History of the Colorado Geological Survey (1872-1988). 14 pages. Digital PDF download. IS-27D
Did you know there were seven State geologists before there was a Colorado Geological Survey? Between 1872 and 1907, there were a series of Territorial and then State Geologists. On February 9, 1872, the legislature empowered the Governor to appoint a Territorial Geologist who was to reside in the territory and serve a 2-year term. Because neither salary nor expenses were budgeted, the early Territorial Geologists made their livings essentially by consulting for the mining industry, and their public contributions were severely limited.
Did you also know that the Colorado Geological Survey (CGS) did not exist between 1927 and 1969? This history attempts to provide an explanation of why it disappeared, and is organized into the First Survey from 1907 to 1927, and the Second Survey from 1969 to 1988 (with 1988 being ending time span of this publication).