KGS--Franklin County Geology--Stratigraphic Sections

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Stratigraphic Sections

Each stratigraphic unit shown on Plate 2 is represented here by at least one measured section description. All descriptions pertain to Franklin County exposures with the exception of A9 and A10, which were measured and described in Anderson County.

A sections || B sections || C sections || D sections

A1--Composite section of a streambank exposure near cen. sec. 34, T. 16 S., R. 21 E. (Argentine Limestone and lower Bonner Springs Shale), and a road cut exposure near cen. S line sec. 27, T. 16 S., R. 21 E. (upper Bonner Springs Shale and Merriam Limestone).			Thickness (feet)
Plattsburg Limestone
	Hickory Creek Shale Member
	Merriam Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray, a single massive bed, microcrystalline, weathers to a "worm-eaten" surface; scattered brachiopods and crinoid remains	0.5
		Limestone, gray tan, cross stratified, calcarenite, osagite-oolite texture; brachiopods, bryozoans, mollusks, foraminifers; about	7.0
		Limestone, gray, a single massive bed, microcrystalline; prominent Composita-myalinid zone in lower half	1.5
	Total thickness of Merriam Limestone		9.0
Bonner Springs Shale
		Shale, gray green to tan, very thin beds weather to flakes, silty; seemingly barren of macrofossils; pellets of limonite in upper part	5.1
		Limestone, yellow brown, impure "boxwork"	0.4
		Shale, red, thinly laminated yet blocky	1.3
		Covered interval; about	32.0
	Total thickness of Bonner Springs Shale		38.8
Wyandotte Limestone
	Argentine Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray to white, thin irregularly bedded; brachiopods and crinoids; nodular chert in lower part; thickness exposed	2.5

A2--Composite section of road cut exposures in the SE cor. sec. 8, T. 17 S., R. 21 E. (Lane Shale and Argentine Limestone), and along the N 1/2 E line sec. 8 (Bonner Springs Shale and Merriam Limestone).			Thickness (feet)
Plattsburg Limestone
	Merriam Limestone Member
		Limestone, light brown on fresh surface, weathers yellow brown, thin and even bedded, microcrystalline; Composita-myalinid zone in lower part, Osagia, crinoids; upper contact covered; thickness exposed	2.8
Bonner Springs Shale
		Shale, yellow to brown, paper-thin strata weather into flakes, silty; seemingly barren of macrofossils	26.0
Wyandotte Limestone
	Frisbie-Argentine Limestone
		Limestone, gray to brown on fresh surfaces, weathers brown, single thick massive bed devoid of shale breaks or partings, osagite texture	2.0
		Limestone, white to brown on fresh surfaces, weathers brown, thin to thick and irregularly bedded, microcrystalline matrix marked with minute stringers of coarsely crystalline calcite; roughly elliptical chert nodules, 2 inches to 1 foot in long dimension and 2 to 8 inches in short dimension in upper 6 feet of unit; Derbyia, echinoconchids, dictyoclostids, crinoids, fenestrate bryozoans, lophophyllid corals	21.1
	Total thickness of Wyandotte Limestone		23.1
Lane Shale
		Shale, yellow to brown in lower part, gray in upper part, paper-thin strata weather into flakes, silty in the lower part; lower contact covered by alluvium of Marais des Cygnes River; thickness exposed	24.0

A3--Section of a road cut exposure near the cen. E line sec. 7, T. 17 S., R. 21 E.			Thickness (feet)
Plattsburg Limestone
	Hickory Creek Shale Member
	Merriam Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray on fresh surfaces, weathers brown, thin and even bedded, fine grained and compact; Composita-myalinid zone in lower part, crinoids, lophophyllid corals; about	6.0
Bonner Springs Shale
		Shale, yellow to brown, micaceous, silty; seemingly barren of megafossils	24.0
Wyandotte Limestone
	Argentine Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray on fresh surfaces, weathers brown, thin and wavy bedded; fine-grained matrix contains abundant crystalline calcite; sparse chert nodules; Enteletes, dictyoclostids, marginiferids, Lophophyllidium, crinoids	5.0
	Total thickness of Wyandotte Limestone		5.0
Lane Shale
		Shale and sandstone, yellow brown, alternating silty shale and fine-grained quartzose sandstone; sparse brachiopod molds and casts in lower part; thickness exposed about	40.0

