Career
He was instrumental in the development of the modern energy transmission grid with his work in transformers. Thordarson immigrated to the United States from Iceland in 1873. During his lifetime he founded a successful manufacturing company in Chicago, Illinois, and established a private vacation retreat on Rock Island, an island off the tip Wisconsin"s Door Peninsula.
Book collection At his death in 1945 he bequeathed his book collection to the University of Wisconsin.
The Thoradson collection was estimated to be worth one million dollars in 1945 and led to the establishment of the Rare Books Department. "Of William Copland, The Craft of Grafting (1560), two copies are known, one in the Thordason Collection" "Of the greatest of all, the Hortus Sanitatis, Mr.
Thordarson"s copy of the edition of 1561 is a remarkably beautiful copy.." "This book is one of Mr. Thordason"s discoveries.
Number copy is known in any other library." "The British Museum seemingly possesses no copy with an earlier date then 1574.
Mr Thordarson"s copy seems unique." Rock Island estate Several years after his death Rock Island, and Thordarson"s estate there, were designated Rock Island State Park. His buildings have been added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Thordarson Estate Historic District. Company Thordarson"s company is now called Thordarson Meissner, Incorporated., and has locations in Mount Carmel, Illinois, and in Henderson, Nevada.
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