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New York State Division of Science and State Museum Geology Field Notes


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Overview of the Records

Repository:

New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230

Summary:
This series contains field notes of geological investigations, organized into three groupings according to the particular survey to which they pertained: the Geological and Natural History Survey, ca. 1832-1845; the Geological Survey, 1885-1939; and the Capitol District Ground Water Survey, 1938. The records include notes on field work conducted; reports on mineral resources and industries in New York State; reports on specific mines, quarries, wells, and mineral processing plants in New York State; and reports and notes on various geological formations.
Creator:
Title:
Geology field notes
Quantity:

3.5 cubic feet

94 volumes

Inclusive Dates:
circa 1832-1939
Bulk Dates:
bulk: circa 1832-1845, 1885-1939
Series Number:
A0225

Arrangement

Organized into three groupings: 1) Notes Relating to the Geological and Natural History Survey; 2) Notes Relating to the Geological Survey; 3) Notes Relating to Capitol District Ground Water Survey.

Alphabetical by author, then in chronological order.

Scope and Content Note

Notebooks and occasional typed pages contain field notes of geological investigations.

Notes Relating to the Geological and Natural History Survey, ca. 1832-1845, Box 1: Most of these volumes contain notes made by Lewis C. Beck, Mineralogist of the Survey. Three volumes contain copies of Beck's printed annual reports for 1837-1839 supplemented with notes containing supporting or ancillary information and information from subsequently published sources. Four other volumes contain figures showing crystal structures, notes on his analyses of the properties of minerals, notes on soil formation and agricultural properties (Soils and Manures), and the manuscript of a lecture he delivered on New York's mineral resources.

One volume contains field notes and sketches by R.C. Taylor, assistant to Lardner Vanuxem, State Geologist for the Third District of the Survey. It contains a record of field observations made beginning at a point south of Ithaca, through Ithaca, the length of Cayuga Lake, east along the Erie Canal and Mohawk River to Albany, and east of Albany into western Massachusetts. This route also includes parts of the First and Fourth Districts. The sketches in this volume are mostly profiles showing surface features and geologic cross sections along the route. They are very finely executed in ink and watercolor. The geological survey of New York State was conducted pursuant to Chapter 142 of the Laws of 1836.

Notes Relating to the Geological Survey, 1885-1939, Boxes 2-5 and 7: These volumes contain notes on field work conducted. Many volumes contain glued in sections of topographic sheets and notes on geologic features observed. Others concern specific mineral industries in New York and contain notes on mines, quarries, wells, and mineral processing plants visited. Notes include travel information as well as scientific observations. Additional volumes concern the following topics: seismographic records; iron ores; building stones; World's Columbian Exposition (1893); catalog of mineral collection; and goniometer records.

Notes Relating to Capitol District Ground Water Survey, 1938, Boxes 6-7: These notebooks contain data forms for 420 individual water wells and springs surveyed in Schenectady and Saratoga counties and 9 wells in the Albany-Rensselaer vicinity. Each of these "well schedules" provides the following information on a single water source: location; owner; topography; elevation; type of well; depth; casing; chief aquifer (source of water); water level; pump; yield; type of use; water quality; and remarks (often include sketches of well or well's location). Additional notebooks contain maps showing the locations of water sources, and "Miscellaneous Data" consisting of notes on sources of information about groundwater.