A4--Section of a road cut exposure at NW cor. NW 1/4 sec. 26, T. 17 S., R. 20 E.			Thickness (feet)
Plattsburg Limestone
	Hickory Creek Shale Member
	Merriam Limestone Member
		Limestone, brown, many; no megafossils observed	1.0
		Claystone, brown, ferruginous	0.2
		Limestone, gray, single even bed, microcrystalline, weathers to a "worm-eaten" surface; brachiopods, crinoids	1.2
		Limestone, dark gray to gray blue, single even bed, microcrystalline; Osagia, Composita-myalinid zone in lower half	1.0
	Total thickness of Merriam Limestone		3.4
Bonner Springs Shale
		Shale, greenish, alternating silty shale and siltstone layers	7.0
		Limestone, brown, nodular, manly; no megafossils observed	1.0
		Shale, gray to buff, paper-thin strata weather into flakes; silty throughout, more so in the lower part	37.0
		Siltstone and silty shale, tan and gray, quartzose	5.0
		Shale, gray green, clayey	5.5
	Total thickness of Bonner Springs Shale		55.5
Wyandotte Limestone
	Argentine Limestone Member
		Limestone, brown on fresh surfaces, weathers gray, thin to thick and irregularly bedded; fine-grained matrix contains abundant crystalline calcite; chert nodules in upper part; Neospirifer, fusulinids, crinoids; lower contact covered; thickness exposed	20.0

A5--Section of a road cut exposure near the cen. sec. 34, T. 17 S., R. 20 E.			Thickness (feet)
Plattsburg Limestone
	Merriam Limestone Member
		Limestone, yellow tan on both fresh and weathered surfaces, cross stratified; foraminifers, shell fragments coated by Osagia, ooliths cemented by sparry calcite, clams, brachiopods, crinoids; upper contact covered; thickness exposed	7.0
		Limestone, dark gray on fresh surfaces, weathers yellow tan, a single vertically jointed even bed, microcrystalline; Composita-myalinid zone in lower part	1.5
Bonner Springs Shale
		Shale, green in upper part, gray in lower part, paper-thin beds weather into flakes, silty, micaceous; seemingly barren of megafossils	3.0
		Limestone, yellow to brown, marly "boxwork"	0.7
		Shale, gray green, paper-thin beds weather into flakes and irregularly shaped blocks, silty, micaceous; seemingly barren of megafossils	35.3
	Total thickness of Bonner Springs Shale		39.0
Wyandotte Limestone
	Argentine Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray white on both fresh and weathered surfaces, thin and irregularly bedded, fine grained, compact; brachiopods, fenestrate bryozoans, corals, crinoids; crops out in creek at base of hill; lower Contact covered; thickness exposed	16.0

A6--Section of road cut exposure from near cen. S line sec. 36 to near cen. S line SW 1/4 sec. 35, T. 18 S., R. 20 E.			Thickness (feet)
Plattsburg Limestone
	Merriam Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray blue on fresh surfaces, weathers tan, even bedded in lower half foot, remainder poorly cross stratified; basal surface highly irregular; microcrystalline in lower half foot, remainder comprises clam fragments, foraminifers including abundant fusulinids, and Osagia "beans" cemented by sparry calcite; abundant myalinid clams, abundant Composita, sparse productids, Lophophyllidium, planispiral gastropods; thickness exposed	4.0
Bonner Springs Shale
		Shale and siltstone-sandstone, shale gray green to tan, siltsone-sandstone tan to brown	24.0
Wyandotte Limestone
	Farley Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray to tan on fresh surfaces, weathers yellow brown; thin beds rudely cross stratified; crinoidal debris and sparse Osagia cemented by finely crystalline calcite; Composita, nautiloid cephalopods, abundant crinoid columnals, bryozoans; contacts poorly exposed; about	7.0
	Island Creek Shale Member
		Shale and sandstone, tan; shale silty and sandstone quartzose; seemingly barren of megafossils	14.0
	Argentine Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray to white on fresh surfaces, weathers yellow brown, thin to thick and slightly wavy bedded, microcrystalline matrix contains abundant crystalline calcite; Chonetes, Composita, abundant Enteletes, crinoid stems and calices; best exposed in abandoned quarry north of road; lower contact covered; thickness exposed	18.0

