The Clarendon Historical Society is presenting its largest event ever Wednesday, May 21 to celebrate the 150th birthday of Clarendon native and famed taxidermist Carl Akeley.
The celebration, complete with birthday cake, is planned at the Clarendon Fire Department Recreation Hall and is free and open to the public and begins at 7 p.m.
Akeley was also an inventor and contributed advances to science and environmental preservation. He is sometimes called the “world’s greatest taxidermist and the father of taxidermy.” Akeley worked extensively in Africa and specialized in the taxidermy of African mammals. He died in Africa and is buried there.
Jay Kirk, author of Kingdom UnderGlass, a biography of Akeley, will give a presentation and will sign copies of his book which will be available. A fox stuffed by the young Carl Akeley will be on display. The fox is currently part of the collection of the Cobblestone Society Museum.
