Upham, Warren.

...The upper beaches and delta^ 

of the glacial lake Agassiz... 

1887.

 . .*>* 

 .« *. »

Up3

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DEPA.BTME.SrT OF THE IffTEBIOK

BULLETIN

OF TJiK

UNITED STATES

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

2STo. 39

58234

THE '[JPPER BEACHES AND DELTAS OF THE 

GLACIAL LAKE AGASSIZ

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT rEINTING OFFICE 

1887

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[Bulletin No. 39.]

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WASHINGTON, D. C., April 30, 1887.

DEPAKQ?MENT OF THE INTEBIOB

BULLETIN

OF THE

UNITED STATES

No. 39

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

1*887

a. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 39 PL. I

TOWNSHIP

M A. IP

OF THE

UPPER BEACHES AND DELTAS

OF THE

GLACIAL LAKE AGASSIZ,

Scale, 36 miles to an inch.
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

J. W. POWELL, DIRECTOR

THE

UPPER BEACHES AND DELTAS

OF THE

GLACIAL LAKE AGASSIZ

WARREN UPH AM

WASHINGTON

GOV3SBNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1887

CONTENTS.

Page.

Letter of transmittal........................................................ 7

INTRODUCTION.

The upper or Herman beach................................................. 10

The Norcross beach ......................................................... 12

The Campbell beach ........................................................ 12

The McCauleyville beach ................................................... 12

The Eed River Valley....................... ................................ 12

The outlet of Lake Agassiz................................................... 14

The northern barrier........................ ..'.............................. 15

Area and depth of Lake Agassiz ............................................ 19

Elevation s of the crests of the beaches of Lake Agassiz ...................... 20

THE UPPER OR HERMAN BEACH IN MINNESOTA.

From Lake Traverse east to Herman......................................... 21

From Herman north to the Red River......................................... 23

From the Red River north to Muskoda ...................................... 24

Delta of the Buffalo River .................................................. 29

From Muskoda north to the Wild Rice River ..........!..................... 30

From the Wild Rice Ri.ver north to Maple Lake.............................. 34

THE UPPER OR HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA.

From Lake Traverse northwest to Milnor .................................... 38

From Milnor north to Sheldon............................................... 42

From Sheldon north to the Northern Pacific Railroad ........................ 45

From the Northern Pacific Railroad north to Galesburg ...................... 48

From Galesburg north to Larimore .......................................... 51

Shore west of the Elk and Golden Valleys ................................... 57

Beaches and islands ea st of the Elk and Golden Valleys...................... 64

From Garder north to the Tongue River ..................................... 72

Delta of the Pembiua River................................................. 74

Index ...................................................................... 81

ILLUSTEATIONS.

PLATE I. Map of the upper beaches and deltas of the glacial Lake Agassiz.... 3

FIG. 1. Typical section across a beach ridge of Lake Agassiz.................. 11

2. Map of a township, showing its divisions in sections .................. 21

(391)

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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

DEPARTMENT OP THE INTERIOR,

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY,

Washington, D. C., June 8, 1886.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith for publication as a 

Bulletin of the Survey a paper embodying the results of the investigations of Mr. Warren Upham, assistant geologist, upon the upper 

beaches and deltas of the extinct Lake Agassiz, which, in glacial times, 

occupied the basin of the Red River of the North.

This is but an initial contribution, embracing only so much of the 

data gathered as from their degree of completeness and interest warrant 

present publication .as a record of results. The investigation is still in 

progress, and the general discussion of data and the eduction of conclusions are reserved until its completion. Meanwhile the great mass 

of carefully determined facts here recorded will, besides their inherent 

independent value, be of important and immediate service to the students of other extinct and shrunken glacial lakes. 

Very respectfully,

T. C. CHAMBERLEST,

Geologist in Charge of Glacial Division. 

Hon. J. W. POWELL,

Director U. 8. Geological Survey, Washington, D. C.

(393) 7

UPPER BEACHES AND DELTAS OF LAKE AGASSIZ.

By WARREN UPHAM.

INTRODUCTION.

That part of the extinct Lake Agassiz which lies in Minnesota, so far 

as it is prairie, was explored by the writer in 1879 and 1881 in connection 

with the Geological and Natural History Survey of Minnesota, the resulfs of which are partly used in the preparation of this report for the 

purpose of giving completeness and significance to the observations 

obtained in the survey to which this bulletin more especially relates.1

Further exploration of this lake was begun for the United States 

Geological Survey by the writer, with Eobert H. Young as assistant, in 

1885, mapping the upper or Herman beaches in Dakota from Lake 

Traverse to the international boundary, besides portions of the lower 

shore lines, with exact determinations of their elevation by leveling. 

As the Herman beaches and deltas are thus surveyed along the entire 

extent of Lake Agassiz in the United States, excepting the wooded 

region of Northern Minnesota, where their exact survey seems impracticable, they are made the subject of the present report, reserving the 

detailed description of the lower beaches and the inclosed lacustrine 

area until their exploration within the United States is finished, for 

which the field work of 1886 will probably suffice.

Discussions of the history of Lake Agassiz and of the causes that 

have changed the relations of surfaces of level here are mainly deferred 

to the end of the examination of the whole area of this lake. Observations gathered thus completely may be reasonably expected not only 

to add much to our knowledge of the conditions attending the glacial

1 The Geological and Natural History Survey of Minnesota, Eighth Annual Report 

(1879), pp. 84 to 87, containing a general statement of the extent of this lake, with 

notes of its beaches and deltas at a few points, and proposing for it the name Lake 

Agassiz; and Eleventh Annual Report, pp. 137 to 153, describing and mapping the 

Herman, Norcross, and Oarnpbell beaches, noting the decrease in the northward 

ascent of the lake level during its successive stages, and attributing these changed 

levels to the attraction of the lake by gravitation toward the diminishing ice sheet. 

This work in Minnesota vras done under the direction of Prof. N. H. Winchell, State 

geologist, with the assistance in 1881 of Horace V. Winchell as rodman in leveling.

(395) 9
10 UPPEK BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [HULL. 39.

 period anil the recession of the ice sheet but also to shed needed light 

on the nature and relations of the earth's crust and interior.

