Keywords: Age, Weight, and Measurements of the Northern Sledge Party - NARA - 304962.jpg Scope and content Explorer Robert E Peary was obsessed with becoming the first person to reach the North Pole Peary claimed that he and his party reached the North Pole on April 6 1909 Doubt was cast on this claim almost immediately Some experts maintain that Peary may have missed the Pole by as much as 50 miles while others disagree Individuals seeking to verify Peary's claim are drawn to his own records of the polar expeditions During his earlier polar expeditions Peary devised a relay system of crossing great distances over the ice trailblazing parties would carry provisions forge a trail build igloos then turn back at varying intervals enabling the main party to travel faster and lighter This document describes the main party crossing the last 270 miles of ice to the North Pole General notes Exhibit History American Originals December 1996 - December 1997 National Archives Rotunda Washington DC Exhibit no 624 0144 Entry 21 Papers Relating to Arctic Expeditions 1886-1909 Box 24C folder Obs Data 3 a 304962 Local identifier Peary Robert E Robert Edwin 1856-1920 NARA-Author Peary Robert E Robert Edwin 1856-1920 Author 1136809 <br /> Archives II Reference Section Civilian Textual Archives Services Division NWCT2RC National Archives at College Park 8601 Adelphi Road College Park MD 20740-6001 1909-04-27 Record group Collection XP Rear Adm Robert E Peary Papers 1798 - 1976 Record group ARC 1060 Papers Relating to Arctic Expeditions compiled 1886 - 1909 Series ARC 304961 File unit File unit ARC Variant control numbers NAIL Control Number NWCTC-XP-MLR401E21-OBSDATA3A Other versions <gallery> File Age _Weight _and_Measurements_of_the_Northern_Sledge_Party_-_NARA_-_304962 tif tif File Age _Weight _and_Measurements_of_the_Northern_Sledge_Party_-_NARA_-_304962 jpg jpg </gallery> NARA-cooperation PD-USGov North Pole Robert Peary |