Happy Spring! Did you know that Massachusetts was home to beloved naturalist and author Thornton Burgess. Born in Sandwich in 1874, Burgess was responsible for writing over 170 children’s books inspired by the woodland creatures native to the Cape Cod area. His most famous character being Peter Cottontail, from his 1914 book, The Adventures of Peter Cottontail. This is not to be confused with Beatrix Potter’s rendition of Peter Rabbit.
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| Peter Cottontail as illustrated by Harrison Cady. Image courtesy of Thornton Burgess Society. |
Throughout his 50 year career, Burgess contributed to his Old Mother West Wind series with characters known as Jerry Muskrat, Bobby Raccoon, Spotty the Turtle, among others. However, it was illustrator, Harrison Cady, who brought these characters to life. Another Massachusetts native, Cady was born in Gardner in 1877. Burgess and Cady would go on to have a lasting business partnership and friendship.
Today, the Thornton Burgess Society along with the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, work to preserve and carry-on the mission of Burgess to instill an appreciation for nature among our communities. For more information, see www.thorntonburgess.org.For continued reading held in the State Library’s collection:
- Lovell, Russell, and Ralph Titcomb. The Cape Cod Story of Thornton W. Burgess. 1st ed., Town of Sandwich, 1974.
- Meigs, Frances. My Grandfather, Thornton W. Burgess. Commonwealth Editions, 1998.
April Pascucci
Reference Staff
