New York Natural History Survey 1836-1842
A Chapter in the History of American Science

by Michele L. Aldrich
with a Preface by Robert H. Fakundiny, Eighth State Geologist of New York

Amos Eaton's geological map of New York State (1830)

A must have for anyone interested in the history of science, this volume is an indepth study of the most important state natural history/geology survey conducted during the 19th century in the United States. Its impact was broad and long-lasting; it established American geologists as a force majeure in the earth sciences; and it had a lasting influence on the future direction of earth science studies in the United States. The United States Geological Survey and nearly all state surveys are lineal intellectual descendants of the New York State Survey, as is the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Early renderings of Niagara Falls (left) and Taughannock Falls, Ithaca (right)

This volume is a remarkable achievement, one that adds immeasurably to our understanding of science, politics, and economic development in the Jacksonian Era of the 19th century. Different scientific interpretations of the State's stratigraphy are illustrated, as well as three colored geologic maps, showing the growth of knowledge about the State's geology from 1820 to 1842.

Published by The Paleontological Research Institution
Ithaca, New York

Geologic Map of the State of New York 1842