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Article: Geological Surveys, State
- Article from:
- Dictionary of American History
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GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS, STATE
GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS, STATE.
From 1824 until about 1860, state geological surveys contributed significantly to the development of the economic and intellectual life of the American states. Even at the time they were made, these surveys were regarded as part of the nationwide campaign for internal improvements, and they were closely related to the transportation revolution. The reports of geological surveys influenced the routes of roads, canals, and railroads by describing natural features that assisted or hampered construction and by indicating valuable mineral deposits to which transportation lines could be run in anticipation of profitable business. In turn, ...