Abstract
Geologic exploration in western Kansas in the early part of the 19th century was general, being performed as part of government surveys led by military officers such as Zebulon M. Pike, Stephen E Long, John C. Fremont, and others. These surveys began in 1806 and occurred irregularly until the late 1850's. Subsequent to the Civil War, surveys were undertaken by parties interested in a transcontinental railroad and the State of Kansas funded two surveys, the latter adding little new data regarding the western part of the state. Discoveries of fossils in the chalk, especially vertebrates, drew the attention of paleontologists such as E. D. Cope and 0. C. Marsh, who led or supported field parties in the chalk beds through much of the 1870's. Appointments of geologists to the faculty of the various colleges and to the State Board of Agriculture led to additional studies in the western part of the state. With the formation of the third State or University Geological Survey in 1889, systematic studies of the geology and natural resources of the state began. As the 19th century drew to a close, a better understanding of the geology of western Kansas began to emerge.
Published Version
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