Edward Fuller Bigelow was born in 1860 on a farm in rural Colchester, Connecticut, and became a renowned nationally known naturalist. Beginning his career as a school principal and then moving into printing and publishing, he later became a prolific teacher and national lecturer in great demand. His true passion for natural history was a source of great joy and much struggle. In 1908, Bigelow became the president of the nature-study organization, the Agassiz Association, and created the first nature-study campus he named ArcAdiA. He was also the founding curator of the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Searching for Arcadia will tell the story of Bigelow's life intertwined with my own personal journey (and obsession) in discovering the man and the Agassiz Association — delving deep into both histories, including the Bruce Museum's early days. This book will tell the rich stories of two lives well-lived yet separated by decades of changing times.