A7--Section of road cut exposure along N 1/4 W line NW 1/4 sec. 13, T. 19 S., R. 20 E.			Thickness (feet)
Plattsburg Limestone
	Spring Hill Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray to white on both fresh and weathered surfaces, thin and wavy bedded, fine grained, compact; abundant crystalline calcite; chert nodules in upper half; Composita, dictyoclostids, crinoids, fenestrate and ramose bryozoans, sparse fusulinids; upper contact covered; thickness exposed	21.0
	Hickory Creek Shale Member
		Shale, highly weathered nodular limestone in lower part, yellow brown to gray upward on both fresh and weathered surfaces; sparse shell fragments in uppermost 1 foot	3.0
	Merriam Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray on fresh surfaces, weathers tan, bedding discontinuous and indistinct, microcrystalline; brachiopods, crinoids, corals	1.5
		Limestone, brown, weathers to a rubble	0.9
		Limestone, gray blue on fresh surfaces, weathers buff, even bedded, fine grained, compact; Dielasma, Composita, crinoids	1.9
	Total thickness of Merriam Limestone		4.3
Lane-Bonner Springs Shale
		Shale, gray green, silty to clayey upward; poorly preserved plant fossils in lower part	13.0
		Shale and siltstone, tan, calcareous; Cordaites, Neuropteris; about	22.0
		Shale, olive to gray, clayey to silty; poorly preserved plant remains; basal contact covered; thickness exposed	7.0

A8--Section of a road cut exposure near cm. SE 1/4 sec. 15, T. 19 S., R. 20 E.			Thickness (feet)
Plattsburg Limestone
	Spring Hill Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray to white on fresh surfaces, weathers buff, thin and irregularly bedded, fine grained; nodular chert in upper part; brachiopods, crinoids, echinoids, fenestrate and ramose bryozoans, sparse fusulinids; upper contact concealed; thickness exposed	20.0
	Hickory Creek Shale Member
		Shale; mostly covered	0.5
	Merriam Limestone Member
		Limestone, brown, weathers to a rubble; brachiopods, crinoids	0.7
		Limestone, gray blue on fresh surfaces, weathers buff, slightly irregularly bedded, micro crystalline; abundant veinlets of coarsely crystalline calcite; abundant Composita, crinoids	2.5
	Total thickness of Merriam Limestone		3.2
Bonner Springs Shale
		Shale, gray green, clayey to slightly silty; poorly preserved plant fossils	10.0
		Limestone, brown, manly "boxwork" crack system healed with green clay	0.7
		Shale, gray green, silty; seemingly barren of megafossils	15.0
	Total thickness of Bonner Springs Shale		25.7
Wyandotte Limestone
	Argentine Limestone Member
		Siltstone, brown, calcareous, in part conglomeratic; Composita, dictyoclostids, crinoids, fenestrate bryozoans, Baylea, Cordaites	6.0
	Total thickness of Wyandotte Limestone		6.0
Lane Shale
		Shale and siltstone, brown, calcareous; sparse plant and invertebrate fossils; lower contact covered; thickness exposed	32.0

