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Exposed Rock	Glacial Landforms	Maps	Parks and Natural Areas	Charles Van Hise Survey Notebooks

About the Collection

E.O. Ulrich taking notes in the field, 1913.

The Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, part of the University of Wisconsin–Extension, conducts research on Wisconsin’s rocks, soils, and groundwater. In its first incarnation, in the mid-nineteenth century, the Survey produced a comprehensive four-volume study of Wisconsin’s geology and geography. Since its official creation by the state legislature in 1897, the Survey has produced a wide range of publications describing the natural history, geography, geology, soils, and groundwater of the state. WGNHS continues to produce maps and publications for geology professionals and for the general public. City and county governments, engineers, schools, and conservation groups are among those that depend on research done by the Survey for projects and developments. Ongoing work includes county-by-county mapping of Wisconsin bedrock, water table mapping, and studies in stratigraphy, springs, and groundwater quality.

The physical image collection contains more than 4,000 black and white photographs taken by field geologists working for the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey between 1910 and 1935. The geologists made detailed entries in their field notebooks about the location and contents of each photograph. The pictures show natural rock formations; Wisconsin landscapes including lakes, rivers, and dams; and economic activities such as brick making, mining, road building, and farming. The collection also includes photographs of the field parties and their families as well as a few images from neighboring states and from the Southwest. Some of the geologists associated with this collection are: H.R. Aldrich, E.F. Bean, W.O. Hotchkiss, F.T. Thwaites, E.O. Ulrich and O.W. Wheelwright.

WisconsinGeologicalSurvey.org

Hydrographic Map Series

This hydrographic map series was produced from 1898 to 1901 by the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey under the direction of E.A. Birge. Most of the maps are no longer in print. L.S. Smith was in charge of the lake surveys, some of which were performed by engineering students at the University of Wisconsin. The surveyors made soundings through the ice to measure lake depth and to produce bathymetric contours. Lake depths are illustrated by contours and by color tint with darker blue representing deeper water. The outline of the lake was accurately surveyed. A few of the maps have nearby topography and all have major roads and other location features.

Charles Van Hise Survey Notebooks

About the notebooks 

The Van Hise field notebooks are part of a collection of notebooks from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Lake Superior Division. Van Hise’s notebooks span 65 volumes, beginning in 1883 and continuing through 1905. His notebooks primarily cover Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan; they also document field trips he took across the United States and Canada.

About the author

Charles R. Van Hise (1857–1918) was a man of many talents and interests. Through his work in northern Wisconsin, documented in these notebooks, Van Hise became a leading authority on Precambrian geologic formations. In 1888, he became chief of the Lake Superior Division and the head of the geology department. Van Hise served as president of the University of Wisconsin from 1903 until 1918. There he gave voice to the Wisconsin Idea, the philosophy that the boundaries of the university are the boundaries of the state.