the British North-West Territory, and in the Territory of Alaska

by Frederick Schwatka

Wonderland; or, Alaska and the inland passage With a description of the country traversed by the Northern Pacific Railroad

Wonderland; or, Alaska and the inland passage With a description of the country traversed by the Northern Pacific Railroad

by John Hyde, Frederick Schwatka

In the Land of Cave and Cliff Dwellers

In the Land of Cave and Cliff Dwellers

by Frederick Schwatka

About the author

Born in Galena, Illinois, in 1849 and raised partly in Oregon, Frederick Schwatka built an unusually wide-ranging career. He graduated from West Point in 1871, served in the U.S. Army, and also earned credentials in both law and medicine.

Schwatka became known as one of the notable northern explorers of his era. He led a major expedition in search of traces of Sir John Franklin's lost Arctic voyage and later traveled extensively in Alaska and along the Yukon, combining hard travel with close observation and lively reporting.

He also wrote books and articles drawn from his journeys, helping readers picture places that were still remote and little known to most Americans. Schwatka died in Portland, Oregon, in 1892, but his reputation has endured through his exploration narratives and his remarkable, many-sided life.