A9--Section of a road cut exposure at NW cor. sec. 6, T. 20 S., R. 20 E., on U.S. Highway 59 about 3 miles north of Garnett, Anderson County.			Thickness (feet)
Plattsburg Limestone
	Spring Hill Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray to white on both fresh and weathered surfaces, thin to thick and irregularly bedded, microcrystalline matrix contains abundant coarsely crystalline calcite; brachiopods, crinoids, echinoids	14.0
	Hickory Creek Shale Member
		Shale, tan, clayey to silty	0.3
	Merriam Limestone Member
		Limestone, yellow brown, distinctive weathered surface pocked by irregular vugs; brachiopods, crinoids	0.6
		Limestone, gray to blue on fresh surfaces, weathers buff, slightly irregularly to evenly bedded, fine grained, compact; brachiopods, crinoids, sparse clams	3.0
	Total thickness of Merriam Limestone		3.6
	Total thickness of Plattsburg Limestone		17.9
Bonner Springs Shale
		Shale and siltstone, gray-green shale and green to tan siltstone interbedded, paper-thin strata weather to flakes and irregular blocks, shale clayey to silty upward; siltstone in central part contains plant fossils including Mariopteris, Neuropteris, and Pecopteris, and clams including Aviculopecten	11.0
Wyandotte Limestone
	Argentine Limestone Member
		Shale and siltstone, discontinuous zones of dense limestone nodules, shale weathers into flakes, calcareous; shale contains pockets of abundant Pleurophorus	3.5
		Limestone and shale, gray to blue, alternating silty limestone, and shale; marine invertebrates and sparse wood fragments, abundant small Composita in lower part, clams, crinoids, finnestrate and ramose bryozoans	5.0
		Sandstone to siltstone, brown, poorly cross-stratified; sparse clams; about	5.0
	Total thickness of Wyandotte Limestone		13.5
Lane Shale
		Shale and siltstone interbedded, gray, shale clayey to silty and micaceous; sparse clams, Lepidodendron, Calamites; basal contact covered; thickness exposed	40.0

A10--Section of road cut exposure at SW cor. sec. 6, T. 20 S., R. 20 E., on U.S. Highway 59 about 2.5 miles north of Garnett, Anderson County.			Thickness (feet)
Plattsburg Limestone
	Hickory Creek Shale Member
	Merriam Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray to bloc on fresh surfaces, weathers buff, thin to thick and even bedded, microcrystalline; echinoconchids, Aviculopinna, crinoids	4.0
Bonner Springs Shale
		Shale, gray, paper-thin strata weather into flakes and irregular blocks, clayey to slightly silty	8.0
Wyandotte Limestone
	Argentine Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray, discontinuous and indistinct bedding, numerous scour surfaces; ooliths and Osagia-coated shell fragments cemented by coarsely crystalline calcite, Composita, Derbyia, Hustedia, Neospirifer, crinoids, clams	2.0
	Total thickness of Wyandotte Limestone		2.0
Lane Shale
		Siltstone, gray; poorly preserved plant fossils	6.0
		Shale and siltstone, tan to gray green, shale silty; 1.0-foot impure oolitic limestone about 10 feet above base of exposed section; poorly preserved plant fossils; thickness exposed	90.0

A11--Section of quarry face in the cen. SW 1/4 sec. 4, T. 19 S., R. 21 E.			Thickness (feet)
Plattsburg Limestone
	Spring Hill Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray to white on both fresh and weathered surfaces, thin and irregularly bedded, microcrystalline; brachiopods, crinoids, echinoids; abundant residual chert mantles the lower part; poorly exposed on receding slope above quarry face	5.0
	Hickory Creek Shale Member
		Covered interval; cleft in slope appears to represent shale section	1.5
	Merriam Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray white to brown upward on fresh surfaces, weathers gray brown, poorly cross stratified; shell fragments, Osagia-coated shell fragments, and ooliths cemented by coarsely crystalline calcite; Allorisma, Aviculopinna, Bellerophon, Myalina, abundant crinoid and echinoid debris, sparse fusulinids	8.0
		Limestone, yellow brown, very thin bedded, silty; brachiopods, clams, crinoids, fenestrate bryozoans, gastropods; lower contact extremely gradational; about	3.0
	Total thickness of Merriam Limestone		11.0
Bonner Springs Shale
		Shale, gray green, hard, platy, clayey to silty, micaceous, calcareous	4.0
Wyandotte Limestone
	Frisbie-Argentine Limestone
		Limestone, gray to white on both fresh and weathered surfaces, thin and wavy bedded, microcrystalline matrix contains abundant coarsely crystalline calcite, solution caverns in quarry walls; Composita, Enteletes, bryozoans, corals, crinoids; base concealed; thickness exposed	31.0

