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Geology of Wyandotte County

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Register of Detailed Sections

Wyandotte County

1. Section at and above a quarry one half mile west of Morris, Kan. Thickness,
in feet
Wyandotte limestone:  
Argentine-Frisbie members:  
Limestone, thin-bedded, light in color, cherty 30.0
Lane shale:  
Shale, gray, argillaceous 37.0
Iola limestone:  
Limestone, massive, blocky, dark-gray, partly covered 8
Chanute shale:  
Shale covered 7.0
Drum limestone:  
Limestone, thin-bedded, massive at top 11.0
Quivira shale:  
Shale, carbonaceus 7.0
Westerville limestone:  
Shale and interbedded limestone 5.0
Shale, buff, limy 5.0
Limestone and interbedded shale, buff 4.0
Limestone, oolitic, buff 2.0
(Total Westerville limestone, 16.0 feet)
Wea shale:  
Shale, buff, argillaceous, thin-bedded near top 6.0
Block limestone:  
Limestone, buff, soft 0.7
Fontana shale:  
Shale, buff, limy, Chonetina flemingi var. plebeia zone near top, a thin coal seam near base 6.0
(Total Cherryvale shale, 35.7 feet)
Dennis limestone:  
Winterset limestone member:  
Limestone, black nodular chert near top, massive at top, thin-bedded and argillaceous below, drab to gray 12.0
Shale, dark, platy 2.5
Limestone, massive, gray to buff, upper part cross-bedded with some chert 5.5
Shale 7.6
Limestone, gray, massive 7.3
Stark shale member:  
Shale, gray, argillaceous 1.0
Shale, black, carbonaceous, platy 1.0
(Total Dennis limestone, 36.9 feet)
Galesburg shale:  
Shale, gray, argillaceous 4.0
Swope limestone:  
Bethany Falls limestone member.  

2. Section at a quarry near Twenty-eighth street and Southwest Boulevard, Kansas City, Mo. Thickness,
in feet
Dennis limestone:  
Winterset limestone member:  
Stark shale member:  
Shale, gray, argillaceous 3.0
Shale, black, platy 1.0
(Total Stark shale member, 4.0 feet)
Galesburg shale:  
Shale, gray, argillaceous 6.0
Swope limestone:  
Bethany Falls limestone member.  

3. Section in a road cut at the SW. corner of sec. 12, T. 11 S., R. 24 E. Thickness,
in feet
Argentine limestone:  
Lane shale:  
Shale, argillaceous, covered 30.0
Iola limestone:  
Raytown limestone member:  
Limestone, gray, massive, even-bedded 6.0
Muncie Creek shale member:  
Shale, black, platy, gray near top and bottom 3.0
Paola limestone:  
Limestone, hard, blue, dense, calcite "marklets" 1.0
(Total Iola limestone, 10.0 feet)
Chanute shale:  
Shale, dark-gray, argillaceous, red zone near base, thin coal, locally at top 12.0
Drum limestone:  
Limestone, soft, gray, thin-bedded 10.0
Quivira shale:  
Shale, calcareous, greenish-gray, dark at middle 3.0
Westerville limestone:  
Chert, pink and brown, lenticular seams 3.0
Oolite, fossiliferous, irregular 0.3
Limestone, gray to white, massive 12.0
(Total Westerville limestone member, 15.3 feet)
Wea shale:  
Shale, argillaceous buff 25.0
Block limestone:  
Limestone, buff, soft 1.0
Shale, buff 3.0
Limestone, gray 1.0
Shale, gray 1.0
Limestone, gray, soft 1.0
(Total Block limestone member, 7.0 feet)
Fontana shale:  
Shale, covered 2.0

4. Section about one half mile west of Turner, Kan. Thickness,
in feet
Westerville limestone:  
Limestone, oolitic, cross-bedded, very fossiliferous 18.0

5. Section near railway station, Nearman, Kan. Thickness,
in feet
Quivira shale:  
Shale.  
Westerville limestone:  
Limestone, thin and wavy-bedded, buff, with brown nodular chert at top 11.0
Wea shale.  

