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Railroad Cut Through Maquoketa Shales, between 1895 and 1910

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A railroad cutting through Maquoketa shale in Graf, Iowa.
Courtesy of University of Iowa Libraries, Calvin, Samuel, between 1895 and 1910

Description

This railroad cut through Maquoketa Shales - which is soft and fine sedimentary rock that forms from mud or clay and can be split easily into fragile slabs. The photo was taken by Samuel Calvin in Graf, Iowa, sometime between 1895 and 1910.

Source-Dependent Questions

  • What do you notice about the hillside and the railroad tracks in this photo?
  • How might the land around railroad tracks impact the trains?

Citation Information

Calvin, Samuel, "Railroad cut through Maquoketa Shales, Graf, Iowa, late 1890s or early 1900s," between 1895 and 1910. Courtesy of University of Iowa Libraries