Western History Center Work on GLAM West: Past, Present, and Future

The Deep Time Framework Phases Traced for a Digital Timeline

Stratigraphic Alignment (Deep Time to Cretaceous)

Phase 1:

Page 12 Columnar Section and Page 107 Medicine
Bow Mts Section illustrate the Pre-Cambrian foundation and Paleozoic layers highlighted in the James Thornton's 1925 Wyoming Trip Geological Field Book.

Phase 2:

Mesozoic Transitions: Pages 13–15 and 49 provide detailed sketches of the Permian (Lyons, Satanka) and Triassic (Chugwater) formations specifically mentioned in digital timeline framework.

Phase 3:

Cretaceous Horizons: The Mesa Verde and Lewis Shale drawings on Page 15 and the Oil Domes map on Page 102 capture the Upper Cretaceous period identified as key data points.

Spatial and Geographical Stops

Anchor Locations: Page 51 On Road on So. Face of Bull Mountain and Page 102 Map of Oil Domes near Laramie Rock Creek serve as the spatial anchors required for the TimelineJS slides.
Narrative Highlights: The unconformity or Contact Line mentioned in the timeline's scope is visually represented in the Laramie River Canyon sketch on Page 49, which clearly marks the Unconformity where sediments meet the Pre-Cambrian base.

Page Selections based on Stratigraphic Alignment and Spatial and Geographical Stops

Columnar Section on page 12 of James Thornton's geological field book documenting his 1925 trip to Wyoming. This page was selected as a primary visual for the Western History Center's digital geological timeline as traced in Thornton's book. It may act as a kind of legend for the entire timeline, showing the full vertical progression of the formations Thornton studied.

This is a digital copy of page 13 of James Thornton's 1925 Wyoming Trip geological field book. Pages 13–15 and 49 were selected for the timeline because it is thought that they provide detailed sketches of the Permian (Lyons, Satanka) and Triassic (Chugwater) formations specifically mentioned in the Western History Center's framework for developing the timeline with Gemini

This is a digital copy of page 14 of James Thornton's 1925 Wyoming Trip geological field book. Pages 13–15 and 49 were selected for the timeline because it is thought that they provide detailed sketches of the Permian (Lyons, Satanka) and Triassic (Chugwater) formations specifically mentioned in the Western History Center's framework for developing the timeline with Gemini

This is a digital copy of page 15 of James Thornton's 1925 Wyoming Trip geological field book. Pages 13–15 and 49 were selected for the timeline because it is thought that they provide detailed sketches of the Permian (Lyons, Satanka) and Triassic (Chugwater) formations specifically mentioned in the Western History Center's framework for developing the timeline with Gemini.

This is a digital copy of page 49 of James Thornton's 1925 Wyoming Trip geological field book. Pages 13–15 and 49 were selected for the timeline because it is thought that they provide detailed sketches of the Permian (Lyons, Satanka) and Triassic (Chugwater) formations specifically mentioned in the Western History Center's framework for developing the timeline with Gemini.

On Road On So, Face of Bull Mountain Page 50 showing 2 of his illustrations of geological features he observed in 1925.

Page 50 of James Thornton's geological field book documenting his 1925 trip to Wyoming titled Section from Tatam Ranch to Camp and showing a couple of his illustrations of sections he studied.

Scan of faded lecture notes made by James Thornton in his 1925 Wyoming Trip Geological Field Book. These notes appear on page 59. Some highlights include Genesis, Epeirogenic = continent making, Orogenic = mountain making as well as the following numbered sections.. 1. Peneplained old Land Granite; 2. Submergence Transmiss. Sea; 3. Orogenic movement in area where mine deposits. Gold + silver — rocky mts. chert (SiO2) was formed; 4. 4. Erosion left chert nodules containing Mississippian Fauna.; 5. Streams deposited arkosic materials on sides of mountain in alluvial fan, with L.S. lenses. Essentially Fountain in Narrow Coastal Plain. Section 5 contains the following sub sections; (a) P. Pennsylvanian Sea came in shore line between Laramie + camp last time as mts were removed when beyond, deposited marine deposits; (b) On Fountain wind blown Lyons interfingers with F.S. of Penn Sea; (c) Then Redish Shales from mts.

Block Diagram of Southern Wyoming and Northern Colorado found on Page 60 of James Thornton's geological field book documenting his 1925 trip to Wyoming.

Scan of faded lecture notes made by James Thornton in his 1925 Wyoming Trip Geological Field Book. These notes appear on page 63. Highlights from his notes include: From Plains to Great Basin; From Rio Grande to International Boundary. History of Rockies: 1. Archean complex; 2. Profound Erosion state of Peneplaination; 3. Subsidence with deposition. PLUMBAGO REGION: June 26 North of Laramie aneroid readings at camp: 8:20 — 7490; 8:40 — 7485; 9:10 — 7610.

Faded Observation Notes on Page 63 of James Thornton's 1925 Wyoming Trip Geological Field Book. Highlights include Canyon very different from others; at head + foot typical V-shaped. In middle like glacier trough, but no glacier deposits. On floor some rock weakness is explanation. Black and white rocks on the other side are different than found here. Caused by faulting. Balancing between weathering and erosion. Station 2 Contact between Pre-Pennsylvanian, Sediments are massive limestone fossiliferous not over five feet off contact. We are western side of Laramie Arch. Rocks are dipping basinward. Range is about 20 miles wide and 150 miles long. Sediments cap highest portion.

Cenozoic, Mesozoic, Paleozoic Diagram on Page 85 of James Thornton's 1925 Wyoming Trip Geological Field Book.

The Oil Domes map on Page 102 of James Thornton's 1925 Wyoming Trip Geological Field Book capture the Upper Cretaceous period identified as a key data point.

Medicine Bow Mts Section on Page 107 of James Thornton's 1925 Wyoming Trip Geological Field Book illustrate the Pre-Cambrian foundation and Paleozoic layers as a key data point.