The glacial Lake Agassiz is confidently believed to have been formed 

in the basin of the Ked Eiver of the North and of Lake Winnipeg during the final melting and gradual recession of the ice sheet. It thus' 

belongs to the closing epoch of the ice age, when the continentalcglacier, 

subdued by a more temperate climate, was yielding its ground between 

Lake Traverse and Hudson Bay. During this retreat free drainage 

from the melting ice could not take place, because the descent of the 

land is northward. As soon as the border of the ice had receded beyond the watershed dividing the basins of the Minnesota and the Eed 

Eivers, it is evident that a lake, fed by the glacial melting, stood at the 

foot of the ice fields and extended northward as they withdrew along 

the Eed Eiver Valley to Lake Winnipeg, filling this valley and its 

branches to the height of the lowest point over which an outlet could 

be found. Until the ice barrier was melted upon the area now crossed 

by the Nelson Eiver, thereby draining this glacial lake, its outlet was 

along the present course of the Minnesota Eiver. At first its overflow was upon the nearly level, gently undulating surface of the drift, 

about 1,100 feet above the sea; but in process of time this cut a channel 

125 to 150 feet deep and from 1 to 2 miles wide, in which lie Traverse and Big Stone Lakes, respectively 970 and 962 feet above the sea. 

From this outlet the plain of the Eed Eiver Valley, 30 to 50 miles 

wide, stretches 315 miles north to Lake Winnipeg, which is 710 feet 

above the sea. Along this entire distance there is a very uniform continuous descent of a little less than one foot per mile. The drift deposited by the ice sheet upon this area, together with that which may 

have been dropped by floating ice borne on the waters of the lake, and 

the silt brought in by glacial rivers and by those of the surrounding 

land, were here received in a lake, shallow near its mouth, but becoming 

gradually deeper northward. Beyond our national boundary this lake 

covered a large area, varying from 100 to 200 miles in breadth at and 

west of Lake Winnipeg, and its total length appears to have been at 

least 600 miles. Because of its relation to the retreating continental 

ice sheet, this lake has been named in memory of Prof. Louis Agassiz, 

the first prominent advocate of the theory that the drift was produced 

by land ice. 1

THE UPPER OE HERMAN BEACH.

Along nearly the whole of the upper shore line of Lake Agassiz, as 

traced in Minnesota and Dakota, there exists a remarkable deposit of 

beach gravel and sand, forming a continuous, smoothly rounded ridge, 

such as is found along any part of the shores of the ocean or of our great

1 The Geological and Natural History Survey of Minnesota, Eighth Annual Eeport, 

for the year 1879, pp. 84,85.

(396)
INTRODUCTION. ll

Itikes where the land sinks in a gently descending slope beneath the 

water level. Usually th e beach of Lake Agassiz (Fig. 1) is a ridge 3 to 10 

feet above the land next to it on the side away from the lake and 10 to 

20 feet above the land adjoining it on the side where the lake lay. In 

breadth this beach ridge varies from 10 to 25 or 30 rods. It is thus a 

broad wavelike swell, with a smooth, gracefully rounded surface.

BEACH GRAVEL AND SAND.

SCALE, 100 FEET TO ONE INCH,

FIG. 1. Typical section across a beach ridge of Lake Agassiz.

Such being a section across the beach, it is to be remembered that 

this ridge extends along the whole distance that has been explored, 

with only here and there gaps where it has been cut through by streams 

and rare intervals of a quarter or a half of a mile, or, at the longest, 

2 or 3 miles where the outline of the lake shore or the direction of 

the shore currents prevented such accumulation. It is also deficient 

on the shores of the strait that occupied the Elk and Golden Valleys 

in Dakota, but is well developed along the chain of islands east of 

this strait. There are similar interruptions in the beaches of present 

lakes and on the sea coast; and, like these modern deposits, the beach 

of Lake Agassiz varies considerably in its size, having in any distance 

of 5 miles some portions 5 or 10 feet higher than others, due to the unequal power of waves and currents at these parts of the shore. The 

usually moderate slope of the land toward Lake Agassiz was favorable for the formation of a beach ridge, and one has been clearly traced 

as an essentially continuous formation along a distance of 400 miles 

in Minnesota and Dakota. In calling it continuous, I mean to say that 

whenever interrupted it is found a little distance farther along, beginning again at very nearly the same height.

The gaps where the beach is not a distinctly traceable ridgelike deposit of gravel and sand cannot exceed one-tenth of its whole course. 

In a few places the lake undermined its shore, forming a terrace in the 

till, with no definite beach deposit, the work of the waves having been, 

to erode and carry away rather than to accumulate. In other places 

sometimes 2 or 3 miles in length the area where this ancient lake 

had its margin is a marsh or shaking bog, full of spring water and rough 

with hummocks of grass.

Commonly the land upon each side of this beach of Lake Agassiz is 

till or unstratified clay, containing some intermixture of sand and gravel 

and occasional stones and bowlders. The material of the beach ridge is 

remarkably in contrast with this adjoining and underlying till, for it includes no clay, but consists of stratified sand and gravel, the largest 

pebbles being usually from 2 or 3 to 6 inches in diameter; No bowlders 

referable to transportation by floating ice have been found in any of 

the beach deposits of this lake.

(397)
12 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [BULL. 39.

When Lake Agassiz stood at its greatest height and formed the upper 

beach, its outlet was about 75 feet above the present surface of Lake 

Traverse, or 1,045 feet above the sea. The channel which at this time 

had been excavated in the drift by its outflow was 40 to 50 feet deep 

along the distance of about 50 miles, where are now Lake Traverse, 

Brown's Valley, and Big Stone Lake. This beach is crossed by the 

Breckenridge line of the Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Bailway at a point about 1£ miles northwest from Herman, Minnesota.

THE NORCROSS BEACH.

Three lower beaches, of the same character as to form, size, and material with the highest, have beeu also noted; their course has been 

traced through long distances and their height has been determined by 

leveling. At the next epoch after that of the upper or Herman beach, 

when the lake level was again nearly stationary long enough to form 

a ridge of gravel and sand upon its shore, the outlet had been eroded 

about 20 feet deeper than at the time of the upper beach, but was still 

55 feet above the present Lake Traverse and Brown's Valley. The 

beach of Lake Agassiz, when it had this lower level, is crossed by the 

Breckenridge railway line at JS"orcross, Minnesota, 5 miles northwest 

from Herman.

THE CAMPBELL BEACH.

A third series of beach deposits was formed when the outlet of Lake 

Agassiz had been lowered some 50 feet more, nearly to the level of Lake 

Traverse. The beach of this third stage of Lake Agassiz takes its name 

from the township of Campbell (T. 130, E. 46), in the southern part of 

Wilkin County, Minnesota, which it crosses from southwest to northeast.

THE M'CAULEYVILLE BEACH.

. The fourth and lowest beach of Lake Agassiz, while it outflowed to 

the south, was formed after .a further erosion of 15 feet, lowering the 

outlet to 960 feet above the sea and completing the excavation of its 

channel to the present beds of Traverse and Big Stone Lakes. My first 

observation of this beach was 3J miles northeast from McCauleyville (T. 