6. Section along interurban railway, near M*****aioon, west of City Park, Kansas City, Kan. Thickness,
in feet
Drum limestone:  
Limestone, thin-bedded, gray, weathers light in color, with Campophyllum torquium, Marginifera splendens and Rhomboporoids at top 8.0
Quivira shale:  
Shale, greenish-gray, argillaceous 3.5
Westerville limestone:  
Chert and limestone, pink to brown, massive with banded and irregular structure 5.0
Limestone, thin-bedded, buff, with little chert 2.5
Shale, argillaceous, gray 0.3
Oolite, cross-bedded, massive, drab and buff, fossiliferous, lower part more evenly bedded 8.3
(Total Westerville limestone member, 16.1 feet)
Wea shale.  

7. Section along bluff south of Twenty-sixth street and Metropolitan avenue, Argentine, Kansas City, Kan., type exposure of Argentine limestone. Thickness,
in feet
Plattsburg limestone:  
Limestone, brown and gray, massive 15.0
Bonner Springs shale:  
Shale, arenaceous, covered 33.0
Wyandotte limestone:  
Farley limestone member:  
Limestone, massive, dark-gray, composed of fossil fragments, and with Osagia 3.5
Shale, argillaceous, covered 10.0
Limestone, oolitic, cross-bedded, fossiliferous massive, drab to buff 14.5
(Total Farley limestone member, 28.0 feet)
Island Creek shale member:  
Shale, bluish-gray, argillaceous 7.5
Argentine-Frisbie limestone members:  
Limestone, whitish-gray, thin-bedded, cherty in upper part, shaly in middle part, and massive below 30.0
Lane shale:  
Shale, buff to gray 38.5
Iola limestone:  
Limestone, gray, hard, covered 6.5
Chanute shale:  
Covered 6.0
Drum limestone and Quivira shale member:  
Covered 11.5
Westerville limestone:  
Limestone, cross-bedded, granular 16.0
Wea shale:  
Shale 6.0
Block limestone and Fontana shale:  
Covered 4.0
Dennis limestone and Galesburg shale:  
Winterset limestone member:  
Limestone with black chert 10.0
Lower part of Winterset limestone member and Galesburg shale:  
Covered 39.0
Swope limestone:  
Bethany Falls limestone member:  
Limestone, poorly exposed 3.0

8. Section near the dam at Forest Lake, west of Edwardsville, Kan. Thickness,
in feet
Bonner Springs shale:  
Shale, covered.  
Wyandotte limestone:  
Farley limestone member:  
Limestone, hard, dense, weathers white to buff, massive, with brecciated appearance on weathered surface 12.0
Shale, gray, argillaceous 2.0
Limestone, gray to buff, granular, limonitic, slightly cross-bedded, friable 6.3
Shale, greenish-gray, arenaceous 0.2
Limestone and shale in thin beds 5.6
Shale, gray, arenaceous 0.3
Limestone, gray to drab, oolitic 4.4
(Total Farley limestone member, 30.8 feet)
Island Creek shale member:  
Shale, arenaceous, buff and fossiliferous 6.5
Argentine-Frisbie limestone members:  
Limestone, whitish-gray. irregular beds 25.0
Lane shale:  
Shale, gray, argillaceous 37.0
Iola limestone:  
Limestone, blocky, massive, light gray, partly covered 8
Chanute shale:  
Shale, covered 7.0
Drum limestone:  
Limestone, thin-bedded, gray, massive at top 11.0
Quivira shale:  
Shale 7.0
Westerville limestone:  
Limestone, thin- and cross-bedded, argillaceous, granular, gray and buff 4.0

9. Section at Boynes Quarry, NW corner sec. 30, T. 10 S., R. 25 E., on Missouri river bluff, northeast of Welborn, Kan., type exposure of Quindaro shale. Thickness,
in feet
Kansan drift:  
Loess, arenaceous, buff to brown 50±
Drift, gravel, erratics, sand, etc. 5
Wyandotte limestone:  
Argentine limestone member:  
Limestone, hard, dark, cross-bedded, granular, with abundance of pelecypods, surface planed and scratched by glaciation 1.5
Limestone, dark-gray, hard, little chert, thin- and wavy-bedded 19.0
Quindaro shale member:  
Shale, buff and dark gray 3.0
Frisbie limestone member:  
Limestone, dense, bluish-gray 2.0
Lane shale.  

