1929 Jillson Geological Map of Kentucky (inscribed by Jillson)

Presentation issue of foundational Kentuky Geolgical Map.

An exceptional presentation issue of Willard Rouse Jillson's 1929 geological map of Kentucky, compiled from the landmark Sixth Kentucky Geological Survey (1925 - 1928). The map provides an extraordinary record of the state's geology and mineral wealth during a formative period of industrial and natural resource development. This presentation example is inscribed to Major Maurice Kirby Gordon (1878 - 1974), an important Madisonville attorney, Kentucky historian, World War I officer, and founding figure of the American Legion whose research focused extensively on western Kentucky coal mining and regional development.

A Closer Look

This is a large, meticulously detailed map of Kentucky, focusing on the state's unique geological profile. Color wash indicates geological strata, ranging from Quaternary to Carboniferous to Post-Pennsylvanian. Special indicators show faults, igneous rocks, and more. Mines, mostly asphalt, coal, oil, and gas, are noted, some by the operating company. Tables indicate oil, rock asphalt, fluorspar, natural gas, and coal production and value. Strata profiles appear at the base of the map. Blue lines in various patterns indicate power transmission lines and their associated utility operators.

Dedication

The present example is signed by Jillson and inscribed to Maj. M. K. Gordon of Madisonville, Kentucky. This can only be Major Maurice Kirby Gordon (1878 - 1974), a Madisonville attorney, Kentucky historian, World War I officer, and founding figure of the American Legion who proposed the organization's name at the 1919 Paris Caucus. As a hobbyist historian, Gordon assembled a significant collection of historical material concerning coal mining and the development of western Kentucky - likely including this map. His surviving personal and professional archive, including legal papers, correspondence, photographs, genealogical research, historical manuscripts, and American Legion material, is preserved at Western Kentucky University as the Maurice Kirby Gordon Collection (Mss 306).

Sixth Kentucky Geological Survey

Between 1925 and 1928, the Sixth Kentucky Geological Survey, directed by State Geologist Willard Rouse Jillson, greatly expanded the systematic study and mapping of the Commonwealth's geology, topography, and mineral wealth. Its investigations documented Kentucky's coalfields, petroleum and natural-gas deposits, rock asphalt, fluorspar, clays, cement materials, faults, and regional geology, and the compilation of a new statewide base map from detailed topographic, county, and regional surveys provided an essential framework for later geological work. By transforming scattered field observations into authoritative maps and reports, the Survey supported mining, industrial development, infrastructure planning, and scientific research, while establishing a documentary foundation that continues to inform the study of Kentucky's landscape and natural resources.

Publication History and Census

This map was compiled by Willard Rouse Jillson based on surveys completed between 1925 and 1928 by R. L. Harrison and W. H. Gill. It was printed by the U.S. Geological Survey. This example is a presentation issue, neatly dissected, mounted on linen, and bound in a gilt-stamped linen binder. The map cover is signed by Jillson and inscribed to M. K. Gordon. Examples of this map are well represented institutionally but scarce to the market.

Cartographers

Willard Rouse Jillson (May 28, 1890 - October 4, 1975) was an American geologist, historian, author, and academic best known for his extensive contributions to the study of Kentucky's geology and history. Born in Syracuse, New York, Jillson worked briefly in the Midwest before moving to Kentucky in 1917, drawn by the rapidly expanding oil and gas industry. He joined the faculty of the University of Kentucky in Lexington in 1918 and later taught at Transylvania University beginning in 1947. In 1919, Jillson was appointed State Geologist of Kentucky, eventually serving as director of the Sixth Kentucky Geological Survey; in 1924, he became Commissioner of Kentucky Parks. His long public career also included service as Curator of the State Museum, and in the private sector he helped develop Kentucky oil and gas fields. A prolific scholar, Jillson authored numerous works on Kentucky geology, natural resources, history, and political figures, becoming one of the foremost chroniclers of the Commonwealth's geological and historical heritage.   Further Details...

The United States Geological Survey (March 3, 1879 - present), commonly abbreviated USGS, is an American federal scientific bureau and civilian mapping agency within the Department of the Interior, established in Washington, D.C., and subsequently headquartered in Reston, Virginia. Congress created the Survey to classify public lands and investigate the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of the national domain, replacing separate western investigations with a permanent scientific organization. Its first director, Clarence King (1842 - 1901), organized geological investigations and recruited experienced scientists and topographers from earlier federal surveys. Under his successor, John Wesley Powell (1834 - 1902), director from 1881 to 1894, topographic mapping expanded from support for individual geological investigations into a nationwide undertaking. Congressional authorization in 1882 to continue preparation of a geological map of the United States extended the Survey's work into the eastern states, while systematic topographic mapping received authorization in 1884. Henry Gannett (1846 - 1914), the Survey's chief geographer, helped establish enduring methods and standards for this work. Its topographic quadrangles represented terrain through contour lines alongside drainage, settlements, roads, and other features, furnishing a common geographic foundation for scientific investigation and practical land use. During the 20th century, the Survey's mapping evolved from field surveying and compilation toward aerial photography, photogrammetry, and digital geographic information systems. A formal program begun in 1947 to map the conterminous United States at 1:24,000 scale culminated in nationwide coverage in 1992, comprising more than 55,000 maps. The Survey also produced geological and thematic maps and assembled national geographic information. In 2009 it introduced US Topo, a digitally generated successor to its traditional topographic quadrangles. Its continuing cartographic work includes The National Map, digital topographic products, and public access to historical quadrangles, alongside broader investigations of water, ecosystems, mineral and energy resources, and natural hazards.   Further Details...

Condition

Excellent. Folds into original linen binder. Dissected and laid on linen by publisher.

References

OCLC 57244300.