134, E. 48), in Wilkin County, Minnesota.

Four distinct series of beach ridges of gravel and sand were thus 

formed by Lake Agassiz at successive stages of height during its process of deepening the channel by which it outflowed southward.

THE RED RIVER VALLEY.

The central part of the basin of Lake Agassiz, within the limits of 

Minnesota and Dakota, now drained by the Red Eiver, has an exceedingly flat surface, sloping imperceptibly northward, as also from each 

side to its central line. The Eed Eiver has its course along the axial 

depression, where it has cut a channel 20 to 60 feet deep. It is bor.- 

dered by only few and narrow areas of bottom land, instead of which

(398)
INTRODUCTION. 13

its banks usually rise steeply on one side and by moderate slopes on 

the other to thd lacustrine plain, which thence reaches nearly level 10 

to 30 miles from the river. Its tributaries cross the plain in similar 

channels, which, as well as the Bed River, have occasional gullies connected with them, dry during most of the year, varying from a few 

hundred feet to a mile or more in length. Between the drainage lines 

areas often 5 to 15 miles wide remain unmarked by any watercourses. 

The highest portions of these tracts are commonly from 2 to 5 feet above 

the lowest.

This vast plain, 40 to 50 miles wide, lying half in Minnesota and half 

in Dakota and stretching from Lake Traverse and Breckeuridge north 

to Winnipeg, is; the widely famed Eed River Valley, the most fertile 

wheat land of the continent. The material of the lower part of this 

ancient lake bed, shown in the banks of the Red River and reaching 

several miles from it, is fine clayey silt, horizontally stratified, bat its 

south end and large areas of each side of this plain are mainly unstratified bowlder clay, which differs from the rolling or undulating till of 

the adjoining region only in having its surface nearly flat. Both these 

formations are almost impervious to water, which therefore in the rainy 

season fills their shallow depressions; but these are very rarely so deep 

as to form permanent lakes. Even sloughs that continue marshy 

through the summer are infrequent, but where they do occur they cover 

large tracts, usually several miles in extent.

On all the area drained by the Red River in Minnesota the glacial 

drift is so thick that no exposures of the underlying rocks have been 

found, and they have only few outcrops within this basin in Dakota. 

The depth of the drift varies from 100 to 250 feet. The prominent 

topographic features of all this region are doubtless due to the form of 

the underlying rock surface, upon which the drift is spread in a sheet 

of somewhat uniform thickness.

Erosion, before the ice age, had sculptured the rocks that are buried 

and concealed under this universal drift sheet and had formed the 

broad, nearly level depression of the Red River Valley, which in the 

United States is 1,000 to 800 feet, from south to north, above the sea. 

Slopes and terraces of these rocks beneath the drift cause the rise eastward from this valley to the lake-sprinkled plateau, 1,300 to 1,500 feet 

above the sea, which reaches from Glen wood, Alexandria, and Fergus 

Falls to the sources of the Mississippi. For example, though the traveler finds no ledge of rock in going from the Red River at Fargo and 

Moorhead 75 miles east-northeast to Itasca Lake, it yet appears that the 

form of the surface, marked by two remarkable terraces, is due to that 

of the bed rock. The flat of the Red River Valley extends from Moorhead to about 6 miles east of Glyndon, with a slight ascent of about 50 

feet in these 15 miles. The next 2 or 3 miles rise 200 feet to the top 

of a terrace, which reaches from south to north the whole length of

(399)
14 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [BULL. 39.

the Bed River Valley in Minnesota, though it is not all the way so distinct nor so high as here. Beyond this ascent the surface is again nearly 

level, being a sheet of slightly undulating or rolling till, with a rise of 

perhaps 4 or 5 feet per mile, through 25 miles eastward. Next is a 

terrace, also reaching a long distance from south to north, which is 

ascended in 3 or 4 miles, risiug about 300 feet, to the White Earth 

Agency, which thus commands a very extensive western prospect. 

Theuce a more rolling plateau extends, with little change in the average 

height, 30 miles eastward to Itasca Lake.

In like manner the elevation of the Coteau des Prairies, 1,500 to 2,000 

feet above the sea, and the terracelike ascent at the west side of the flat 

Bed Biver Valley in Dakota, lying at a distance of 20 to 35 miles west 

of the Bed Biver and stretching from the south bend of the Sheyenue 

Biver north to the British line, where it is called Pembina Mountain, 

are due to the contour of the bed rock, rather than to differences in the 

thickness of the drift.

The till upon each side of Lake Agassiz has a moderately undulating 

and rolling surface. Within the area that was covered by this lake 

it has a much smoother and more even contour, but has been only 

slightly stratified. The action of its waves gathered from this deposit 

of till, which was the lake bed, the gravel and sand of its beaches; and 

corresponding deposits of stratified clay, derived from the same erosion 

of the till, sank in the deeper part of the lake. But these sediments 

were evidently of small amount and are not noticeable upon the greater 

part of this lacustrine area, which consists of a smoothed sheet of till. 

The position of the thick beds of stratified fine silt and clay in the central depression of the Bed Biver Valley shows that they were not deposited by the waters of Lake Agassiz, which must have spread them 

more generally over its entire area; but, instead, proves that they were 

brought by the rivers which flowed into this hollow and along it northward after the glacial Lake Agassiz had been reduced to its present representative, Lake Winnipeg. The occurrence of shells and remains of 

vegetation in these stratified beds at McCauleyville 32 and 45 feet below 

the surface, or about 7 and 20 feet below the level of the Bed Biver, and 

numerous other observations of remains of vegetation elsewhere along 

the Bed Biver Valley in these beds, demonstrate that the valley was a 

land surface, subject to overflow by the river at its stages of flood, when 

these remains were deposited. Even at the present time much of the 

area of stratified clay is covered by the highest floods, and probably n o 

portion of these stratified deposits is more than 10 feet above the high 

water line of the Bed Biver and its tributaries.

THE OUTLET OF LAKE AGASSIZ.