A12--Section of a road cut exposure near cen. E line NE 1/4 sec. 9, T. 19 S., R. 21 E.			Thickness (feet)
Plattsburg Limestone
	Spring Hill Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray to white on both fresh and weathered surfaces, thin and irregularly bedded, fine grained, compact; Composita, Enteletes, Neospirifer, Girtyocoelia, Wewokella, crinoids, echinoids, fenestrate and ramose bryozoans; michelnoceriod cephalopods; concentration of residual chert as much as 6 feet thick mantles unsilicified parts of the member in the area	13.0
	Hickory Creek Shale Member
		Shale, tan to gray green to gray upward, paper-thin strata weather to flakes and irregular blocks, clayey to slightly silty; Hustedia, sparse fragments of productid brachiopods	6.0
	Merriam Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray on fresh surfaces, weathers tan, single even bed, fine grained, compact; brachiopods, crinoids	1.0
		Limestone, yellow brown, impure, weathers to a "boxwork" surface; limonite-replaced euomphalid, worthenid, and bellerophontid gastropods	0.7
		Limestone, gray blue on fresh surface, weathers tan, two prominent even beds, extremely compact, conchoidal fracture, prominent vertical joints; Composita. Hustedia, crinoids	1.5
	Total thickness of Merriam Limestone		3.2
Bonner Springs Shale
		Shale, gray to tan upward, calcareous, silty to clayey; sparse minute shell fragments; basal contact gradational	0.5
Wyandotte Limestone
	Farley Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray, thin and moderately even bedded, surface pocked with irregular masses of reprecipitated CaCO3; foraminifers, ooliths, and Osagia-coated shell fragments cemented by coarsely crystalline calcite; Composita, Neospirifer	2.0
		Limestone, gray to tan on both fresh and weathered surfaces, thin slightly irregular well-defined beds separated by shale partings; abundant Composita, Neospirifer, crinoids, fenestrate bryozoans	3.7
	Total thickness of Farley Limestone		5.7
	Island Creek Shale Member
		Shale, gray green, clayey to silty, weathers into irregular blocks, grades downward into limestone-limonite conglomerate	2.5
	Argentine Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray to tan on fresh surfaces, weathers buff, thin to thick and irregularly bedded, fine grained, compact, matrix contains abundant crystalline calcite which may be linear algae, chert nodules in the upper part, uppermost 0.5 foot a fossiliferous limestone-limonite conglomerate; Composita, Enteletes, Linoproductus, Neospirifer, dictyoclostids, crinoids, echinoids, fenestrate bryozoans	34.0
	Frisbie Limestone Member
		Limestone, chocolate brown, indistinct bedding, massive, fine grained, compact; Composita, Enteletes, robust fusulinids, crinoids	3.0
	Total thickness of Wyandotte Limestone		45.2
Lane Shale
		Shale, gray green to tan, silty to clayey; mostly covered; thickness exposed	30.0

A13--Section of a road cut exposure in the NE 1/4 SE 1/4 sec. 9, T. 19 S., R. 21 E.			Thickness (feet)
Plattsburg Limestone
	Spring Hill Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray on both fresh and weathered surfaces, thin and slightly wavy bedded, microcrystalline; brachiopods, crinoids, echinoids; mantle of residual chert, which contains silicified Wewokella, Girtyocoelia, brachiopods, and crinoids	19.0
	Hickory Creek Shale Member
		Limestone, yellow brown, impure, manly	0.7
		Shale, green, weathers into irregular blocks, clayey	2.5
		Limestone, yellow brown, impure, manly	1.0
	Total thickness of Hickory Creek Shale		4.2
	Merriam Limestone Member
		Limestone, blue gray, compact, brittle; brachiopods, crinoids; upper contact gradational within yellow-brown impure limestone crust	1.5
Bonner Springs Shale
		Shale, gray green, paper-thin strata weather into flakes, clayey to silty	0.3
Wyandotte Limestone
	Farley Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray to white on both fresh and weathered surfaces, thin and relatively even bedded, microcrystalline except in a nebulously defined central part which comprises ooliths, foraminifers, and Osagia-coated shell fragments cemented by coarsely crystalline calcite; brachiopods, bryozoans	3.0
		Limestone, gray to white, thin and irregularly bedded, fine grained, compact; Composita, Enteletes, Neospirifer, fenestrate bryozoans	2.0
	Total thickness of Farley Limestone		5.0
	Island Creek Shale Member
		Conglomerate, yellow brown, limestone-limonite conglomerate; brachiopods, bryozoans, crinoids	2.0
	Argentine Limestone Member
		Limestone, brown to gray to white upward on fresh surfaces, weathers buff, thin and irregularly bedded, microcrystalline matrix contains abundant coarsely crystalline calcite; profuse Enteletes, marginiferids, crinoids, bryozoans	33.0
	Frisbie Limestone Member
		Limestone, chocolate brown on both fresh and weathered surfaces, even bedded, microcrystalline, abundant solution voids on weathered surfaces; Enteletes, Linoproductus, Lophophyllidium, robust fusulinids, sparse crinoids	3.5
	Total thickness of Wyandotte Limestone		43.5
Lane Shale
		Shale, tan, silty; poorly preserved plant remains in upper part, thickness exposed	33.0