10. Section at quarry near Rainbow Avenue and Southwest Boulevard, Rosedale, Kansas City, Kan. Thickness,
in feet
Wyandotte limestone:  
Argentine-Frisbie limestone members:  
Limestone, thin-bedded and wavy-bedded, gray, hard, cherty 38.0

11. Section in a road cut, center of sec. 32, T. 11 S., R. 25 E. Thickness,
in feet
Wyandotte limestone:  
Argentine limestone member:  
Limestone, massive and pink at top, cherty, lower half buff, shaly, argillaceous 33.5

12. Section in quarry along Union Pacific railway, center of sec. 32, T. 12 S., R. 23 E. Thickness,
in feet
Plattsburg limestone:  
Limestone (highest in quarry), cherty and thin-bedded at top, surface of which shows excellent glacial planation and scratches, massive and buff in lower part 21.5
Shale, dark, argillaceous 1.0
Limestone, very massive, gray to buff, hard, with Enteletes hemiplicatus var., base? of Plattsburg 5.0
(Total Plattsburg limestone, 27.5 feet)
Bonner Springs shale:  
Shale, greenish-gray to buff with Cordaites 0.5
Wyandotte limestone:  
Farley limestone member:  
Limestone, massive, gray to buff 18.0
Shale, gray, arenaceous 1.5
Limestone, massive, gray, argillaceous 6.7
(Total Farley limestone member, 26.2 feet)
Island Creek shale member:  
Shale, gray to buff, argillaceous 1.0
Argentine limestone member:  
Limestone, white to pink blue zone at top, massive at top, shaly below 32.5

13. Section at cement plant quarry, Bonner Springs, Kan. Thickness,
in feet
Kansan:  
Drift.  
Vilas shale:  
Sandstone, buff 3.0
Shale 7.0
Plattsburg limestone:  
Spring Hill limestone member:  
Limestone, arenaceous, buff, with pelecypods and trilobites 1.5
Limestone, massive 5.0
Limestone, gray to buff, crystalline 8.0
Hickory Creek shale member:  
Shale, black 0.3
Shale, buff 0.3
Merriam limestone member:  
Limestone 1.1
Shale 0.2
Limestone 1.3
(Total Plattsburg limestone, 17.7 feet)
Bonner Springs shale:  
Shale, green 0.3
Marlite 2.7
Shale, dark gray 6.0
Shale, arenaceous 7.0
Shale, less sandy 9.0
(Total Bonner Springs shale, 25.0 feet)
Wyandotte limestone:  
Farley limestone member:  
Limestone, massive, hard, dark-gray, cherty 11.0
Shale, gray, fossiliferous 0.6
Limestone, massive 0.6
Limestone, arenaceous, locally cross-bedded 7.0
Shale and limestone, interbedded 13.5
(Total Farley limestone member, 32.7 feet)
Island Creek shale member:  
Shale, greenish-gray, calcareous 1.0
Argentine limestone member:  
Limestone, light in color 10

14. Section on Island creek, center sec. 23, T. 10 S., R. 23 E. Thickness,
in feet
Plattsburg limestone:  
Limestone, covered 13.0
Bonner Springs shale:  
Shale, covered 25.0
Wyandotte limestone:  
Farley limestone member:  
Limestone, brecciated, pebbles of brown limestone in dark, granular matrix 5.0
Limestone, dense, bluish-gray, massive 3.0
Shale, buff, limy, partly composed of species of Myalina 6.0
Limestone, massive, drab, oolitic, fossiliferous 30.0
(Total Farley limestone member, 44.0 feet)
Island Creek shale member:  
Shale, argillaceous, buff, covered to creek 3

