Local Geological Tours
The geology of the Boston Basin has been formally explored for almost 150 years. An important part of the work of such investigators has been sharing knowledge with other investigators, students and the interested public. In this field, there is no substitute for seeing things in person. As a result, field trips have been part of education for many years. In recent years, some of these "field guides" have been shared online. There are links to these field guides below. Some of them are rather technical. As a result, I also include "tours" that I have compiled, along with those of other amateurs. Enjoy getting out and seeing the local geology and learning more about their fascinating stories.
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Professional Field Trips
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These are for the most part downloadable pdfs.
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Field Guide to the Sedimentology of the Ediacaran Roxbury (2018)
Kenneth G. Galli, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
Richard H. Bailey Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
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Joseph P. Kopera, Office of the State Geologist, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
Martin E. Ross, Dept. of Marine and Environmental Sciences , Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Richard H. Bailey, Dept. of Marine and Environmental Sciences , Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Margaret D. Thompson, Dept. of Geosciences, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
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Margaret D. Thompson, Department of Geosciences, Wellesley College
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A Roxbury Review: Conglomerates of Greater Boston, Massachusetts (2004)
Margaret D. Thompson, Department of Geosciences, Wellesley College
Anne M. Grunow, Byrd Polar Research Center, Ohio State University
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The Avalon and Nashoba Terranes (1993)
(Starts on page X-1; Field trip starts on page X-14)
J Christopher Hepburn, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
Rudolph Hon, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
Gregory R. Dunning, Department of Earth Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland
Richard H. Bailey, Department of Geology, Northeastern University, Boston MA
Kenneth Galli, Department of Geology, Northeastern University, Boston MA
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​The Geology of Newton (1973)
James William Skehan, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
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​​Brookline Rocks! Self-Guided Field Trips
These are all downloadable pdfs.
A Tour of the Rocks of the Boston Basin
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A Tour of Avalonia in (Mostly) Brookline
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Local Geology Tours from the Web
Architectural Geology of Boston
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