News
250 Years of Botany in America
30 June 2026
As we continue to celebrate the history of botany in America for the 250th anniversary of our country, this month we feature our founder, Rachel McMasters Miller Hunt, boldly exploring the gardens of Pittsburgh through glass lantern slides and a lecture. Of the 168 slides we offer a selection focusing on Rachel's garden, the Great House Garden of Old Economy and those of her friends: Helen Clay Frick, Elizabeth Rust Heinz and Edith Oliver Rea. This informal lobby display was curated by Christi Thomas, Computational/Archival Assistant. The entire glass lantern slide collection with Rachel's accompanying lecture has been added to our Web site.
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About the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation
The Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, a research division of Carnegie Mellon University, specializes in the history of botany and all aspects of plant science and serves the international scientific community through research and documentation. To this end, the Institute acquires and maintains authoritative collections of books, plant images, manuscripts, portraits and data files, and provides publications and other modes of information service. The Institute meets the reference needs of botanists, biologists, historians, conservationists, librarians, bibliographers and the public at large, especially those concerned with any aspect of the North American flora.
Media Contact:
Scarlett T. Townsend
412-268-7304
st19@andrew.cmu.edu
