Preserving a shared intellectual life
The Foundation preserves, describes, and makes consultable the surviving materials associated with Arthur Valerius Sterling and Elizabeth Crawford Sterling.
The 2008 initiative
After Elizabeth’s death around 1984 and Arthur’s disappearance in 1991, their daughter Catherine “Kate” Sterling began a modest public record from family papers and materials available to her. Kate, an architect with a career of her own, assembled the first pages with unnamed technical help.
Scope and people
The record brings together Arthur’s scientific papers, Elizabeth’s independent historical materials, and the books, correspondence, photographs, notebooks, and household objects that shaped their shared life. Arthur’s papers remain unsubmitted hypotheses; Elizabeth’s historical work remains distinct from his scientific work.
How the collection grows
The first site established the family and household record. Later catalogue entries are added or refined as materials can be described. Status labels keep provisional records and open questions visible.
Read the site history for Kate’s starting materials and the catalogue for current records.