1878 Preliminary Geological Map of the Yellowstone National Park
DESCRIPTION
One of the earliest detailed geological maps of Yellowstone National Park, published just six years after its establishment as the world's first national park.
This magnificent large-format map documents the extraordinary volcanic landscape, geothermal features, and geological formations that made Yellowstone one of the great scientific discoveries of the American West. Prepared under the direction of Ferdinand V. Hayden for the United States Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories, the map combines remarkably detailed topography with an elaborate system of colors identifying the region's diverse geological formations.
Mapping Yellowstone's Geological Wonders
Surveyed in 1878, the map distinguishes geological formations ranging from ancient Carboniferous, Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous strata to more recent volcanic rocks, lake beds, and hot spring deposits. Its extensive color coding reveals the remarkable geological complexity of Yellowstone, including the widespread volcanic formations surrounding Yellowstone Lake and the concentrations of thermal activity along the park's rivers and valleys. Among the many recognizable landmarks are Yellowstone Lake, Shoshone Lake, Mammoth Hot Springs, the Upper and Lower Geyser Basins, the Yellowstone River, Obsidian Canyon, and numerous mountain ranges and waterfalls. The Continental Divide is also delineated, separating waters flowing toward the Pacific Ocean from those draining toward the Atlantic.
The Expeditions That Created America's First National Park
Although Indigenous peoples had known and inhabited the Yellowstone region for thousands of years, its extraordinary geothermal features remained largely unfamiliar to the American public until a series of nineteenth-century expeditions brought the area to national attention. The Cook–Folsom–Peterson Expedition of 1869 and the Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition of 1870 helped establish Yellowstone's reputation as a landscape of unparalleled natural wonders. Ferdinand Hayden's federally funded expedition of 1871 subsequently provided the scientific observations, photographs, and illustrations that helped persuade Congress to protect the region. On March 1, 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed the legislation establishing Yellowstone National Park, setting an important precedent for the preservation of America's natural landscapes. This remarkable map presents the next stage in Yellowstone's exploration, when scientists moved beyond documenting its wonders to systematically investigating the geological forces responsible for them.
CONDITION
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