15. Section at Camp Naish, Boy Scouts of America, one mile east of Bonner Springs, Kan. Thickness,
in feet
Stranger sandstone:  
Sandstone, micaceous, buff 15
Limestone, conglomerate, brown 1.0
Unconformity.  
Stanton limestone:  
Little Kaw limestone member:  
Limestone, buff, micaceous, arenaceous, pelecypods 2.4
Victory Junction shale member:  
Shale, arenaceous, covered 8.5
Olathe limestone member:  
Limestone, thin-bedded, crystalline, hard, gray, weathers buff 15.0
Eudora shale member:  
Shale, gray, argillaceous above, below; black and fissile near middle 5.0
Captain Creek limestone member:  
Limestone, massive, gray to white, hard, even-bedded 5.5
Vilas shale:  
Shale, arenaceous 1.0
Sandstone, "quartzitic," gray, rippled 1.8
Shale, gray, arenaceous, blocky at base 13.8
Plattsburg limestone:  
Limestone, gray to buff, massive beds, abundance of algal form, Osagia, at base 17±
Bonner Springs shale:  
Shale, gray, micaceous, arenaceous, with plant fossils 20.2
Wyandotte limestone:  
Farley limestone member:  
Limestone, massive, even-bedded, hard, gray 10.0
Shale, argillaceous, gray, dark at top 1.2
Limestone, yellow, graular at top, shaly near middle, gray at base 10.3
(Total Farley limestone member, 21.5 feet)
Island Creek shale member:  
Shale, gray, argillaceous 14.0
Argentine limestone.  

16. Section at a quarry east of concrete road near the NE corner of sec. 10, T. 10 S., R. 23 E. Thickness,
in feet
Plattsburg limestone:  
Limestone in covered bench 14±
Bonner Springs shale:  
Shale, buff, arenaceous, covered 25.0
Wyandotte limestone:  
Farley limestone member:  
Limestone, dense, dark 2-3
Shale, gray, argillaceous 7.0
Limestone, massive, cross-bedded, drab to gray 15.0
(Total Farley limestone member, 25.0 feet)
Island Creek shale:  
Shale, gray, argillaceous, mostly covered 40.0
Argentine limestone:  
Limestone, white, thin-bedded, only top exposed 5

17. Section along concrete road one fourth mile southeast of Wolcott, Kan. Thickness,
in feet
Plattsburg limestone.  
Bonner Springs shale and upper Farley limestone member:  
Covered slope.  
Wyandotte limestone:  
Lower Farley limestone:  
Limestone, massive except near the middle where it is shaly, oolitic, cross-bedded, fossiliferous 16.0
Island Creek shale:  
Shale, argillaceous, covered. 43.0
Argentine limestone:  
Limestone, thin-bedded, light in color, dense, base covered 17

18. Section along road cut of Pomeroy, near center of sec. 20, T. 10 S., R. 24 E. Thickness,
in feet
Plattsburg limestone:  
Limestone, marlite at base 15.0
Bonner Springs shale:  
Shale, gray and buff, argillaceous below, arenaceous, with fossil plants above 38.0
Wyandotte limestone:  
Farley limestone member:  
Limestone, massive, granular, gray, weathers into thin plates 3.5
Shale, arenaceous, buff 12.0
Limestone, thin-bedded, dark, oolitic 8.0
(Total Farley limestone member, 23.5 feet)
Island Creek shale:  
Shale, argillaceous, greenish-gray to buff 11.0
Argentine limestone:  
Limestone, white, thin-bedded, only upper part exposed.  

19. Section one fourth mile west of the SW corner of sec. 25, T. 10 S., R. 23 E. Thickness,
in feet
Plattsburg limestone:  
Limestone, brown, marlite at base 15.0
Bonner Springs shale:  
Shale, arenaceous, buff 28.0
Wyandotte limestone:  
Farley limestone member:  
Limestone, massive, gray, dense, weathers into thin plates, with an abundance of Myalina subquadrata 5.5
Shale, argillaceous, gray 5.0
Limestone, oolitic, gray to drab, only upper part shown 4

20. Section along concrete road near the NE corner of sec. 25, T. 10 S., R. 23 E. Thickness,
in feet
Wyandotte limestone:  
Farley limestone member:  
Limestone, massive in upper part, thin-bedded, and argillaceous, below cross-bedded and oolitic, buff to gray 20.0
Island Creek shale:  
Shale, greenish-gray, argillaceous, few fossils 15.5
Argentine limestone:  
Limestone, light gray or white, dense, massive, hard.  

