Tertiary History of the Grand Canyon District

by Clarence E. Dutton

Originally published in 1882, Clarence Dutton’s Tertiary History of the Grand Cañon District has become one of the definitive books on the Grand Canyon. Commissioned as a study of the region’s geology and issued by the fledgling U.S. Geological Survey, it is as much admired today for its literary as its scientific merits. With its beautiful illustrations by Thomas Moran and William Henry Holmes, it is a seminal work on the Canyon that has never been surpassed for its eloquence and authority. This new edition of Dutton’s magnum opus makes that work available once again. Visitors to the Canyon will gain a new appreciation of its majesty as Dutton takes readers on several excursions among its castellated and cathedral-like peaks and ridges. Along the way, he explains the peculiar characteristics of different rocks, the water-sculpturing process, volcanic cones and outflows, the extent of the river’s erosion, and other geological features. Dutton’s Tertiary History remains arguably the most evocative and compelling geological writing ever done on the Grand Canyon region. As Stephen J. Pyne observes in his foreword, Dutton “recast a rocky peninsula into geo-poetry, reshaped an amorphous panorama of Time into narrative History, and transformed an American scene into a universal symbol.” No one who has thrilled to the majesty of the Grand Canyon will fail to be moved by this timeless work.

264 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1882

Reviews

[Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 41 for 2018: Tertiary History of the Grand Canyon District by Clarence Dutton.

This is USGS Monograph no. 2 (but actually was the first one published) from 1882. A MUST READ for any student of the natural and human history of the Grand Canyon area (North Rim). Dutton's almost poetic descriptions of the geology of the Grand Canyon convey not only the scientific observations, but the moods of the Grand Canyon. Some of the science (obviously) is dated (different names for the formations, the estimates of the age of the tilted Grand Canyon Supergroup rocks is way off, etc.), but some of it is still spot on and forms our seminal understanding of the geology and geomorphology of the Colorado Plateau
More importantly, his descriptive observations stand the test of time.

After I finish my Powell route boating efforts, I am going to visit each of the wonderful panaromas depicted in the monograph and its accompanying Atlas and photograph them.

[Milo · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUPERB REPRODUCTION

Reissued by Gibbs Smith in 1977. A huge volume withan even larger atlas. One for the true collector. Massive and wonderful early mappings and drawings of Grand Canyon.