The excavation of the remarkable valley occupied by Lakes Traverse 

and Big Stone and the Minnesota Biver was first explained in 18C8 by 

General G. K. Warren, who attributed it to the outflow from this ancient

(400)
UPHAM.] INTRODUCTION. 15

lake that filled the basin of the Red River and Lake Winnipeg. He made 

a careful survey of this valley from Lake Traverse to its mouth, and his 

maps and descriptions, with the accompanying discussion of geologic 

questions, are most, valuable contributions to science.1 After his death ? 

in recognition of this work, the glacial river that was the outlet of Lake 

Agassiz was named River Warren.2

The heights of Lakes Traverse and Big Stone are, respectively, 970 and 

962 feet above the sea, and the lowest point of the divide between them 

is only 3 feet above Lake Traverse. These lakes are from 1 to 1£ miles 

wide, mainly occupying the entire width of this troughlike valley, which 

is inclosed by bluffs of till about 125 feet high. Lake Traverse is 15 

miles long; it is mostly less than 10 feet deep and its greatest depth 

probably does not reach 20 feet. Big Stone Lake extends in a somewhat crooked course from northwest to southeast 26 miles; its greatest 

depth is reported to be from 15 to 30 feet. The portion of the channel 

between these lakes is widely known as Brown's Valley. As we stand 

upon the bluffs here, looking down on these long and narrow lakes and 

the valley which extends across the 5 miles between them, where the 

basins of Hudson Bay and the Gulf of Mexico are now divided, we have 

nearly the picture that was presented when the melting ice sheet of 

British America was pouring its floods along this hollow. Then the 

entire extent of the valley was doubtless filled every summer by a river 

which, covered all the present areas of flood plain, in many places occupying as great width as these lakes. General Warren observed that 

Lake Traverse is due to a partial silting up of the channel since the 

outflow from the Red River basin ceased, the Minnesota River at the 

south having brought in sufficient alluvium to form a dam, while Big 

Stone Lake and La.c qui Parle are similarly due to the deposits of stratified sand and silt which the Whetstone and Lac qui Parle Rivers have 

spread across the valley below them.

THE NORTHERN BARRIER.

The northern barrier by which the water of Lake Agassiz was restrained from flowing in the direction of the present drainage to Hudson 

Bay was supposed by General Warren to have been an elevation of 

the land much above its present height northeast of Lake Winnipeg.

1 " On certain physical features of the Upper Mississippi Eiver," American Naturalist, 

Vol. II, pp. 497-502, November, 1868. Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers, United 

States Army, for 1868, pp. 307-314. "An essay concerning important physical features 

exhibited in the valley of the Minnesota River, and upon their signification," with 

maps, Report of Chief of Engineers, 1875. " Valley of the Minnesota River and of the 

Mississippi River to the junction of the Ohio. Its origin considered depth of the 

bed-rock," with maps, Report of Chief of Engineers, 1878. and American Journal of 

Science, (3) XVI, pp. 41.7-431, December, 1878. (General Warren died August 8, 1882. j

z Proceedings of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Vol. 

XXXII (for 1883), pp. 213 to 231; also in American Journal of Science, (3) XXVII, 

January and February, 1884 ; and Geology of Minnesota, Vol. I, p. 622.

(401)
16 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [BULL. 39.

He thought that this elevation was shared by other northern portions 

of North America and that these regions have recently been depressed 

at least several hundred feet. The depths of the great lakes and many 

topographic features of the interior of the continent, besides this channel of Lakes Traverse and Big Stone and the Minnesota Eiver, appeared 

to him to support this opinion. On the contrary, my belief is that the 

surface of the continent had nearly the same form then as now and that 

the continental ice sheet, resting on the land in a solid mass of great 

depth, formed the northern shore of Lake Agassiz and was the barrier 

that prevented it from flowing into Hudson Bay.1

The four series of beach deposits which mark the shores of Lake 

Agassiz at as many stages of its height are found to have a gradual 

ascent northward, as compared with the present level line or the surface which a body of water would have now if confined in this valley. 

As before stated, these beaches were formed at epochs when the lake 

level was nearly stationary for a considerable time during the excavavation of its channel of outlet at Lake Traverse and southward.

Exploration and leveling along the upper beach in Minnesota extended 

from the north end of Lake Traverse about 25 miles eastward to Herman, and thence about 140 miles north to Maple Lake. Through this 

distance it lies from 15 to 30 miles east of the Eed Eiver. The ascent 

of this beach northward is at a rate that increases from 6 inches to 1 

foot a mile in its southern portion for about 75 miles. Farther north 

its rate of ascent increases from 1 foot to 16 inches a mile. In all, the 

surface of Lake Agassiz in Minnesota at this time of its greatest height 

ascended northward, above a line now level, 125 feet in these 140 miles, 

from 1,045 feet, very nearly, above sea at Lake Traverse, to 1,170 feet, 

very nearly, at the north side of Maple Lake, 20 miles east-southeast 

from Crookston. Through this distance the upper beach clearly marks 

one continuous shore line.

Before Lake Agassiz had fallen below the line of this beach in the 

south half of its explored extent, it had formed a slightly lower parallel 

beach, three-fourths of a mile to 1£ miles distant, through the northern 

third of Clay County; and this secondary beach, sometimes double or 

treble, was noted at several places along the next 30 miles northward. 

At the northwest side of Maple Lake definite beach ridges were formed 

when Lake Agassiz had fallen in that latitude successively about 8,15, 

30, and 45 feet from its highest level. Yet all these beaches were accumulated while the lake remained with only very slight depression of

'That this lake existed because of the barrier of the receding ice sheet was pointed 

out by Prof. N. H. Winchell in his First Annual Report of the Geological and Natural 

History Survey of Minnesota, for 1872, p. 63, and in his Sixth Annual Report, for 1877, 

p. 31. He also explained in like manner the formerly higher levels of the greatlakes, 

Popular Science Monthly, June, 1873; and the same view is stated by Prof. J. S. Newberry in Report of the Geological Survey of Ohio, Vol. II, 1874, pp. 6, 8, and 51.

(402)
.t*HAit.1 INTRODUCTION. 17

level, uot sufficient for the formation of any secondary beach ridge, along 

its southern part for some 75 miles northward from Lake Traverse and 

Herman.

The Norcross beach in Minnesota has been explored and its height 

measured through, the same distance of 140 miles, in which it ascends 

northward about 62 feet by a slope that increases slightly from south to 

north, averaging nearly 6 inches a mile. The surface of Lake Agassiz had fallen at this time from its highest level 20 feet at Lake Traverse, 50 feet in Northern Clay County, and 83 feet northwest of Maple 

Lake. Its fall in this extent had been thus 63 feet more at the north 

than at the south. Double and multiple ridges occur along the northern 

half of this distance and show that the lake level at the time of formation of the Norcross beach fell 5 to 10 feet northward, while it remained 

without change or with less change than was required to form additional 

beach ridges southward. .