21. Section along concrete road at the SW corner of sec. 30, T. 10 S., R. 23 E. Thickness,
in feet
Kansan:  
Drift, cobbles, etc.  
Stanton limestone:  
Captain Creek limestone member:  
Limestone, hard, gray, dense, massive, evenly-bedded 6.5
Vilas shale:  
Shale, buff to gray, arenaceous 24.0
Plattsburg limestone:  
Limestone, brown, even-bedded.  

22. Section one half mile west of Victory Junction, on U. S. Highway 40 Thickness,
in feet
Stranger sandstone:  
Sandstone and arenaceous shale.  
Unconformity.  
Stanton limestone:  
Victory Junction shale:  
Sandstone, calcareous, micaceous, buff, with an abundance of molluscan remains 1.0
Shale, arenaceous, buff, unfossiliferous 10.0
Olathe limestone:  
Limestone, massive, light gray, base covered 10

23. Section in an old quarry one fourth mile west of the SE corner of sec. 26, T. 10 S., R, 23 E. Thickness,
in feet
Stranger sandstone:  
Conglomerate, yellow limestone pebbles in a gray and buff arenaceous matrix 1.0
Shale, arenaceous 1.0
Unconformity.  
Stanton limestone:  
Little Kaw limestone member:  
Limestone, bluish-gray, micaceous 1.0
Victory Junction shale member:  
Shale, arenaceous, buff 12.0
Olathe limestone member:  
Limestone, massive, gray to buff, irregular-bedded 12.0
Eudora shale member:  
Shale, gray, argillaceous above and below, black and fissile near the middle 5.0
Captain Creek limestone member:  
Limestone, dark, massive, even-bedded, blocky 5.0
(Total Stanton limestone, 35.0 feet)
Vilas shale:  
Shale covered to pavement.  

24. Section one fourth mile east of the SW corner of sec. 8, T. 10 S., R. 23 E. Thickness,
in feet
Stranger sandstone:  
Conglomerate, limestone pebbles in gray, arenaceous, matrix, interbedded with gray, hard, calcareous sandstone, cross-bedded 4.0
Shale, covered: 9.0
Sandstone and interbedded laminae of coal, cross-bedded, buff, with thin coal seam at base 2.0
Conglomerate, limestone pebbles in arenaceous matrix, limy sandstone at top 1.5
Unconformity.  
Stanton limestone:  
Captain Creek limestone member:  
Limestone, massive, bluish-gray, very brittle, very few fossils 3.0

25. Section at the south side of sec. 8, T. 10 S., R. 23 E. (A continuation of section 24) Thickness,
in feet
Stranger sandstone:  
Conglomerate, limestone pebbles in a brown or gray, sandy matrix, cross-bedded 3.0
Unconformity:  
Stanton limestone:  
Captain Creek limestone member:  
Limestone, gray, brittle, massive, blocky 3.0
Vilas shale:  
Shale, gray, argillaceous 17.3
Plattsburg limestone:  
Spring Hill limestone and Hickory Creek shale members:  
Limestone, argillaceous, massive, with thin shale partings, with carbonaceous shale at base 15.0
Merriam limestone member:  
Limestone, blocky, even-bedded with Osagia, Myalina, and Pinna 3.0

26. Section one fourth mile west of the NW corner of sec. 3a, T. 10 S., R. 23 E. Thickness,
in feet
Loess:  
Stanton limestone:  
Olathe limestone member:  
Limestone, thin- and wavy-bedded, gray, crystalline 12.0
Eudora shale member:  
Shale, upper part buff, lower part gray, black and fissile and carbonaceous in middle part 6.0
Captain Creek limestone member:  
Limestone, massive, dark gray, even-bedded 6.0
Vilas shale:  
Shale, gray and buff, arenaceous 17.7
Plattsburg limestone:  
Limestone, even-bedded, brown.  

27. Section west of the road by creek, south edge of sec. 8, T. 11 S., R. 23 E. Thickness,
in feet
Stranger sandstone:  
Sandstone, covered.  
Conglomerate, yellow limestone pebbles in gray and brown matrix 2.0
Unconformity.  
Stanton limestone:  
Little Kaw limestone member:  
Limestone, massive, dark, brittle, fossiliferous 4.0
Victory Junction shale member:  
Shale, arenaceous, upper part exposed 1

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Kansas Geological Survey, Geology
Placed on web Feb. 25, 2014; originally published May 1935.
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