Thomas D. (Thomas Darlington) Cope

Thomas Darlington Cope (December 28, 1880 – December 13, 1964) was an American physicist and historian of science. He is especially associated with research on the Mason-Dixon survey, a subject on which he published extensively and helped build a fuller record of its scientific and historical importance.

Alongside his historical work, Cope also wrote on physics, and his career appears to have bridged scientific teaching and scholarship with careful documentary study. That combination gave his historical writing a practical understanding of the science behind the stories he was telling.

He is remembered for the thoroughness of his work and for bringing attention to an important chapter in early American scientific history. For readers interested in the meeting point of science, measurement, and American history, his writing still offers a thoughtful and informed perspective.