The Rutgers Geology Museum: America’s first …...The Rutgers Geology Museum: America’s first...

The Rutgers Geology Museum: America’s first geology museum

and the last 200 years of geoscience education.

Presented by

Dr. Lauren Neitzke-Adamo

Rutgers Geology Museum Director

The Inception of Geology in Europe

The start of Geology was the combination of 3

different fields of study.

• Long-debated theoretical ideas about the history of

the earth—natural philosophy

• The collection and classification of minerals, fossils

and other curiosities from underground—natural

history

• The management of mines—practical mining

The Rise of Geology in the United States

• 1750’s- First speculative maps of North America

presented in Paris.

• After the American Revolution, the first “geological”

studies were commissioned and published.

• Early geologists were all trained in Europe.

The Rise of Geology in the United States

• 1750’s- First speculative maps of North America

presented in Paris.

• After the American Revolution, the first “geological”

studies were commissioned and published.

• Early geologists were all trained in Europe.

• Mitchill was one of the earliest and most

influential geologists, trained in Edinburgh.

• 1787- Samuel Latham Mitchill publishes

“Geological Remarks on the maritime

Parts of the State of New York”

• 1792- Mitchill teaches chemistry and

natural history at Columbia

Samuel Latham Mitchill

Early Geology Community in United States

• 1809- William

Maclure publishes

geologic maps

Geologic map published by Maclure and

included in Cleaveland’s geolgy text book.

William Maclure

The Rise of Geology in the United States

• 1816- Parker

Cleaveland publishes

first geology text book.

Parker Cleaveland

The Rise of Geology in the United States

• 1818- Geology articles

begin appearing in the

American Journal of

Science

• 1830’s- NJ, NY, PA and

others launch their own

geological surveys

“Silliman’s Journal”

“Cabinets of Curiosities”

Public Geology Lectures

• Public lectures were offered to the public by many

colleges and universities.

• Often put together at the request of students.

Geology at Rutgers University

• 1829- President was notified that John Finch was ready to teach a

Geology course once a space and time were assigned.

• 1830- Student run Society for Natural History requests funds for a cabinet

for the reception and preservation of specimens they collected.

• Englishman, John Finch hired to teach first lecture series in geology at

Rutgers (15 lectures).

• Lecture series and first “cabinet”

of mineral petitioned by

students.

Geology at Rutgers University

• 1830- University hires Lewis C. Beck teach

Geology and Mineralogy instead of Finch

• Beck professional ties to Silliman and

trained by Amos Eaton (famous early

geologist at Rensselaer.

• Worked on the geology of Eerie Canal.

• Typical of early geologist (doctors,

clergymen, etc.), Beck was a botanist,

chemist, professor, and geologist. Even

worked for what would become the FDA.

• Taught mineralogy and geology as part of

Natural History and Chemistry at RU.

• Published on geology and mineralogy of NY

and NJ.

• 3,000+ piece personal collection of

minerals.

Lewis C. Beck

A

B

C

D

• Oldest scientific

collection at Rutgers.

• Embodiment of science

at RU at time.

• Still on display today.

• Contains many NJ and

NY specimen.

• Localities no longer

exist.

The Beck Collection

George Cook and the Morrill Act

George H. Cook

• 1853- George H. Cook

appointed to succeed Beck.

• Raised in NJ, attended

Rensselaer (trained by Eaton).

• Several other teaching position

before he came to RU.

• 1856- Given honorary PhD (no

earned PhDs until 1863.

• 1864- Became state geologist

of NJ

• Was originally Professor of

Chemistry and Natural History,

before he became Professor of

Geology and Agriculture

George Cook and the Morrill Act

George H. Cook

• 1864- As VP of University Cook

lobbied for funds after the passing of

the Morrill Act under Lincoln.

• Faculty committee proposal for an

observatory, astronomical apparatus

and need for resources for scientific

instruction, 1864 (first proposal for

museum)

• Land Grant Status granted in April

1864

– Competition was Princeton and

State Normal School in Trenton.

• Schanck Observatory built in 1866

• Geology Hall completed in 1872

• First structure devoted to scientific

instruction and home to Geology,

Physics, and Military Science

George Cook and the Morrill Act

Schanck Observatory

Geology Hall

George Cook and the Morrill Act

Schanck Observatory

Geology Hall

Cook purchased

the Mannington

Mastodon in

1870 for $300.

