- Title: Geological Map of Texas
- Author: J. A. Udden
- Date: 1916
- Condition: See description
- Inches: 33 3/4 x 32 [Image]
- Centimeters: 85.72 x 81.28 [Image]
- Product ID: 308283
First Edition of Foundational Geological Map of Texas
In 1916, amidst the throes of World War I, the Geological Map of Texas made its debut. This unveiling occurred just seven years after the establishment of the Bureau of Economic Geology. Noteworthy oil discoveries had already electrified the Texan landscape – from Corsicana in 1894 to the world record gusher at Spindletop along the Gulf Coast in 1901, and the expanses of north-central Texas. Yet, the colossal reserves of the East Texas oil field and the Permian Basin remained concealed, awaiting discovery.
Dr. Udden and his collaborators meticulously crafted this map, drawing upon their own research and the contributions of predecessors, including the pioneering work of Dr. Ferdinand Roemer dating back to 1845. Accompanying the map was a report titled Review of the Geology of Texas, a concise endeavor to encapsulate the essential geological, economic, tectonic, and historical facets of the state's geologic history. At that juncture, only a fraction of Texas had been adequately charted – primarily by geologists from the U.S. Geological Survey or the Bureau – leaving vast swathes of territory known solely through regional surveys or cursory examinations.
The accomplishments of these early field geologists are nothing short of remarkable. Despite lacking modern tools like aerial photography and detailed topographic maps, and grappling with transportation challenges, they managed to portray Texas's geological features with clarity. Subsurface interpretations, as evidenced in the cross sections, were crafted from surface outcrops and scant deep borehole data.
In the ensuing decades, the landscape of geological understanding underwent profound transformation. New theories, bolstered by advancements in technologies like geophysics, and insights gleaned from the exploration of hydrocarbon, water, and mineral resources, as well as the study of natural phenomena, substantially enriched our comprehension of Texas's geological tapestry. Yet, the foundational framework laid out by Udden and his collaborators endures, underscoring the prescience of Dr. Udden's assertion that Texas would continue to offer fertile ground for geological inquiry for generations to come.
Background on Creator
Johan August Udden (1859–1932), geologist and teacher, was born in Lekasa, Sweden, in 1859. In 1861 the family moved to the United States and settled in Minnesota. Udden graduated from Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois, in 1881 and went to Lindsborg, Kansas, where he taught at Bethany College for seven years. In 1889 he received his M.A. degree from Augustana College, where he was professor of natural history and geology from 1888 until 1911. During this period he worked in the summer months for several geological survey organizations. He was special assistant to the Iowa Geological Survey from 1897 until 1903, geologist for the University of Texas mineral survey in 1903 and 1904, and geologist of the Illinois Geological Survey from 1906 until 1911. He was also special agent of the United States Geological Survey from 1908 until 1914. In 1911 Udden was appointed by the University of Texas as geologist in the Bureau of Economic Geology and Technology; he was promoted to director of the bureau in 1915 and held that position until his death.
At least four honorary degrees were conferred on Udden: D.Phil. at Augustana College in 1900, D.Sc. at Bethany College in 1921 and at Texas Christian University in 1923, and LL.D. at Augustana College in 1929. In 1911, in recognition of his distinguished service to science, he was decorated by the King of Sweden with the Swedish Order of the North Star. Udden was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Geological Society of America, the Society of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Sigma Xi, and the Illinois, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas academies of science. His fields of investigation included stratigraphic and areal geology, work of the atmosphere, till in the upper Mississippi valley, clastic sediments, and related subjects. His papers published on these subjects number about 100. He discovered potash in the Permian Basin of Texas and was the first to suggest the likelihood of finding oil on university lands in West Texas. Udden died in Austin on January 5, 1932, and was buried in Oakwood Cemetery.
Condition: Minor separations along folds and lightly toned. Closed tears to the left, right, and top margins. Small open tears along top right margin.
References: Udden, J. A., Baker, C. L.., and Böse, Emil, 1916, Map from Review of the Geology of Texas: University of Texas, Austin, Bureau of Economic Geology and Technology, Bulletin 44.