| ON THE TRAIL OF WALTER A. WYCKOFF |
| A Geographical Detective Story |
| By Albert and Phyllis Krause |
| DEDICATION |
| Courtesy the Comtois Collection |
| IN MEMORY OF WALTER AUGUSTUS WYCKOFF A.R. PRINCETON 1888 - 1908 |
A Christian scholar * A lover of mankind *An adventurous traveler who wrote out of his own
experience * Taught for thirteen years in Princeton University with his heart in his message
and died in peace and welldoing. * His classmates and friends make this record of honour
and affection.
Plaque raised in the eastern archway of Pyne Hall, Princeton, N.J. 1921
experience * Taught for thirteen years in Princeton University with his heart in his message
and died in peace and welldoing. * His classmates and friends make this record of honour
and affection.
Plaque raised in the eastern archway of Pyne Hall, Princeton, N.J. 1921
| "He was going forth to eat as the wanderer may eat, and sleep as the homeless sleep." |
| --Stephen Crane, "An Experiment in Misery" |
| Walter's Trail 1891-1893 |
| United States, 1891 |
| A THUMBNAIL INTRODUCTION |
On a pleasant July morning in 1891, Walter Augustus Wyckoff (Princeton '88) left his comfortable
upper class surroundings in Black Rock, Connecticut, walked across America and began earning his
living as an unskilled laborer. Eighteen months later in San Francisco, California he concluded his
"Experiment in Reality".
upper class surroundings in Black Rock, Connecticut, walked across America and began earning his
living as an unskilled laborer. Eighteen months later in San Francisco, California he concluded his
"Experiment in Reality".
In the following years, in between other adventures, he taught Political Economics at Princeton
University, wrote of his Experiment in Scribner's Magazine (which became three best selling books) and
gave numerous well-received lectures describing his experiences.
University, wrote of his Experiment in Scribner's Magazine (which became three best selling books) and
gave numerous well-received lectures describing his experiences.
I felt like I had lost favorite uncle when I learned that he died of a heart aneurysm in 1908 at the young
age of 44 and was buried in Princeton, New Jersey. He crammed more adventure and travel into his
short life than a dozen men would have in their allotted time. (We are dealing with only his best known
venture.) His light faded in the 1930s and his work, except for an occasional quote, has remained in the
shadows since then. This website is an attempt to shine a little light in that neglected corner.
age of 44 and was buried in Princeton, New Jersey. He crammed more adventure and travel into his
short life than a dozen men would have in their allotted time. (We are dealing with only his best known
venture.) His light faded in the 1930s and his work, except for an occasional quote, has remained in the
shadows since then. This website is an attempt to shine a little light in that neglected corner.
Between July and September 2003, my wife and I retraced Walter's trail from beginning to end as my
personal tribute to him. Read why we made this pilgrimage, by reading the full-blown introduction and
then join us as we retrace that adventure 110 years later. We don't believe anyone has the stamina to
go through this entire website at one sitting, therefore navigation is by maps and we've tried to make it
intuitive and easy. Forward or backward movement is controlled by the respective arrows at the foot
of the page, "HOME" will take you from a town to the respective state page, "HOME" from the state
will take you to the Eastern or Western trails and from there "HOME" will take you back here. When
at the National, Eastern, or Western maps, click on a state for a short cut. At the state level, click on
the town. If you've been here before, click any of the below to quickly pick up where you left off.
personal tribute to him. Read why we made this pilgrimage, by reading the full-blown introduction and
then join us as we retrace that adventure 110 years later. We don't believe anyone has the stamina to
go through this entire website at one sitting, therefore navigation is by maps and we've tried to make it
intuitive and easy. Forward or backward movement is controlled by the respective arrows at the foot
of the page, "HOME" will take you from a town to the respective state page, "HOME" from the state
will take you to the Eastern or Western trails and from there "HOME" will take you back here. When
at the National, Eastern, or Western maps, click on a state for a short cut. At the state level, click on
the town. If you've been here before, click any of the below to quickly pick up where you left off.
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