Mounted in 1892

after Cook’s

death.

Henry Janeway Hardenbergh

Geology Hall

• Architect of Geology Hall and

Kirkpatrick Chapel.

• Great-great-grandson of 1st RU

president.

• Also designed the Waldorf-Astoria

Hotel and Dakota building in New

York City. Dakota Building

Waldorf-Astoria

Early Natural History Museums and Lyceums

• Many records of early self

run ”museums” and

lyceums in the 1700’s and

1800’s.

• Geology started to shift

away from “citizen

science” and towards

universities.

• Collections were sold off

or transferred to new

institutional homes.

• Peale Museum

transferred to American

Museum in 1790.

Charles Willson Peale- “An Artist in

His Museum”

Year Museum1845 New York “State Cabinet of Natural History”

1846 Smithsonian Institution

1859 Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology

1866 Yale’s Peabody Museum

1869 American Museum of Natural History in New York City

1872 Rutgers Geology Museum

1874 Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum

1884 Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum

1877 University of Wisconsin-Madison Geology Museum

1885 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Geology Museum

Late 1880’s Fryxell Geology Museum in Illinois

Early Natural History Museums and Lyceums

Year Museum1845 New York “State Cabinet of Natural History”

1846 Smithsonian Institution

1859 Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology

1866 Yale’s Peabody Museum

1869 American Museum of Natural History in New York City

1872 Rutgers Geology Museum

1874 Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum

1884 Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum

1877 University of Wisconsin-Madison Geology Museum

1885 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Geology Museum

Late 1880’s Fryxell Geology Museum in Illinois

Early Natural History Museums and Lyceums

First American Museum

specifically dedicated to

geology.

Early Years and Curators at the Museum

• Taught chemistry, mineralogy,

and natural history at Hamilton

College from 1870 to 1891

• Published a comprehensive

catalogue of mineral names

and compositions

• Worked with state of NY to

relabel their large mineral

collection (collected by Beck).

• 1892- A.H. Chester hired as

first museum curator.

• Increased the museum

collection by close to 5,000

specimen, later donated to

museum

Chester

Collection

Early Years and Curators at the Museum

• 1893- William S. Valiant hired

as assistant curator.

• 1903- Named curator after

Chester’s death.

• Responsible for reorganizing

and labeling the almost 30,000

specimen in collections.

• Self taught geologist

• Made huge improvements to

the space and collections at the

museum.

• Acting as director of the

museum well before his time.

• 1899- Right whale and spider

crab mounted

• Start of educational mission.

Geology Courses at the Geology Museum

• Focus of early faculty was teaching and maintaining the exhibits in the

museum.

How did students conduct research?

Visual scrutiny of objects

The Department of Geological Sciences

• 1920s- Museum and Geology take

over more of space in building

• 1931- Geology officially becomes a

department

• Albert Hayes responsible for

expanding faculty and courses

(1928-1945)

• Focus of Department turned to

research under tenure of Dick

Olson.

• Museum still open and faculty

involved in exhibits.

• First Open House in 1968

• 1977- Department moved to

another campus, marked end of

active research in the museum.

Albert Hayes

The Department of Geological Sciences

Museum as Outreach Center for Community

• Outreach center for NJ and Rutgers Community

• K-12 tours offered for first time in the 1970’s

• Varity of tours, events, and field trips offered to

all ages and special interest groups that cover

Next Generation Science Standards.

• Partner with centers and groups within and

outside of Rutgers.

• Provide professional development and training in

science teaching for STEM Graduate Students.

Field Station Dinosaurs

Conclusions

• The Rutgers Geology Museum is America’s first Geology Museum!

• Unique that the original collections are still housed in the original space and the

structural components are in tact.

• The acquisition of the collections and the demand for geology courses was

entirely student lead (Society for Natural History).

• Mineral and Fossil collections remained the focal point of the faculty’s interest

and courses for several decades.

• Since the 1970’s the museum has remained an outreach center for the

University and the NJ community.

• Create awareness about global issues related to Earth Sciences and expand

learning and understanding in the K-20 and older communities.

Email: Lauren.adamo@rutgers.edu

Web: geologymuseum.rutgers.edu

Thank you!