The Diaries of a Bonedigger : Harold Rollin Wanless in the White River Badlands of South Dakota, 1920–1922

Through the original writings and photography of renowned geologist Harold Rollin Wanless, this book paints a thorough and engaging picture of the White River Badlands’ landscape, geology, biology, pioneer settlers, and how life was lived 100 years ago in a harsh, challenging, remote setting. In the summer of 1920, Harold Rollin Wanless, fresh from an undergraduate geology degree at Princeton, spent the first of three summers in the Badlands of South Dakota camping, hiking, and collecting fossil vertebrate skulls. Harold produced a fascinating and thorough diary and report, illustrated with over 100 image plates, in which he explains the geology, biology, and climate of this famous area. Wanless became deeply involved with and vividly records the life, hopes, trials and character of the new homesteading pioneers of the area, and the people and livelihoods he encountered are reflected in the diary as well. This is an engaging look at the history, environment, people and geological character of a unique portion of the American West. Combining a first-hand look at the White River Badlands and its people a century ago with the fossil history contained in its Cenozoic sediments gives a well-rounded historical presentation. This diary was found, compiled, and edited by Drs. Harold Rogers Wanless (the diarist’s son and an accomplished geologist himself) and Emmett Evanoff. In the introductory and concluding chapters of this book, they provide a broader perspective of Harold Rollin Wanless’s life and his significant achievements beyond the Badlands venture described here. In addition, this narrative - written “only” a century ago - provides a stark contrast with how we travel, communicate, conduct research and survive today, yet shows that human curiosity and kindnesses have not changed. Preface 6 Contents 8 List of Figures 10 About the Authors 26 Part I: A Summary of Fossil Hunting in the 1920s and an Introduction to Harold Rollin Wanless 28 1: Fossil Hunting in the Badlands of South Dakota by Harold Rollin Wanless, 1923 29 References 42 2: Background to Molding a Fine Scientist and Naturalist 43 2.1 Comments on the Diary 47 References 48 Part II: Journal of the Summer of 1920 on an Expedition of Princeton University for the Purpose of Collecting Oligocene Fossils from the Badlands of South Dakota 49 3: Chicago to Scenic, June 20–26 50 References 58 4: Freight Train to Interior, June 27–29 59 5: Collecting at Cedar Pass and the Wall, June 30–July 3 64 Reference 73 6: White River and Deluge, July 4–8 74 References 83 7: Return to Scenic and Hart Table, July 9–13 84 References 90 8: Finding the Giant Entelodont, July 14–17 91 Reference 98 9: Farmers, Fossils, and Heat, July 18–22 99 Reference 103 10: Jerks and Gentlemen, July 23–26 104 11: The Past: The Key to the Present, the Longest Hike July 27–29 109 12: Nearly Trapped on Sheep Mountain and Collecting Bear Creek Pocket, July 30–August 3 115 Reference 123 13: Return to Sheep Mountain August 4–6 124 14: Wild Stallions and Broken Springs, August 7–9 129 15: Giant Hail Stones, Fossil Dogs, and Sabre-Toothed Tigers, August 10–15 132 Reference 136 16: Final Photos, Samples, and Shipping Out, August 16–23 137 16.1 Record of Birds Seen in Badland Area, 1920 142 16.2 Partial List of Plants Identified on 1920 Expedition 143 References 146 Part III: Excerpts from the 1921 and 1922 Expeditions 147 17: Tackling the West in the Rachael Jane: 1921 Expedition 148 17.1 Expense Record, 1921 South Dakota Geological Expedition 160 References 164 18: 1922: Completing an Ancient Story (and a Few More Skulls) 165 18.1 Record of Expenses of 1922 Expedition to South Dakota Badland District 169 References 170 Part IV: Wanless, Vertebrate Geology, and the Badlands Geology Since 1922 171 19: Harold Rollin Wanless After These 1920–1922 Field Seasons 172 References 175 20: Paleontological Field Work in 1920 and 2020 176 References 183 21: Geologic Framework 1920 and 2020 184 References 189 Appendix 190 Index 197