The heights of the Campbell and McCauley ville beaches iu Minnesota 

are known for a distance of 150 miles, in which the northward ascent 

of the lake level during the Campbell stage was about 37 feet and during the McCanleyville stage 25 feet. The fall of Lake Agassiz from the 

upper or Herman beach to the McCanleyville beach was 85 feet at its 

mouth and 185 feet near Maple Lake; and, instead of the northward 

ascent of the upper beach 125 feet in 140 miles, this had been gradually 

diminished to 117, 110, 95, 80, 62, 50,37, and finally 25 feet at the time 

of the formation of the McCauleyviHe beach.

In Dakota the same series of beaches are found and they have been 

traced along the whole or parts of their course, with determination of 

their elevations, to^a distance about 75 miles farther north than in 

Minnesota. In 224 miles from Lake Traverse to the international 

boundary the lake level in Dakota at its highest stage, during the 

time of formation of the first Herman beach, ascended northward about 

185 feet, from 1,015 to 1,230 feet above the sea; during the time of 

the first Norcross beach it ascended 120 feet, from 1,025 to 1,145 feet; 

during the time of the Campbell beach it ascended 65 feet, from 975 to 

1,040; and during the time of the first McCauleyviHe beach it ascended 

35 feet, from 960 to 995 feet above our present sea level. A later McCauleyviHe beach, shows only 25 feet ascent in these 224 miles, or an 

average of 1£ inches a mile.

Comparison of the elevations of these beaches in Dakota and Minnesota at the same latitude reveals another very interesting feature of the 

levels of this glacial lake, namely, an ascent from, west to east similar 

to that from south to north, but of less amount and diminishing in a 

similar ratio between the successive stages of the lake. On the latitude 

of Larimore and Grand Forks the ascent of the lake surface above a 

line now level was approximately 33 feet, at the time of the first HerBull. 39 2

(403)
18 UPPER BEACHES OP LAKE AGASSIZ [BULL. 39.

man beach, in about 70 miles from west to east, the rate per mile being 

very nearly half as much as from south to north; and during the time 

of formation of the later Herman beaches it diminished to 30,26, and 21 

feet. When the first and second Norcross beaches were formed this 

ascent toward the east was 14 and 11 feet in about 60 miles, and during 

the Campbell and McCauleyville stages it was reduced to only 6 and 4 

feet in about 50 miles; yet it continues through all these stages approximately half as much per mile as the ascent toward the north. The 

rate of ascent eastward also increased, like that northward, in proceeding from south to north. At the latitude of Wahpeton and Breckenridge, 35 miles north from the mouth of Lake Agassiz, the ascent of 

the lake level in its highest stage was 10 feet from west to east in 45 

miles; at the latitude of Fargo and Moorhead, 75 miles north from the 

outlet, it was 15 feet in 50 miles ; and at the latitude of Grand Forks, 

150 miles north from the outlet, it was 33 feet in 70 miles, approxi: 

mately. The accompanying table shows the relations of these beaches 

and the changes which took place in surfaces of level here during the 

existence of this glacial lake.

If the barrier north and northeast of Lake Agassiz had been land, 

its subsidence to give way for drainage northward in its present course 

to Hudson Bay would cause the beach deposits of the former lake shores 

to have the opposite slope, or a descent from south to north and from 

west to east. These observations are therefore inconsistent with such 

explanation of the cause of this lake; but they appear to prove that 

its northern barrier was the receding continental glacier. I have thought 

that all the differences of the once level lines of Lake Agassiz from our 

present level line might have been produced by the gravitation of the 

water of the lake toward the ice sheet. At first this attraction would 

have been relatively large, because of the nearness of the great mass 

of ice on the northeast in Minnesota and northward in British America; 

but as the ice retreated it must have been gradually diminished and reduced to a comparatively small influence by the time the ice sheet had 

withdrawn so as to permit the northward drainage of the lake.

Among other agencies that have been proposed to account for such 

changes are (1) effects due to the weighting of the earth's crust by the ice 

and its removal; (2) the cooling and contraction of the crust by the ice 

and glacial waters, and the subsequent warming and expansion owing 

to the amelioration of the climate; and (3) crust changes of unknown 

origin, having no relationship to the glacial phenomena. 1 These several 

agencies will receive studious consideration in my final report, when a 

more extended range of observations will come under review.

1 Prof. T. C. Chatnberliu, Geology of Wisconsin,'Vul. I, 1883, p. 290, and Proc. Am. 

Assoc. Adv. Sci., Minneapolis meeting, Vol. XXXII, 1883, page212; also, paper before 

Philosophical Society, Washington, March 13, 1886.

Mr. G. K. Gilbert, American Journal of Science (3), XXXI, pp. 290-299, April, 1886

(404)
UIMIAM.J * . INTRODUCTION 19 

AREA AND DEPTH OF LAKE A&ASSIZ.

The beaches of La,ke Agassiz, as here described in Dakota and from 

Lake Traverse and Herman north to Maple Lake, in Minnesota, extend 

through a prairie region very favorable for exploration and leveling. 

The farther course of the upper beach turns to the east and northeast 

and lies in a trackless forest, much of which consists of almost impassable tamarack swamps. It is therefore quite impracticable to trace its 

course exactly through this wilderness ; but, from the known elevation 

of Eed Lake (about 1,150 feet above the sea), of the Lake of the Woods 

(1,002 feet), and of Eainy Lake (about 1,120 feet), the outline of Lake 

Agassiz when it had its greatest height can be mapped approximately.

From the north side of Maple Lake this outline extends eastward, 

passing south of Eed Lake, across the Big Fork of Eainy Eiver, and 

along the south side of Eainy Lake, its height above Eed and Eainy 

Lakes being probably about 50 and 150 feet, respectively. Thus Lake 

Agassiz at this time of greatest height.reached along the international 

boundary farther east than the meridjans of Minneapolis and Saint 

Paul. Its expanse included only few islands, these being of small area 

and near the shore.

When this glacial lake attained its greatest extent, it probably exceeded Lake Superior, both in length and in area. At the time of the 

formation of its highest beach the depth of Lake Agassiz above Fargo 

and Moorhead was nearly 200 feet; above Grand Forks and Crookston, a little more than 300 feet; and above Pembina and Saint Vincent, 

about 450 feet.

In the following tabulations the figures represent the height, in feet, 

above sea level, where not otherwise stated.

The letters a, 6, c, d, represent successive beaches along the northern 

part of Lake Agassiz, which seem to be merged in a single beach toward its south end.

The columns marked north ascent show the ascent of the lake from 

its south end, which was at Lake Traverse, and those marked east 

ascent show the ascent of the lake from its western to its eastern shore.

