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Previous Usage of Stratigraphic Names
The type exposure of the Red Eagle limestone is in Osage County, Oklahoma, where 36 years ago it was recognized as a distinct stratigraphic unit, named, and classed among rocks considered to be Pennsylvanian (Heald, 1916, pp. 24-25) in age. At that time the Red Eagle was regarded as a subdivision of the Elmdale shale (Beede, 1902, p. 178), which was defined as comprising strata between the Americus limestone below and the Neva limestone above. The Americus limestone, according to present usage, is the basal member of the Foraker formation, and the Neva limestone is the upper member of the Grenola formation. Gould (1925, p. 80) gave the pre-occupied name Cushing to rocks in Oklahoma, which Miser (1926) later showed were the same as Red Eagle.
In 1927 Condra (p. 86) named the Glenrock limestone, Bennett shale, and Howe limestone from exposures in southern Nebraska [Note: The town from which this shale was named is spelled Bennet (Nebraska).]. Condra traced the three members into northern Kansas and many years ago identified them in the vicinity of Manhattan (Jewett, 1941, pp. 48-49). Bass (1929, pp. 54-55) identified the Red Eagle limestone in Cowley County, Kansas, and expressed the belief that it is continuous into central Kansas in the Cottonwood River Valley. Later, Bass (1936, pp. 41-42) stated that he recognized as members of the Red Eagle limestone beds in Cottonwood River Valley bluffs east of Elmdale that Moore and Condra had identified as equivalents of the Glenrock limestone, Bennett shale, and Howe limestone of northern Kansas and southern Nebraska. Thus, correlation of the Red Eagle limestone in northern Oklahoma and the Glenrock limestone, Bennett shale, and Howe limestone in southern Nebraska was indicated.
Two general reports on the Kansas rock section (Moore, Frye, and Jewett, 1944, pp. 167-168; Moore and others, 1951, p. 48) classed the Glenrock limestone, Bennett shale, and Howe limestone as members of the Red Eagle formation and indicated that across the State they are more or less persistent lithologic units.
In 1949, Jewett (p. 16) published a diagrammatic section measured by M. R. Mudge and Robert Burton in sec. 30, T. 11 S., R. 12 E., Wabaunsee County, Kansas. The boundary between the Howe limestone and the Bennett shale at this outcrop, according to the present interpretation, is slightly higher than shown on the diagram. Recently Moore, Jewett, and O'Connor (1951, pp. 14-15) in a report on the geology of Chase County, Kansas, used the names Glenrock, Bennett, and Howe for strata that crop out in Cottonwood and Neosho River Valleys; this accorded with usage introduced by Bass (1936). The rock called Glenrock in the Chase County report includes part of the Bennett shale of this paper. A report by Mudge and Burton (1950, pp. 51-53, 170-175) assigns to the Howe limestone parts of the Red Eagle formation which are classed as part of the Bennett shale in this paper. In 1951 Jewett and O'Connor (p. 19) published a graphic section of an exposure in northern Lyon County (sec. 35, T. 15 S., R. 11 E.) showing classification of beds as in the Chase County report. However, a graphic section of an exposure in sec. 23, T. 15 S., R. 11 E. (Jewett and O'Connor, 1951, p. 20) shows identification of the Glenrock limestone that is believed to be correct, although rock labeled "Howe limestone" is now judged to belong partly to the Bennett shale member.
The original definitions of the Red Eagle limestone and the members of the formation are in no way modified in this paper. Deviations from former placement of member boundaries along the line of outcrop in Kansas are based on the continuation of fossil zones and other persistent lithologic characteristics of the rocks.
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Kansas Geological Survey, Geology
Placed on web July 14, 2006; originally published Dec. 31, 1952.
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