Cyrus Cornelius Adams (January 7, 1849 – May 5, 1928) was an American geographer, journalist, and author. Adams served as the second president of the American Association of Geographers and was a prominent member of the American Geographical Society. Adams began his career as a journalist, and did not have any formal geography education. Adams is noteworthy as an early economic geographer, and published textbooks on the topic.
Education
Adams first attended the University of Minnesota. He then attended the University of Chicago, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1876.
Career and publications
Adams began his career as a journalist. While in college, he worked as a reporter for the Chicago Inter Ocean. He was on the editorial staff for the New York City-based newspaper, The Sun, from 1880 to 1903, and served as an editor for Goldthwaite's Geographical Magazine from 1891 to 1892. He became interested in geography by covering topics related to Africa and the Arctic during this time, specifically related to exploration.
While covering exploration, Adams maintained relationships with several prominent explorers. Through his coverage of African exploration, he was described as having formed a close relationship with Welsh-American explorer Henry Morton Stanley. Adams was also described as having a close friendship with Arctic explorer Robert Peary, serving as a "mouthpiece" for Peary's plans and results. Adams 1893 publication in The Geographical Journal served as a technical description of the Peary expedition to Greenland of 1891–1892. Peary named Mt. Adams in the Inglefield Gulf after Adams.
Adams joined the American Geographical Society in 1892 Bulletin of the American Geographical Society from 1908 to 1915. He contributed to the creation of the Geographical Review.
Adams was a founding member of the American Association of Geographers and served as the second president of the organization from 1906 to 1907.
Select publication Adams is noteworthy for publishing two early textbooks on economic geography, A text-book of commercial geography in 1901 and An elementary commercial geography in 1902. Throughout his career, Adams published several articles in magazaines, newspapers, and peer-reviewed journals.
Article titleDatePublisherIdentifierCitation(s) Railroad development in Africa 1893 Engineering Magazine David Livingstone, 1813-1873: African development 1902 Beacon Lights of History What Stanley lived to see accomplished 1904 Beacon Lights of History Foundations of economic progress in tropical Africa 1911 Bulletin of the American Geographical Society The African colonies of Germany and the War 1911 Geographical Review Lieutenant Peary's Arctic Work 1893 The Geographical Journal Maps and Map-Making 1912 Bulletin of the American Geographical Society The commercial geography of Europe 1897 The Chautauquan The trend of American commerce 1897 The Chautauquan Distribution of manufacturing in the United States 1897 The Chautauquan The geographical position of Germany 1897 The Chautauquan The Sargasso Sea 1907 Harper's Magazine The United States—Land and Waters 1903 National Geographic Some Phases of Future Geographical Work in America 1907 Bulletin of the American Geographical Society
Personal life Adams was the son of Cyrus and Cornelia (Stevens), but due to the absence of his parents, he was raised by his aunt and uncle in Bloomington, Minnesota. Adams married Blanche C. Dodge in 1877, and had a son and daughter with her.
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