The Death of David McCullough

The world has marked the death of David McCullough at 89. The Inquirer has given expansive coverage of this Pittsburgh native’s life, writings, and time that he spent on research on his various books in an article by Hillel Halie. Everyone is who an expert on his writings, praise him for his significant time spent in research. This is has largely been done in his writing studio on Martha’s Vineyard with no WIFI. Anyone who reads his works is overwhelmed by this exhaustive research. I have read many of his works but his books on John Adams, Brave Companions, and How the Brooklyn Bridge was built are my favorites. I too find myself in awe of how he recounts history in such a personal “you are there” format. He did for history what Harry Potter books did to encourage young readers to pick up a book and put the phone away.

What was not mentioned in the article is an anecdote that speaks to his wanting to experience what the people in his books were experiencing. His Yale roommate was a graduate of EA so with this connection we were able to have him come to speak to the Episcopal Academy Community. President Obama included him in early discussions when he entered office. He was designated as the most recognizable presence of any historian and he addressed Congress, being the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award. He contributed to the Ken Burns Series on The American Experience by being the voice of that production with his baritone voice.

The following anecdote, however, speaks about just how far McCullough would go “to feel” the world about which he was going to write. Before writing the John Adams story, he asked permission to go up into the tower of Historic Christ Church at 2nd and Market Streets, to see the panorama of the city in modern times so that he could carve out a vision of what the city looked like during the time of John Adams. A former Chaplain at the Episcopal Academy, The Reverend James Trimble, was Rector there. McCullough requested that he be able to climb up the steeple tower that required special dispensation for it was in disrepair. McCullough was undaunted! He made the final leg of the journey up into the steeple on a wooden ladder. When he arrived at his destination, he spent time on that perch to fully assimilate the vista of all that was before him. At the time of John Adams, that view from the steeple would have been the highest point to see the entire city. He was beyond grateful for the opportunity which was another attribute of the man, gracious at all times, that needs to be underlined as well.