Kansas Geological Survey, Guidebook, originally published in 1958

Second geologic field conference in the Flint Hills of Lyon, Chase, Morris, and Wabaunsee counties, Kansas

Conference Leaders: J M. Jewett, Stanton Ball, C. F. Gladfelter

Guidebook prepared under supervision of Grace Muilenburg

Originally published in 1958 for the National Science Foundation Science Teachers Institute. This is, in general, the original text as published. The information has not been updated.

Introduction

Lessons in geology may be learned at any place that can at all qualify as the "open;" at least there can be an attempt at learning. An ancient philosopher has said, "The love of mountains is best," but lovers of mountains must love, too, the open plains and lower ranges of the prairie country. The Flint Hills region of Kansas offers a great variety of lessons in geology.

A short excursion in the Flint Hills gives us a view of rock layers that reveal much history, no little part of which concerns faunas and floras of ancient seas. The hills and valleys tell stories of erosion and the whole landscape is a chapter on history that is much more modern. Climate much different from that of the present is recorded by glacial deposits in a locality in the northern part of the field-trip route.

Some persons have failed to see anything beautiful in this region, and the hills have been called "barren" and "depressing." Perhaps the Flint Hills are more pleasing when they are at least in part understood. We hope that you will like the Flint Hills.

John Mark Jewett

Available as an Acrobat PDF file

• Guidebook, 1958, Acrobat PDF, 17 MB

Kansas Geological Survey
Placed on web Dec. 6, 2018; originally published in June 1958.
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