A history of McMurdo Station through its architecture

• Published in: Polar Record
• Main Author: Davis, Georgina A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2017
• Subjects: General Earth and Planetary Sciences; Ecology; Geography, Planning and Development; Antarctic; South Pole; McMurdo Station; Little America; Antarc*; Antarctica; Polar Record; South pole
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247416000747; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247416000747

ABSTRACT McMurdo Station, Antarctica, is a US Federal research facility operated year-round by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Its primary mission is to support scientific research, but it also provides logistical air and ground support for South Pole Station, seasonal field sites and nearby stations operated by other countries. It is the largest station in Antarctica, supporting up to 1,200 people. While McMurdo Station has a long scientific legacy, the facility also has an interesting architectural and engineering history that spans 60 years and has its antecedents in the ‘heroic age’ of exploration (1898–1916) and the Little America expeditions (1929–1958). Here, I describe the history of the built environment of McMurdo Station to clarify how it evolved from a temporary air station in the late 1950s to its current role as the flagship research facility of the US Antarctic Research Program (USAP). This historical review may provide insights that are useful as the station continues to transform and evolve, allowing it to continue its scientific mission into the 21st century.