Nelson Horatio Darton
Nelson Horatio Darton (* 1865 in Brooklyn , New York City , † 1948 ) was an American geologist .
At the age of 13 he started to work in his uncle's pharmacy , where he trained as a chemist and learned how to make medicines . His interest in geology was initially only marginal, but in 1886 he joined the United States Geological Survey (USGS) at the suggestion of geologist GK Gilbert .
Darton was an expert in geological photography and a noted geological map maker . After initially working on a map of the Appalachian geology , he turned to geological mapping , working in New York, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming and Colorado. In some cases he first had to create a topographical map of his work area, if one was not already available.
He also worked as a hydrogeologist and made some important paleontological discoveries. In total, he wrote more than 200 scientific articles; he owes more than 2,100 large-format geological photos that are now in the USGS Photo Library in Denver .
He retired in 1936, but remained geologically active, especially in the Washington, DC area. Until a few weeks before his death, he came to his office at the USGS every day to give lectures. In 1940 he received the Penrose Medal from the Geological Society of America .
Web links
- Nelson Horatio Darton (1865-1948). Biography of Darton on the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program
- Repeat Ground Photography. Historical Photography of Twentieth Century Vegetation Change in Wyoming and Montana. Darton's role in geological photography
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Darton, Nelson Horatio |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American geologist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1865 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Brooklyn , New York City |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1948 |