The successive elevations of the mouth of Lake Agassiz, situated at 

its south end (Lake Traverse), were, for the Herman beach, 1,045 feet; 

for the Norcross beach, 1,025 feet; for the Campbell beach, 975 feet; 

and for the McCauleyville beach, 960 feet.

(405)
Elevations of the crests of ihe beaches of Lake Aga

[The figures in parenthesis are derived for the boundary line from the nearest observations, chiefly near "Walha

larly, the figures in parenthesis for the latitude of Grand Porks are derived from observations near Maple L

stand.] ^

Location.

(1) On the international boundary line in 

Dakota, 224 miles north of Lake Traverse. (Only the -west or Dakota shore 

could be examined at the boundary.)

(2) On the latitude of Grand Forks, 150 

miles north of Lake Traverse, -west 

side, in Dakota.

(2) On the latitude of Grand Forks, 150 

miles north of Lake Traverse, east side, 

in Minnesota.

(3) On the latitude of Fargo and Moorhead, 75 miles north of Lake Traverse, 

-west side, in Dakota. 

(3) On the latitude of Fargo and Moorhead, 75 miles north of Lake Traverse, 

east side, in Minnesota. 

(4) On the latitude of Wahpeton and 

Breckenridge, 35 miles north of Lake 

Traverse, -west side, in Dakota. 

14) On the latitude of "Wahpeton a n d 

Breckenridge, 35 miles north of Lake 

Traverse, east side, in Minnesota.

Herman beach.

(a) 1, 226 (1, 235)

(&) 1,212 (1,220) 

(c) 1, 197 (1, 202) 

{d) 1,182(1,187) 

(a) 1, 162 

(6)1,146 

(c) 1, 134 

(d) 1, 121 

(a) 1,180 (1,195) 

(b) 1, 165 (1, 178) 

(c) 1, 147 (1, 158) 

(d) 1, 132 (1, 141) 

1,099

1,114 

1,065 

1,075

Hast 

ascent.

.(33) 

(30) 

(26) 

(21)

15

10

North 

ascent. 

(185)

(166) 

(149) 

(135) 

107 

93 

80 

69 

125 (140) 

110 (123) 

95(106) 

80 (90) 

45

60 

10 

20

Norcross beach.

(a) 1,140 near 

Young (1, 155). 

(6) 1, 141 (1, 143)

(a) 1, 092 

(6) 1, 080

(a) 1, 094 (1, 103) 

(6) 1, 082 (1, 090)

1,065

1,045

East 

ascent.

(14) 

(11)

Nor

ascen

(12

(10

. 4

62 (7

50 (5
UPHA3I.] HERMAN BEACH. IN MINNESOTA. 21

T.HE UPPER OR HERMAN BEACH IN MINNESOTA.1

[Sco tbe accompanying map, Plato I.]

FROM LAKE TRAVERSE EAST TO HERMAN.

«

Lake Traverse, elevation 970 feet above tbe sea.

Bluffs next to Lake Traverse south from the Mustiuka Biver, elevation 1,072 to 1,075 feet above the sea.

Bluffs opposite to these and for 3 or 4 miles 'north.ward, on the west 

side of Lake Traverse, 1,090 to 1,070 feefc.

Bluff or ridge forming the highest land between the Mustinka Biver 

and the Bois des Sioux Biver, from Sec. 35 to Sec. 13, T. J 28, B. 47 

(the west part of Monsen), an island beach ridge of Lake Agassiz 

during its maximum stage, about 1,050 feet.

Upper or Herman beach in Sees. 2 and 11, T. 120, B. 47 (Walls), 1,000 

to 1,062 feet, 4 to 5 miles east from the north end of Lake Traverse, 

where the steep eroded, bluff gives place to 

the gentle slope of the natural surface, allowing the accumulation of a distinct beach ridge 

of gravel. This is smoothly rounded, 15 to 

20 rods in width, bounded eastward on the 

side toward the ancient lake by a moderately steep slope which descends 10 or 12 

feet, the land 1 to 4 miles distant northeastward within the. area that was covered by 

the lake being 20 to 40 feet below this beach.

B

7

n

19

30

31

5

8

17

20

29

32

4-

3

16

21

28

33

3

10

15

22

27

34-

2

11

14

23

2s

35

 +

12

»

24

26

3ff

On the other siide this ridge is succeeded by FIG. 2. Map of a township, show-

,.,,-. . n j. f jf A. i i T JnS ita division in sections. . ' a slight depression 2 to 5 feet deep, beyond

which the land soon rises 10 to 15 feet above the beach. The material 

of the beach 1,3 gravel, containing pebbles up to 2 or 3 inches in diameter, but all the surface elsewhere on each side is till. ,

Beach in Sees. 30 and 32, T. 126, B. 46 (Croke), passing southeastward near the southeast corner of Sec. 30, 1,066 to 1,067 feet.

Beach near the middle of Sec. 9, T. 125, B. 46 (Tarrah), 1,057 feet. 

Its'contour a.nd material and those of the adjoining areas are nearly 

the same as at the locality already described. The width of the gravel 

beach here is 25 or 30 rods ; the smoothed surface of till which descends 

thence northward is 10 to 20 feet lower in its first mile; on the south 

the sheet.of till is at first for 40 or 50 rods about 5 feet lower than the 

top of the beach, but beyond this it gradually rises to a height 10 to 25 

and 50 feet above the beach. The average height of its moderately undulating surface, 6 miles to the south at Graceville, is nearly represented 

by the railroad at the depot there, 1,107 feet.

1 The townships herein referred to are numbered north from the base Hue, and the 

ranges are numbered west from the fifth principal meridian. The method of numbering the sections is shown by Fig. 2, above.

(407)
22 UPPER BEACHES. OF LAKE AGASSIZ. (BULL.39.

Beach at Dennis W. O'Brien's house, in the SW. £ of Sec. 11, T. 125, 

E. 46, 1,061 to 1,062£ feet. Northward from O'Brien's, as far as the 

view reaches, across T. 126, E. 46 (Croke), and T. 126, E. 45 (Doleysinount). Lake Agassiz was very shallow, the smooth and nearly level 

surface of till being 1,045 to 1,035 feet above the sea.

For the next 3 miles eastward the beach is less conspicuous than 

usual. In the northwest part of Sec. 8, the SE. J of Sec. 5, and through 

the middle of Sec. 4, T. 125, E. 45 (Leonardsville), this shore line is 

again distinctly marked by a slight terrace in the till, descending northward in a moderately steep slope 5 to 10 feet, rather than by the usual 

accumulation of gravel. The top of this terrace is at 1,056 to 1,057 feet. 

The house of Patrick Leonard is built upon the edge of this terrace at 

.the middle of the east side of section 4.

