Farm Creek Section
Encyclopedia
The Farm Creek Section, also known as the Farmdale Geologic Exposure, is a hillside in East Peoria, Illinois
that clearly showed geological strata. It is nationally significant as one of the first exposed glacial stratification
s in the United States. These Ice Age
geological formations, with rock layers representing different periods of glaciation, had long been known and published in England
, France
, and Germany
, but were not yet well known in the Western Hemisphere
. Geologist Frank Leverett discovered this exposed face of a hill with its clearly defined stratifications in 1879 and described and pictured it in his monograph, The Illinois Glacial Lobe, in 1899.
The Farm Creek publication gave a name to the Illinoian glaciation, the southernmost penetration of glacial ice into what was to become the Midwestern United States
. It also helped formulate regional and national stratigraphic classifications and has figured prominently in the study and development of glacial geology.
The Farm Creek Section was declared a 15 acres (6.1 ha) National Historic Landmark
in 1997.
The site is on the south side of Farm Creek (a tributary
of the Illinois River
) in the Farm Creek Recreation Area, south of Illinois Route 8
(Washington St.) and between School Street and Bittersweet Road, and is accessible by following a unpaved road, part of which is an abandoned right of way the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad.
East Peoria, Illinois
East Peoria is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 23,402 at the 2010 census. East Peoria is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area, located across the Illinois River from downtown Peoria. It is home to many Caterpillar Inc. facilities...
that clearly showed geological strata. It is nationally significant as one of the first exposed glacial stratification
Stratification (archeology)
Stratification is a paramount and base concept in archaeology, especially in the course of excavation. It is largely based on the Law of Superposition...
s in the United States. These Ice Age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
geological formations, with rock layers representing different periods of glaciation, had long been known and published in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, but were not yet well known in the Western Hemisphere
Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
. Geologist Frank Leverett discovered this exposed face of a hill with its clearly defined stratifications in 1879 and described and pictured it in his monograph, The Illinois Glacial Lobe, in 1899.
The Farm Creek publication gave a name to the Illinoian glaciation, the southernmost penetration of glacial ice into what was to become the Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. It also helped formulate regional and national stratigraphic classifications and has figured prominently in the study and development of glacial geology.
The Farm Creek Section was declared a 15 acres (6.1 ha) National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1997.
The site is on the south side of Farm Creek (a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Illinois River
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
) in the Farm Creek Recreation Area, south of Illinois Route 8
Illinois Route 8
Illinois Route 8 is an east–west state road in central Illinois. It runs east from Illinois Route 97 south of Maquon to the intersection of U.S. Route 24 and Business U.S. 24 near Washington. Illinois 8 is long.- Route description :...
(Washington St.) and between School Street and Bittersweet Road, and is accessible by following a unpaved road, part of which is an abandoned right of way the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railroad.
| Point | Zone | Easting | Northing | Longitude/Latitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 16N | 289700 | 4505760 | 40.67592°N 89.48828°W |
| B | 16N | 289700 | 4505620 | 40.67592°N 89.48828°W |
| C | 16N | 289460 | 4505640 | 40.67478°N 89.49108°W |
| D | 16N | 289440 | 4505820 | 40.67640°N 89.49138°W |