The Indiana Geological Survery A Look At the Future

Abstract

No doubt exists that a Geologist for the State of Indiana was appointed 150 years ago, but in designating 1987 as the sesquicentennial anniversary for the beginning of geologic work in Indiana, I was somewhat concerned by the fact that Willis S. Blatchley, State Geologist 80 years ago and a person for whose accomplishments I have deep respect, was the author of an article published (1917) in the Proceedings for 1916 of the Indiana Academy of Science and named "A Century of Geology in Indiana." Even a person as little inclined toward mathematical approaches as I am known to be recognizes that the century preceding 1916 goes back to the early 1800's, and I set out to determine what early geologic work Blatchley had in mind. These turned out to be William Maclure's (1809, 1818) maps of the then United States; a description, largely nongeologic, of Wyandotte Cave; and topographic reconnaissance, not mapping, for canals, railroads, and turnpikes. I was comforted by Blatchley's words (1917, p. 89) "prior to 1837 there is but little record of work done toward utilizing the mineral resources or determining the geology of Indiana."