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Detailed Description

Dates Contents Box

Accretion: A0225-73
undated Beck, Lewis C. Figures of Crystals for Report on the Mineralogy of the State 1
circa 1832-1838 Beck, Lewis C. Note on the Analysis of Minerals 1
1837 Beck, Lewis C. Report on the Mineralogical and Chemical Department of the Survey (Iron and Lead Ores) - annotated to 1841 1
1838 Beck, Lewis C. Report on the Mineralogical and Chemical Department of the Survey (Mineral Springs) - annotated to 1841 1
1839 Beck, Lewis C. Report on the Mineralogical and Chemical Department of the Survey (County Mineralogy) - annotated 1
1843 February Beck, Lewis C. The Mineral Resources of the State of New York Delivered Before the Mechanic's Institute of New York 1
circa 1845 Beck, Lewis C. Notes on Soils and Manures 1
1841 Taylor, R.C. Field Notes and Sketches, 3rd District 1
1899 Blake, E.M. Lake George Field Notes 2
1899 Blake, E.M. Lake George Geological Notes 2
1885 Britton, N.L. Copy of N.L. Britton's Notes 2
1927 Chadwick, George H. Adirondack Auto Notes 2
1892 Clarke, William C. Gypsum Industry of New York 2
1901 Cushing, Henry P. Little Falls Quadrangle 2
1901 Cushing, Henry P. Little Falls Quadrangle 2
1908 Cushing, Henry P. Long Lake Sheet 2
1900 Dickinson, Harold F. Bluestone Industry of New York 2
1900 Dickinson, Harold F. Bluestone, Ulster County Quarries (#1) 2
1900 Dickinson, Harold F. Bluestone, Ulster County Quarries (#2) 2
1900 Dickinson, Harold F. Bluestone, Ulster County Quarries (#3) 2
1900 Dickinson, Harold F. Bluestone, Quarries in Chemung and Portage Groups (#4) 2
1900 Dickinson, Harold F. Bluestone, Delaware and Broome County Quarries (#5) 2
1892-1893 Eberhardt, William G. Bluestone Industry of New York 2
1899 Eakel, Edwin C. Schunemunk Quadrangle 2
1889-1900 Eckel, Edwin C. West Point Sheet 3
1900 Eckel, Edwin C. Poughkeepsie, Clove, Millbrook Atlas Sheet 3
1901 Eckel, Edwin C. Seneca Lake 3
1901 Eckel, Edwin C. Oriskany 3
1901 Eckel, Edwin C. Carmel Sheet 3
1902 Eckel, Edwin C. Trenton, New Jersey (#1) 3
1902 Eckel, Edwin C. Spuyten Duyvil - Mt. St. Vincent - Terraces, etc. 3
1902 Eckel, Edwin C. Helderberg Limestones, etc. - contains Coxsackie Sheet 3
1899 Hill, Benjamin F. Crystalline Areas in Southeastern New York 3
1899 Hill, Benjamin F. Southeastern New York 3
1900 Hill, Benjamin F. Clove and Carmel Sheets 3
1911-1912 Jones, R.W. Granite Quarries (also tests on samples) 3
1900-1901 Magnus, H.C. New York City 3
1902 Magnus, H.C. West Point Sheet 3
1903 Magnus, H.C. Becket Sheet 3
1885 Merrill, Frederick J.H. Geology (Class Notes?) 3
1885 Merrill, Frederick J.H. New Hamburgh, Rockdale, America 4
1885 Merrill, Frederick J.H. Amenia Mine 4
1891 Merrill, Frederick J.H. Memoranda concerning various trips 4
1897 Newland, David H. West Point Sheet 4
1897 Newland, David H. West Point Sheet (typed copy) 4
1905 Newland, David H. Adirondack Iron Mines 4
1906-1909 Newland, David H. Seismograph Records 4
1906-1907 Newland, David H. Microscopic Sections and Notes on Iron Ores 4
1906-1907 Newland, David H. Iron Ores, etc. 4
1927 Newland, David H. Gypsum and Tests of Building Stone 4
1911-1912 Newland, David H. Petrographic Notes on the Building Stones 4
1912 Newland, David H. Granite, Marble, Zinc, Adirondacks and Southeast New York 4
1913 Newland, David H. Albany Molding Sands 4
1913 Newland, David H. Notes on mineral producers 4
1914 Newland, David H. Quarry Materials of New York 4
1915 Newland, David H. Notes on Paving Brick, Cement, Becraft Mountain. Notes on Yale Quarry 4
circa 1917 Newland, David H. Graphite, Zinc, Molybdenite, Pyrite 4
1918-1919 Newland, David H. Emery, Platinum, Iron, etc. Bethlehem Tailings 4
1919 Newland, David H. Iron Ores, Southeastern New York 4
1914-1919 Newland, David H. Mr. Pardee's Hole Brook Park. Catskill Aqueduct. Delanson Water Supply. Camp Whitman 4
1923 Newland, David H. Limestone 4
1930 Newland, David H. Limestone - Adirondack Magnetite 4
1931-1934 Newland, David H. Notes on mineral procedures 5
1931-1939 Newland, David H. Notes on mineral procedures 5
1935 Newland, David H. Notes on gas wells 5
1935-1937 Newland, David H. Lake George 5
1900-1901 Parsons, A.L. Gypsum Industry, also notes in regard to cement and salt 5
undated Reis, Heinrich. Ries Field Notes (see also Box 7) 5
circa 1893 Savage, S.M. World's Columbian Exposition 5
undated Whitlock, Herbert P. Notes on Localities of Minerals in New York State 5
1902 Whitlock, Herbert P. Report on Field Work in St. Lawrence County 5
1900 Woodworth, Jay Backus. Long Island Pleistocene Work 5
undated Woodworth, Jay Backus. Albany-Troy vicinity topographic sheet 5
circa 1904-1905 Woodworth, Jay Backus. Geologic map of New York, notes on mineral producers 5
undated Woodworth, Jay Backus. Field notes (many pages missing) 5
undated Woodworth, Jay Backus. Catalogue of Collection of Minerals 5
1905-1907 Woodworth, Jay Backus. Goniometer Record 5
1908-1911 Woodworth, Jay Backus. Goniometer Record 5
circa 1911 Woodworth, Jay Backus. Goniometer Record 5
1938 Thayer, W.S. Capitol District Ground Water Survey, Schenectady and Saratoga Counties, Wells #1-420 6
1938 Thayer, W.S. Capitol District Ground Water Survey, Schenectady and Saratoga Counties, "Miscellaneous Data" 7
1938 Thayer, W.S. Capitol District Ground Water Survey, Schenectady and Saratoga Counties, Maps 7
1938 Lovely, J.C. and Thayer, W.S. Capitol District Ground Water Survey, Vicinity of Albany and Rensselaer, Wells #1-9 7
1891 Reis, Heinrich. Hudson River Brick Clays 7
1892 Reis, Heinrich. Clay Industry 7
1906 Hudson, George H. Field work on Valcour Island 7
1910 Hudson, George H. Report of the Work Accomplished in the Geological Survey of Valcour Island 7
undated Nylander, Olof O. Geology of Cobscook Bay, Maine 7
1904 Nylander, Olof O. Chapman Sandstone, Chapman Plantation, Aroostook Co., Maine 7
1905 Nylander, Olof O. Oriskany Sandstone in Maine 7
1906 Nylander, Olof O. Notes on the Geology of the South East Part of Maine 7