Beach, low gravel ridge 20 rods wide, 5 feet high above adjacent level, 

in the southeast part of Sec. 24, T. 126, E. 45 (Doleysmount), 1,060 to 

1,061 feet.

These determinations indicate that in Traverse County the surface of 

Lake Agassiz, during its maximum stage, was very nearly 1,045 to 

1,055 feet above our present sea level.

In the northwest corner of Stevens County this upper or Herman 

beach is well displayed in the N"W. i of Sec. 19, T. 126, E. 44 (Eldorado), 

having an elevation of about 1,063 feet. Through Sec. 18 it is 20 to 25 

rods wide, with its crest at 1,063 to 1,066 feet, being a gently rounded 

ridge of sand and gravel, containing pebbles up to 2 or 3 inches in diameter. Its height is 7 to 10 feet above the land next west and 5 feet 

above the depression next east. The surface on each side is till, slowly 

falling westward and rising eastward.

In the southeast part of Sec. 7, same township, the crest of the beach 

is at 1,067 to 1,070 feet. Here and onward the next two miles, through 

the JSTW. £ of Sec. 8, the southeast part of Sec. 5, and the western and 

northern part of Sec. 4, this formation is finely exhibited in a ridge 

of gravel and sand 20 to 30 rods wide, 15 feet or more above its base 

westward, where lay the glacial Lake Agassiz, and 8 to 10 feet above 

the depression eastward, which divides it from the higher, moderately 

undulating expanse of till beyond. In the east part of Sec. 5 its elevation is 1,065 feet, and through Sec. 4, 1,065 to 1,072 feet.

Sill of Ezra S. Dunning's house, Sec. 3, T. 126, E. 44 (Eldorado), 1,074 

feet.

Water in the South Branch of Mustinka Eiver, 5 feet deep, in the NW. 

£of Sec. 34, T. 127, E. 44 (Logan, Grant County), 1,053 feet.' 

 Upper or Herinau beach, in the northwest part of Sec. 27, same township, 1,067 to 1,069 feet; in the SW. £ of Sec. 22,1,067 j in the north part 

of this Sec. 22 and the south part of Sec. 15, forming a broad, smoothly 

rounded gravel ridge, 1,068 to 1,071 feet.

This beach near the middle of Sec. 15, a th ird of a mile southwest 

from Dr. C. O. Paquin's, about 30 rods wide, with a broad, nearly flat

(408)
WHAM.] HERMAN BEACH IN MINNESOTA. 23

top, 1,070 feet, having a descent of about 15 feet on its northwest side 

to the area of Lake Agassiz and half as much on the southeast, the surface thence rising very gradually in the 1£ miles eastward to Herman. 

The beach ridge is gravel; the laud at each side, till.

Beach, equally woll exhibited, close to Dr. JPaquiu's .house, at the 

southeast corner of Sec. 10 and in the southwest part of Sec. 11, same 

township, 1,069 to 1,071 feet; and iu this Sec. 11, at the railroad, and 

for 50 rods south westward, 1,064 to 1,066 feet.

Depression, 40 rods wide, next southeast at the railroad (lowest 20 

rods from the top ol: the beach), 1,060 to 1,063 feet.

Surface of till at the southeastern snow fences of the railroad, about a 

third of a mile southeast from the beach, 1,073 feet; at the north west end 

of the northwestern snow fences, about 25 rods northwest from the highest part of the beach, 1,054 feet; and at the one hundred and eightieth 

mile post, about a quarter of a mile northwest from the last, 1,049 feet.

Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Kail way, Breckeuridge division, track at Herman, 1,070 feet; at the one hundred and eightieth 

mile post, 1,051 feet.

FROM HERMAN NORTH TO THE RED RIVER.

Joseph Mpses's house, floor of piazza, in the SW. £ of the N W. £ of 

Sec. 18, T. 128, K. 43 (Delaware), 1,067 feet; upper or Herman beach 

here, on which this house is built, 1,066 to 1,067 feet.

H. D. Kendall's house, at the east; side of the SE. £ of Sec. 12, T. JL28, 

K. 44 (Gorton), on the western slope of this beach, 1,062 feet; top of the 

beach ridge, abouf: 25 rods east of Mr. Kendall's house, 1,067 feet.

Beach through i;he next 1£ miles north from Mr. Moses's house, along 

the west side of Sees. 18 and 7, T. 128,'K. 43 (Delaware), 1,066 to 1,068 

feet. The beach lor this distance is finely exhibited, having a width of 

about 25 rods, rising 5 to 8 feet above the depression at its east side 

and 10 to 15 feet above the land west.

L. I. Baker's house sill; in the S W. ^ of Sec. 6, same township, of same 

height with the top of the beach ridge/on which-it is built, 1,068 feet.

Beach in Sec. 31, T. 129, K. 43 (Elbow Lake), not so conspicuous as 

usual, 1,066 feet:; in (or near) the S W. £ of Sec. 19, same township, 

1,070 feet; in the SW. £ of Sec. 18, at the house of Henry Olson, a 

gracefully rounded low ridge, as elsewhere, composed of gravel and 

sand, including pebbles up to 3 inches iu diameter, 1,065 to 1,066 

feet; at Mrs. John S. Ireland's, in the 29TW. £ of same Sec. 18, 1,070 

feet; at Dr. J. M". Tuckers, in the UB. £ of the NE. £ of Sec. 2, T. 129, 

K. 44 (North Ottawa), 1,071 feet; about 1 mile north of the last, near the 

north side of Sec. 35, T. 130, E. 44 (Lawrence), 1,075 feet; and about 

1 inile farther north, also 1,075 feet. Through nearly the whole of 

this.distauce it is a typical beach ridge of sand and gravel.

Beach about 30 rods west of M. L. Adams's house, in the NE. £ of 

Sec. 26, T» 130, K. 44 (Lawrence), 1,075 feet, being 4 feet above the

(409)
24 -UPPEK BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [BULL.39.

land adjoining this ridge on. the east and about 10 feet above the flat 

land near on the west; in Sec. 23, same township, 1,076feet ; and near 

the south side of Sec. 10, same township, 1,069 to 1,074 feet.

Extensive sloughs or. marshes oocur in Sec. 36 and in Sees. 25 and 24, 

same township, each being about a mile long, lying on the east side of 

the beach ridge at Dr. Tucker's and reaching 2£ miles northward; the 

elevation of these above sea level is about 1,000 feet.

