About me
I research, write, and teach about river history and American History. I completed my PhD at Columbia University and worked as a research scholar for Historic New England before launching my own consulting firm. I currently work on a team for the American Historical Association studying how US history is actually taught in schools across the country. My public engagement includes publishing op-eds, creating digital history projects, collaborating with conservationists, and leading river history walks. I grew up on the Trinity River in Texas and the Concord River in Massachusetts, but have also lived along the Hudson, Harlem, Cathance, Androscoggin, Willamette, Charles, and Rhone rivers. I live with my wife, sons, and cats (named after the Alsea and Cathance rivers). Please feel free to contact me about potential collaborations or if I can offer any assistance for your own historically-focused projects such as curriculum development. Click here if you are looking for my consulting firm, the Oxbow History Company.
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