Annie Gravatt facts for kids

Annie Gravatt (Annie Evelyn Rathbun) was an American forest pathologist. Her areas of research included plant physiology and white pine blister rust. She also studied Chestnut blight, the fungus that devastated American chestnut trees in the early 20th century. Along with her husband, George Gravatt, she founded the community of Scientists' Cliffs, Maryland.

Education

Gravatt received her B.A. from Brown University in 1916, and her M.S. in 1918.

Career

Gravatt spent her entire career with the United States Department of Agriculture, in the agency's Bureau of Plant Industry. She also served on the editorial staff of Phytopathology, the journal of the American Phytopathological Society. She was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Phytopathological Society.

Scientists' Cliffs

Annie Gravatt and her husband George "Flippo" Gravatt founded the community of Scientists' Cliffs, Maryland in 1937. Annie and George were initially interested in the Calvert County site, overlooking the Chesapeake Bay, because they thought it had potential as a preserve for the American chestnut. Originally, the site was a cluster of rustic summer cabins, including the Gravatts', built from chestnut trees killed by the blight. Eventually, the community grew and attracted year-round residents, and today, has over 200 homes. Membership in the community is selective; prospective homeowners must hold an advanced degree or have "outstanding professional experience."

In the 1980s, the Gravatt's property was purchased by the American Chestnut Land Trust. A hiking trail, "Gravatt Lane," and nearby "Gravatt Stream," were named in honor of the Gravatts. The Gravatts' cabin is now a museum displaying fossils and marine life.