Introduction to Earth Science 
Virtual Field Trip
Introduction to Earth Science
 Image taken from J. Aber's gallery KAP Gallery for Emporia. Emporia State University campus is visible, with downtown Emporia in the background. Photo by J.S. Aber, photo date 11/98. |
Emporia is the county seat of Lyon County and located at approximately 1,140 feet, 347 meters, above sea level. The city was incorporated as the Emporia Town Company in 1857 and Lyon County was organized in 1858, with approximately 850 square miles. The State Normal School, now Emporia State University, was opened in February 1865.
There are several U.S. Geodesic brass markers located on the ESU campus, although they do not contain elevation information. One is located on the ground southeast of the library, by a sidewalk that leads to a carry out pizza store! What is the date given on this Emporia State #1 marker? |
Land Use and ResourcesThis land use map reveals Lyon County's agricultural base. The lighter green color represents grasslands (67%), yellow, cropland (28%), and woodland is dark green (3%). The blue color is water and shades of pink urban areas. Some coal was mined in the county, and around 1910 volcanic ash was mined from present day 6th and 7th Avenues, east of Garfield Street, and used as an abrasive (Muilenburg and Gerhard, 1961, p. 7).Given the abundance of limestone in Kansas, combined with the fact that in the 1800s even less woodland existed in Lyon and Chase counties than today, it is not surprising that many of the early foundations and buildings were constructed of stone and brick. The First Presbyterian Church, 8th and Commercial, is a beautiful example of a calcareous limestone rich in fusulinid fossils (resemble rice or wheat grains). Although the congregation was organized in 1867, the present church structure dates from 1897. The limestone sanctuary was started in 1895, with stone hauled from the Ruggles quarry near Americus, at a cost of $20,617.21 (Whitcomb, 1997). Lyon County had many quarries near Bushong, Americus, and Allen (Smith, 1902, p. 1). The quarries near Americus also provided the limestone for some of the first Emporia State University buildings (Hartman, 1960, p. 7). Upon leaving the university, follow Commercial Street (Highway 99), which goes down in elevation, to the Cottonwood River at the south edge of Emporia. This area is home to the Veteran's Memorial, the Emporia Zoo (the smallest accredited zoo in the US), and a park with baseball diamonds (former landfill site). |
 Image taken from http://gisdasc.kgs.ukans.edu/kanview/landcov/html/Lyon.html |
Photo by S.W.Aber, 4/2000
 Image taken from http://academic.emporia.edu/aberjame/field/flint/flint.htm. Photo by J. S. Aber, 11/90, Butler County. |
Emporia is situated between two rivers, the Cottonwood and Neosho. Most of the city is on what geologists call a terrace, which is above the flood plain of the river and alluvial deposits. The Emporia terrace is a rather flat bench of land, positioned somewhat higher than the Cottonwood River floodplain or that area adjacent to the river. The image to the left shows a terrace in a rural setting. The white car and hay bales are positioned along the edge of the terrace and a floodplain is in the foreground.
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The park located at the south end of Commercial Street, which is known as Soden's Grove. This site is where the Soden family placed their home and business. The business was a mill to grind grain, which was powered by a water wheel on the river in the late 1800s, early 1900s. Speculate on the fate of the mill.
The image to the right shows the rainbow bridge, referred to as the Soden's Bridge, during the flood of 1995. The picture was taken from the new higher bridge on Highway 99, at the south edge of Emporia. A flood of this magnitude has happend at least five times in the 1980s and 1990s. Continue through the park toward the zoo, and view the sewage or waste water treatment plant in the distance. This facility is located on the edge of the terrace and has a protective dike built around it to prevent flood damage. |
 Photo by J. S. Aber. |
 Image taken from J. Aber's Emporia, Kansas KAP Gallery, Emporia. Photo by J.S. Aber, photo date 11/98.
| Emporia is bounded by two rivers, with growth and development limited by these barriers. The city grew out from 6th and Commercial, the site of the first buildings in Emporia. Water was initially hauled up from the Cottonwood River. The Neosho River is on the northern edge of Emporia, which is higher in elevation. The elevation near the Cottonwood River, is 1115 feet, 340 meters. The elevation just south of and overlooking the Neosho River, is 1200 feet, 365 meters. This 85 feet or 25 meter relief is significant. Where do you think the modern water treatment plant and water storage towers were placed? Near the Cottonwood or Neosho rivers? Where is the sewage or waste treatment plant located? |
A detailed view of the present drainage basin may be seen below. Taken from http://gisdasc.kgs.ukans.edu/kanview/hydrology/html./neosho.html.
High terrace deposits are found northeast of Emporia, east of the modern Neosho River valley. Old terraces are often easy to find on topographic maps because they are mined for sand and gravel (the mining symbol is circled in red). Why are these sand and gravel deposits at higher elevations than the modern river?
These terrace deposits are remnants of a time when an ancestral Cottonwood River flowed through the area at a much higher elevation than today and along a different path. The map shows the elevation of the present river from 1090 feet, whereas the terrace deposits are located at elevations of about 1175 feet. Rivers continue to dissect the landscape of eastern Kansas and elsewhere.
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In northern Emporia, water drains toward the Neosho, while the rest of Emporia drains south to the Cottonwood River. In the 1970s, the I-35 bypass of the city was built (previous to this bypass, east/west highway traffic followed Highway 50 or 6th Avenue through town). The Flint Hills Mall (15-18th & Industrial) and high school (18th & Graphic Arts Road) were built in the early 1970s (the mall was partially destroyed in a 1974 tornado!). Emporia's northwest expansion continued with new home and business developments. Before the mid 1980s, the area that includes Staples, the Presbyterian Manor, Wal-Mart, numerous restaurants, and gas stations was a large grassy field. This grassy expanse was in fact the site of a former gravel pit (the same terrace deposit visited east of town).
|  Image taken from J. Aber's Emporia, Kansas KAP Gallery, Emporia. Photo by J.S. Aber, photo date 11/98. |
Speculate on the impact this change in land use has had on the area to the south and southeast of this development, especially during and after a rain storm. The Wal-Mart building and parking lot dominate the center of the image (shown above) and I-35 appears in the upper right corner of the view. What a huge concrete island complex!
The Prairie Port Plaza is located to the southeast of the department store (right, center edge of image above). It was built on fill material, that is, the current elevation of this land is due to years of "recycling" large blocks of old concrete pavement to fill in an area in which chert gravel was taken out. Why did the city require this development to dig out a basin behind the station? The basin is filled with cattail plants. Woodland Park, just east of Prairie Street on the north side of 9th Avenue, serves a similar purpose. Is this in fact a park? Why does the park have "earthen walls?"
Leaving Emporia, we will continue along the Emporia Terrace as we drive west on Highway 50 toward Chase County (if you left Emporia west along 18th Avenue, you would continue to drive on the Emporia terrace for some six miles). To the north of Highway 50 are higher terraces and to the south, across the Cottonwood river, are lower terraces. The alluvial sands and gravels and terrace deposits along the Cottonwood and Neosho rivers are important sources of ground water. This highway was rebuilt recently and several "borrow pits" were dug, which were used to raise the road bed. What exactly does a borrow pit look like?
Revisit or move on to: General Geology, General Topography, Flint Hills and Chase County, field trip 
or the ES111 Syllabus.
This page originates from the Earth Science department for the use and benefit of students enrolled at Emporia State University. The curriculum is © by the author, 2000-2003. For more information contact the course instructor, S. W. Aber, e-mail: abersusa@emporia.edu Thanks for visiting! Last update: 18 January, 2003.
copyright 2000-2003 © Susan Ward Aber. All rights reserved.