The Remarkable Life and Mysterious Death of David Douglas

In 1834 a renowned Scottish botanist, geologist, collector, and explorer named David Douglas died on the Big Island’s Hāmākua Coast, when he apparently fell into a pit dug to trap cattle. His all-too-short, remarkable life was spent documenting and categorizing trees and plants, primarily on the Pacific Northwest Coast of what was then British North America. He was also one of the earliest non-Hawaiians to climb to the summits of both Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. Many plants, most notably the majestic Douglas fir, were named for him. Sarah Lyman mourned his unexpected passing in her journal; his demise caused widespread sadness in the Hawaiian Islands, in the Pacific Northwest, and throughout Britain. Join us this evening as historian and writer Robert Oaks relates the fascinating tale of Douglas’s life and death.