Sunday, August 21, 2011

Timothy H. O'Sullivan: The Great Emptiness (King Survey of the Fortieth Parallel, 1867-1869)



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West half of Larger Soda Lake near Ragtown, Nevada. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan. U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

West half of Larger Soda Lake near Ragtown, Nevada

Shoshone Falls (212-foot drop) on the Snake River in Idaho. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan.U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

Shoshone Falls (212-foot drop) on the Snake River in Idaho

East Humboldt Mountains in Nevada. Quartzites at the head of Glacial Canyon. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan.U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

East Humboldt Mountains in Nevada. Quartzites at the head of Glacial Canyon

Glacial lake in the summit region of the Uinta Mountains of Utah. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan.U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

Glacial lake in the summit region of the Uinta Mountains of Utah

Uinta Mountain summits. Mount Agassiz and Lake Agassiz in Uinta quartzites. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan.U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

Uinta Mountain summits. Mount Agassiz and Lake Agassiz in Uinta quartzites

T.H. O'Sullivan's mules near the edge of the mouth of a geyser in the Pahute Mountains of Nevada. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan, 1871.U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

T. H. O'Sullivan's mules near the edge of the mouth of a geyser in the Pahute Mountains of Nevada

Summer snow bank in the East Humboldt Mountains of Nevada. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan.U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

Summer snow bank in the East Humboldt Mountains of Nevada

Lassen Peak, overlooking

Lassen Peak, overlooking "Chaos" in California

Mud volcano on Lassen Peak in California. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan.U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

Mud volcano on Lassen Peak in California

Tertiary bluffs (Green River Eocene) near Green River City, Wyoming Territory. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

Tertiary bluffs (Green River Eocene) near Green River City, Wyoming Territory

Green River Canyons: Upper Canyon, Great Bend, Uinta Mountains, Horseshoe Bend, and Green River below the bend, viewed from Flaming Gorge Ridge. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

Green River Canyons: Upper Canyon, Great Bend, Uinta Mountains, Horseshoe Bend, and Green River below the bend, viewed from Flaming Gorge Ridge

Summits of the Humboldt Mountains, East Humboldt Mountains, Lake Marion in eastern Nevada. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

Summits of the Humboldt Mountains, East Humboldt Mountains, Lake Marion in eastern Nevada

Hot Springs, Nevada. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan.U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

Hot Springs, Nevada

Hot Springs, Nevada. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan.U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

Hot Springs, Nevada

Sierra Nevada Mountains, viewed from Mono Lake in Bloody Canyon in California. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan.U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

Sierra Nevada Mountains, viewed from Mono Lake in Bloody Canyon in California

Mono Lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Obsidian Crater in the foreground. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan, March 1868.U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

Mono Lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Obsidian Crater in the foreground

Two members of King's expedition on one of the mounds in Pyramid Lake in Nevada. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan.U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

Two members of King's expedition on one of the mounds in Pyramid Lake in Nevada

Near Steamboat Springs in Washoe Valley, Nevada. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan. U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

Near Steamboat Springs in Washoe Valley, Nevada

Sand dunes on the east of side of the Truckee Desert in Nevada. Photo by T.H. O'Sullivan.U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel (King Survey).

Sand dunes on the east of side of the Truckee Desert in Nevada

Photos by T.H. O'Sullivan, from U.S. Geological Exploration of the Fortieth Parallel, under the command of Clarence King, 1867-1869 (U S. Geological Survey Photographic Library)