Fitz globe

    Zoom into this map at maps.bpl.org.
    Author: Fitz, Ellen Eliza
    Publisher: Ginn & Heath
    Date: [1879]

    Scale: Scale [ca. 1:80,000,000]
    Call Number: G3170 1879.F6

    Designed for educators to use in the classroom, this twelve-inch globe was published in Boston by the textbook firm of Ginn and Heath. A special feature of this globe is its mounting with two vertical rings showing the changing daylight, twilight and nighttime hours any place on the Earth. The mounting system of vertical rings was patented by Ellen Fitz, a governess from New Brunswick. She was the first women involved in the design and manufacturing of globes. The actual globes that were used with the Fitz mountings were fairly standard mid-19th century globes, derived from the ones published by Gilman Joslin of Boston or W. & A.K. Johnston of Edinburgh. By the third quarter of the 19th century, the outlines and interiors of all the major land masses, except Greenland and Antarctica, had been fairly well explored and mapped. In promoting the study of physical geography, the globe also shows ocean currents (white lines) and average isotherms (lines of equal temperature) for January (blue lines) and July (red lines). The globe's mounting, which was Fitz's unique contribution to this educational tool, was designed to help students understand the effects of the Earth's daily rotation on its axis and yearly revolution around the Sun, with regard to daylight, twilight, and nighttime. By turning the globe's base in relation to the pointer representing the Sun's vertical ray, it is possible to observe these changes through the seasons.

    Comments and faves

    1. ★

      Temari 09, Eddi van W., dragonflydreams88, AgitPropDevices, and 21 other people added this photo to their favorites.

    2. Eddi van W. (43 months ago | reply)

      Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Creative Commons- Free Pictures, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

    3. Temari 09 (43 months ago | reply)

      Wonderful picture! Thanks for sharing this with a Creative Commons license.

    4. violscraper (43 months ago | reply)

      Thank you for sharing your globe - I used it here:

    5. Tuesday Today (42 months ago | reply)

      A wish for TravelThank you!

    6. rubyblossom. (42 months ago | reply)

      Thank you ~
      God Atlas

    7. HeedingtheMuses (42 months ago | reply)

      ~ thank you ~ Thank you for including this wonderful image in the Creative Commons - free pictures pool. I used in a composite here;

    8. AlicePopkorn (42 months ago | reply)

      thank you :)
      the globe

    9. pareeerica (42 months ago | reply)

      Thank you very much
      * Lost In My Own World *

    10. Eddi van W. (42 months ago | reply)

      thanks a lot ;)
      into the unknown

    11. pareeerica (42 months ago | reply)

      Thanks again
      * A Prayer For The World *

    12. Prairiekittin (42 months ago | reply)

      Thank you...
      Atlas' cousin setting the World free...

    13. Neighya (Elné) (42 months ago | reply)

      The globe was used here:

      World, Hold On

      Thank you!

    14. ihave3kids (21 months ago | reply)

      Thank you for your globe!
      Graduation Day

    15. rubyblossom. (19 months ago | reply)

      Thank you ~
      Small fish in a big pond

    16. Max Short (19 months ago | reply)

      Used here thanks a lot
      Daydreaming

    17. pareeerica (19 months ago | reply)

      Thank you for choosing creative commons

      * She's Got The Whole World In Her Hand *

    18. Prairiekittin (19 months ago | reply)

      I used this again here:


      Thanks again!!

    19. CactisBoy (19 months ago | reply)

      Thanks for the CC licensed image - I've used it here
      third turtle world copy

    20. Cheyberpunk! (19 months ago | reply)

      Thank you! Hope you like what I did to it! {Title music link on my page!}
      The Earth Dies Screaming {with hidden Ethyl!}

    21. OhLizz (19 months ago | reply)

      Thank you for the use of your interesting image, love the history!!
      fragil earth

    22. garlandcannon (19 months ago | reply)

      Around the Corner There May Wait a New Road or a Secret Gate

    23. Temari 09 (19 months ago | reply)

      Thank you!

      The Lighting Of The Peace Globes

    24. Ferry J@ansen Six Weeks gone to start a New Future (10 months ago | reply)


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