About me
I am a river historian. I work with teachers, conservationists, and historians to help students learn American history through the history of rivers. I have published websites, articles, op-eds, reviews, and book chapters on river history, and I am currently writing a book. As a consultant, I work with a range of clients big and small to help them uncover stories and lessons about their history. I graduated from Bowdoin College and received my PhD in American history from Columbia University. I was part of the team that wrote the American Historical Association’s American Lesson Plan, and I was also a research scholar for Historic New England. Please feel free to email me about potential collaborations or if I can be helpful for your own project or career. Click here to visit my consulting firm, Oxbow History Company, and here to read my memo on K-12 river history.
Writings
My most recent article explores the role of rivers in historical recovery for Historic New England: Learning From Rivers: History Courses with our waterways
Abolition and Slavery published my most recent peer-reviewed article: The Wet Frontier of Slavery: Plantation Slavery and Freedom on Texas’ Trinity River
Here is the link to my article in The Journal of Southern History: Oil on the Farm: The East Texas Oil Boom and the Origins of an Energy Economy
And this is the accompanying essay I wrote for Texas Monthly's energy blog: The Oil Boom's Roots in East Texas Cotton Farming
Attached is a link to the article I published in Environmental History: Defining a Nuisance: Pollution, Science, and Politics on Maine's Androscoggin River
And here is the accompanying blog article I wrote for Oxford University Press: Cool, clear water?
Teaching
Columbia Magazine wrote this article about my class and our exploration of the Harlem River.
Here is the syllabus for “Rivers, Politics, and Power in the US.” A history seminar I created and taught for Columbia University’s History Department.
Contact Me
Email: WSM2116@Columbia.edu
From left to right: Cathance, Archie, and Alsea