Throughout her life, she embodied two distinct personas, that of a rugged, seafaring adventurer and that of a society lady, philanthropist and host, with a fresh camellia always pinned to her lapel. Her inspiring story is one of independence, passion and courage—a life’s work that continues to inform and resonate in new ways today. 

The American Geographical Society’s prestigious Cullum Gold Medal is one of many awards and accolades received by Louise Boyd throughout her life. She is credited for her work in photogrammetry, the science of taking and interpreting photographs to create models and maps, and for her research of radio-wave transmission in Arctic regions, among other data collecting assignments, that assisted the United States government during WWII. She was the first woman to reach the remote eastern fiords of Greenland, and in 1955, the first woman to fly in an airplane over the north pole. 

Come learn about an amazing woman and the most famous person from San Rafael you have probably never heard of!