Hosted by the Texas Chapter
David B. Williams - Stories in Stone
Registration is now open!
Most people do not think of looking for geology from the sidewalks they travel, but for the intrepid geologist any good rock can tell a fascinating story. On this virtual tour, which incorporates illustrations and photographs, you will explore a range of rocks equal to any assembled by plate tectonics, such as: 3.5-billion-year-old gneiss and 120,000-year-old Italian travertine; a fossil-rich limestone that is the most commonly used building stone in the US; and the granite that led to the construction of the first commercial railroad in America. In this virtual exploration of building stone from across the United States and Italy, David will discuss history, transportation, and architecture to give you a new way to appreciate urban geology. Plus, we’ll even “visit” a couple of quarries and see where the stone originates.
David B. Williams is an author, naturalist, and tour guide whose award-winning book Too High and Too Steep: Reshaping Seattle’s Topography explores the unprecedented engineering projects that shaped Seattle during the early part of the twentieth century. He is also the author of Seattle Walks: Discovering History and Nature in the City and Stories in Stone: Travels Through Urban Geology, which discusses the geological and cultural history of building stone from the United States and Italy. Williams is also a Curatorial Associate at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. His upcoming book, Homewaters: A Human and Natural History of Puget Sound, will be published in 2021.
This event is hosted by an ICAA Chapter. Please check the Chapter website or contact the Chapter directly, for the most up-to-date details including dates, times, and pricing.