The Remarkable Life and Career of Ellen Swallow Richards: Pioneer in Science and Technology

Chapter 18

Ever on the Go

“When I emigrate from New England I think I shall go West, where there is a little ‘go’ in the air”

~ Ellen Swallow Richards, September, 1882

Ellen traveled much more than most women. Going by horse or mule, buggy or carriage, boat or train, Ellen traveled extensively, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends, and often with Robert, “as each year had brought its special investigations,” she said. Ellen and Robert had each gained international fame and respect and were in much demand as consultants and speakers. Ellen frequently lectured at Columbia University and at Teachers College, as well as at Pratt Institute, where she organized its domestic science program. She also traveled across the country, speaking at such institutions as the University of Chicago, the University of California, and at colleges and universities in Canada.

On these trips, Ellen hustled about with enthusiasm, teaching, observing, and exploring. Throughout their marriage, Robert remained astounded at her energy. Ellen’s friend Caroline Hunt said that, when Ellen traveled home from England on a boat taking a northern route, she made a visit to the Land of the Midnight Sun. “This was probably the only place she ever visited in her life where the days had enough hours to suit her.”

Ellen and Robert loved the beautiful landscapes and the long histories of the European countries. Ellen was, in her own words, “an enthusiastic Yankee.” She wrote, “We cannot realize it, whose grandfathers ...