New York State Museum Bulletin 



Entered as second-class matter November 27, 1915, at the Post Office at Albany, Ne%v York, 



under the act of August 24, 19 12. Acceptance for mail at special rate of postage ijro- 



vided for in section 1103, act of October 3, 1917, authorized July 19, 1918 



Published monthly by The University of the State of New York 

 Nos. 229-230 ALBANY, N. Y. January-February, 1920 



The University of the State of New York 

 New York State Museum 



John M. Clarke, Director 



GEOLOGY OF THE MOUNT MARCY QUAD- 

 RANGLE, ESSEX COUNTY, NEW YORK 



BY JAMES F. KEMP 



INTRODUCTION AND PHYSIOGRAPHY 

 The Mount Marcy quadrangle embraces the culmination of the 

 Adirondacks. Of all this group of mountains the two summits 

 which rise above 5000 feet are both within its confines and of the 

 sixteen higher than 4000 feet, it contains fourteen. Excepting the 

 high peaks of the White mountains, where there are five which 

 exceed Mount Marcy, and Mount Mitchell with its neighbors in 

 North Carolina, this Adirondack dome-shaped summit stretches away 

 toward the sk}^ to a loftier point than do any other elevations of 

 North America east of the Black hills of South Dakota. 



Mount Marcy's true altitude was long unappreciated. Situated 

 in the heart of the wilderness it was scarcely known until a third 

 of the last century had passed. First the Catskills and then White- 

 face were considered the highest peaks of New York. Later when 

 the iron ores at Lake Sanford brought the settlers into the region. 

 Mounts Marcy and Maclntyre were appreciated at their true value. 

 Marcy, we learn, was called " Tahawus " or the " cloud-splitter " 

 by the Indians and v/ith all due respect to New York's great gov- 

 ernor, one can not restrain a feeling of regret that the poetical and 

 expressive name of the savages could not have remained attached 

 to the peak. 



The Mount Marcy quadrangle is situated between latitudes 44° 

 and 44° 15' and between longitudes 73° 45' and 74° west from 

 Greenwich. It is the third one west from Lake Champlain, as the 



