Historical Photographs

These photographs were made Web accessible in response to demands from the public and the media for historical photographs of USGS mappers at work. All photographs within this collection are public domain. No permission is required for use or reproduction and images may be downloaded at no charge. For any use made of a photograph, credit should be given to the individual photographer (where noted) and the U.S. Geological Survey.

1890 - 1924 Photos 1925 - 1953 Photos 1955 - 1993 Photos

1890-1892 R.H. Chapman camp under Live Oak in Sonora, California. Temperature is 117 degrees. Enlarge Image

early 1900s USGS field camp. Enlarge Image

early 1900s Herbert "Shortie" Clark mapping with a planetable and telescopic alidade. Enlarge Image

early 1900s USGS field camp. Enlarge Image

early 1900s USGS field camp. Enlarge Image

early 1900s USGS field camp. Note the U.S. and USGS flags. Enlarge Image

1903 Field crew in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. A.E. Murlin photo. Enlarge Image

1904 George Davis and Ryan kindling a fire to warm numb fingers. Enlarge Image

1905 Level crew in early 1905 running a line from Mojave to Keeler, California via the state road, preparing the way for topographers to follow. Levelman and Chief of Party was R.A. Farmer, just to the left of the long-barreled Engineers WYE level instrument. Holding the umbrella (used to shield the bubble) and the notebook is either M.D. Shannon or P.E. Turner. Later that year Farmer was to run lines into Yosemite Valley and to the top of California's Mt. Whiney. Enlarge Image

1905 Elevation monument for a level line run from Mojave to Keeler, California in early 1905. The line ran through such places as 18-Mile Station, Dixie, Indian Wells, Little lake, and Olacha. Elevations were based on Benecia datum. Enlarge Image

circa 1906 Horse-drawn wagon northwest of Sacramento, California. Note the U.S.G.S. initials on the seat. Enlarge Image

circa 1907 A USGS packtrain carries men and equipment up a steep slope while mapping the Mount Goddard, California quadrangle. Enlarge Image

1907-1909 R.B. Marshall using a plane table and alidade, possibly at Mount Goddard, California. Marshall created the first topographic map of the area surrounding Menlo Park, California (future home of the Western Region USGS offices) in 1895. Marshall later served as the Chief Geographer for the USGS. In 1919, he earned the nickname "Father of the Central Valley Project" when he proposed a plan to transfer water from California's Sacramento Valley to the San Joaquin Valley via two large canals. Enlarge Image

1874 Allen Wilson (standing) and Franklin Rhodda on Sultan Mountain in Colorado. Enlarge Image

1911 Rod man poses in Salinas Valley, California. Enlarge Image

1918 San Luis Obispo, California. Captain Straughan and rodman Bud Sullivan prepare to depart for a day in the field. The flagpole holds a United States flag and a USGS flag. Enlarge Image

circa 1918 One of the U.S. Geological Survey's first cars. Circa 1918. From the Gerald Fitzgerald album. Enlarge Image

1923 Roland Burchard (standing) and Claude Birdseye (taking notes at right) on the Colorado River. Birdseye was the first Chief Topographic Engineer of the USGS (1919-1929) and headed a USGS expedition through the Grand Canyon in 1923 to acquire information on the hydrology, topography, and geology of the Colorado River. Enlarge Image

1920 Field crew in camp, Alaska. Enlarge Image

1920 Gerald Fitzgerald in the field in Alaska. Enlarge Image

1920 USGS triangulation tower in West Texas. Enlarge Image

1921 Koontz holding the rod for topgrapher George Druhot near Job, West Virginia. Enlarge Image

circa 1920 USGS Topographer. Enlarge Image

circa 1920-1924 In survey camp with sled dogs. Alaska. Enlarge Image

circa 1920-1924 Anchorage, Alaska. The first time a plane was used to transport supplies to Topographic Survey parties. Enlarge Image

1924 Gerald Fitzgerald with dog sled team in Alaska. Enlarge Image

1924 Survey party, Alaska. Enlarge Image

1924 Working with an alidade and planetable in Alaska. Transportation by dogsled, temperature well below zero. Enlarge Image

1924 R.R. Monbeck on the rim of Haleakala on the island of Maui, Hawaii. Enlarge Image

1890 - 1924 Photos 1925 - 1953 Photos 1955 - 1993 Photos

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey URL: http://online.wr.usgs.gov/outreach/historicPhotos/historical_photos.html Page Contact Information: Western Region Web Team Page Last Modified: Thursday, 18-Jan-2007 17:13:11 EST (alv)