A14--Section of a road cut exposure along the cen. part E line sec. 16, T. 19 S., R. 21 E.			Thickness (feet)
Plattsburg Limestone
	Spring Hill Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray to white on fresh surfaces, weathers tan, very thin and irregularly bedded, beds show a tendency to spall; foraminifers, ooliths, and Osagia-coated shell fragments cemented by coarsely crystalline calcite; coquinoid, profuse crinoid columnals and calyx plates, abundant echinoid spines and plates; about	10.0
	Hickory Creek Shale Member
		Shale; poorly exposed slope break	0.3
	Merriam Limestone Member
		Limestone, blue gray on fresh surfaces, weathers buff, thin and even bedded, fine grained, compact, highly weathered upper surface; Composita, crinoids	2.0
Wyandotte Limestone
	Farley Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray on fresh surfaces, weathers buff, thin and wavy bedded, microcrystalline excepting a band in the central part which comprises foraminifers, ooliths, and Osagia-coated shell fragments cemented by coarsely crystalline calcite; brachiopods, crinoids, gastropods	2.0
		Limestone, gray on both fresh and weathered surfaces, even bedded, microcrystalline; shell pavement of a robust species of Composita in upper part, dictyoclostids, marginiferids, Punctospirifer, crinoids, gastropods	3.0
	Total thickness of Farley Limestone		5.0
	Island Creek Shale Member
		Shale, gray green; mostly covered	15.0
	Argentine Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray to white on both fresh and weathered surfaces, thin and irregularly bedded, microcrystalline matrix contains abundant crystalline calcite; brachiopods, crinoids; contacts poorly exposed; about	18.0
	Frisbie Limestone Member
		Limestone, chocolate brown, a single thick vertically jointed bed, microcrystalline; robust fusulinids, corals, brachiopods	4.0
	Total thickness of Wyandotte Limestone		42.0
Lane Shale
		Shale, gray green to tan, paper-thin strata weather into flakes, silty to clayey; thickness exposed	20.0

A15--Section of an escarpment exposure in NE 1/4 SW 1/4 NW 1/4 sec. 8, T. 19 S., R. 21 E.			Thickness (feet)
Wyandotte Limestone
	Argentine Limestone Member
		Limestone, gray to white on both fresh and weathered surfaces, thin and wavy bedded; sparse slender fusulinids, Composita, Enteletes, crinoids, echinoids; thickness exposed	12.0
	Frisbie Limestone Member
		Limestone, chocolate brown, single massive vertically jointed bed, microcrystalline; Enteletes, echinoconchids, crinoids, echinoids, robust fusulinids	6.0
Lane Shale
		Shale, gray green, paper-thin strata weather into flakes, clayey to slightly silty; sparse poorly preserved plant fossils; thickness exposed	59.0

A sections || B sections || C sections || D sections

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Kansas Geological Survey, Geology of Franklin County
Web version July 2002. Original publication date Jun. 1963.
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