In the north part of Sec. 10 and the south part of Sec. 3, same 

, township, this shore line of Lake Agassiz is not marked as usual by a 

gravel ridge, but by a somewhat abrupt ascent or terrace in the drift 

sheet of till, the elevation of the top of which, composed partly of 

gravel, is 1,085 to 1,079 feet; base of this terrace and land westward, 

consisting of till, slightly modified on the area of Lake Agassiz, 1,060 

to 1,050 feet. This escarpment, the eroded shore line of the lake, passes 

about 40 rods west of N. S. Denton's house, at the north side of Sec. 10.

Beach in Sec. 34, T. 131, K. 44 (Western), the southwest township 

of Otter Tail County, near John F. Wentworth's, 1,070 to 1,075 feet; 

surface at Mr. Wentworth's barn, 1,072 feet.

Beach 25 rods east of Albert Oopeland's house, in the SW. ^ of Sec. 

28, same township, 1,070 to 1,066 feet; where it is crossed by the 

old road from Fergus Falls to Campbell, near the northwest corner 

of this Sec. 28, 1,072 feet; through the next 2 miles north, finely developed, with nearly constant height, 1,072 feet, being 7 to 10 feet. 

abave the depression at its east side and 20 feet above the area westward, which was covered by Lake Agassiz; at Michael J. Shortell's, 

Sec. 9, same township, 1,073 feet; one mile farther north, 1,078 feet; 

and at A. J. Swift's,, in the SE. £ of the NW. £ of Sec. 4,1,076 feet. The 

beach at Mr. Swift's, and for half a mile farther north, is well exhibited 

and, as in many other places, is bordered on its east sid e by a narrow 

strip of marsh.

Beach in the SW. £ of the NE. £ of Sec. 33, T. 132, R. 44,1,076 feet; 

top of large aboriginal mound, situated on the beach, here, 1,082 feet; 

land 30 rods west, 1,060 feet; lakelet 250 feet in diameter, about an 

eighth of a mile northeast from the large mound, 1,051 feet.

Bed Kiver of the North, near the northeast corner of Sec. 33, T. 132, 

K. 44, 1,014 feet; on the line between this township and T. 132, E. 43 

(Buse), 1,041 feet; at Dayton bridge, in the NE. £ of the SW. £ of Sec. 

20, T. 132, E. 43,1.064 feet, being 8 feet below the bridge. S. A. Austin's house, foundation, in the E" W. ^ of the SW. £ of Sec. 29, same township, 1,147 feet. Old grade for railroad at Dayton bridge, about 1,102 

feet.

No noticeable delta was brought into Lake Agassiz by the Eed Elver.

FROM THE BED RIVER NORTH TO MUSKODA.

Beach near the south side of Sec. 21, T. 132, E. 44, 1,077 feet; in this 

Sec. 21, an eighth of a mile north of the road from Fergus Falls to Breck-

(410)
WHAM.I. HERMAN" BEACH IN MINNESOTA.' 25

euridge, 1,079 feet; and for the next mile north, 1,077 to 1,080feet. This 

is a typical beach ridge, gently rounded, composed of sand and gravel, 

containing pebbles up to 3 inches in diameter; its width is 30 to/40 

rods, and its height a,bove the very flat area on its west side, which 

was covered by Lake Agassiz (usually somewhat marshy next to the 

beach), is about 15 feet. On the east there is first a depression of 4 

to 6 feet, succeeded within a fourth of a mile eastward by a gentle ascent, which rises 5 to 10 or 15 feet above the beach. The material 

on each side of the beach is till, slightly modified by the lake on the. 

west. It is all fertile prairie, beautifully green, or in many places 

yellow or purple with flowers during July and August, the mouths 

in which this survey was made. In August, 1881, no houses had been 

built on. this beach, nor within one mile from it, along its first it miles 

north from the Bed Eiver, the first house found near the beach being 

io Sec. 26, T. 134, B. 45 (Akrou), in Wilkin County.

Beach at a low portion, probably in the SE.-£ of Sec. 5, T. 132, B. 

44,1,075 feet. A lake, nearly a mile long, lies on the flat lowland about 

one and a half miles west from this low part of the beach. The elevation of this lake was estimated at 1,055 or 1,050 feet; it is only a few 

feet lower than the general surface around it.

Beach, probably near the north side of this Sec. 5,1,078 feet. On -its 

east side here and for a half mile both to the south and north is a slougb, 

partly filled with good grass and partly with rushes; its width is about 

a quarter of a mile and its elevation about 1,070 feet. The land west 

of the beach descends, within 1 or 2 miles, from 1,000 to 1,050 feet.

Beach a fourth of a mile north from the point last noted, 1,071 to 

1,072 feet. This is a typical gravel beach, only 4 feet above the slough 

on the east and bordered on the west by marshy grassland, which 

slopes gently down 5 to 15 feet below this beach ridge.

Beach at its lowest portion for this vicinity, within a third of a mile 

north of the preceding and near the center of Sec. 32, T. 133, E. 44 

(Carlisle), 1,070 to 1,068 feet, being only 2 feet above the marsh or 

slough on its east side. A railroad grade, abandoned, lies a third of a 

mile east of this. Beach a fourth of a mile farther north, 1,077 feet, 

and, about one mile north from its lowest portion, 1,075 feet, cut by a 

ravine, the bottom of which is nearly at 1,063 feet. This ravine is some 

30 rods west of the abandoned railroad embankment. Beach, a fourth 

of a mile north-northwest from the last, 1,077 feet.

Eailroad grade where it crosses the beach, about a mile northwesterly 

from the ravine mentioned, 1,077 feet. Beach here, 1,076 feet, being 

8 to 10 feet above the slough on its east side and having about the 

the same height above the marsh next to it westward. The material of 

the beach, shown by the railroad embankment, which is made of it along 

a distance of a third of a mile, is coarse gravel, with abundant pebbles 

of all sizes up to 6 inches in diameter, fully half of them being limestone.
26 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [BULL.39.

Beach near the west side of Sec. 7, same township, at the west line 

of Otter Tail County, 1,083 feet. Here it is a smoothly rounded gravel 

ridge about 15 feet above the edge of the flat area that was covered by 

Lake Agassiz on the west and 10-feet above a marsh or slough that 

lies a few rods distant on its east side.

Sill of Eudolph Niggeler's house, in the «SE. £ of Sec. 26, T. 134, E. 

45 (Akroii), 1,076 feet. This is on a portion of the beach extending 

about a third of a mile from south to north; a quarter of a mile to the 

north its elevation is 1,082 feet. In the northeast part of Sec. 35 and 

in the north half of Sec. 26 this beach is interrupted by sloughs, which 

take its place for a quarter of a mile.

Beach in the south half of Sec. 23, same township, 1,079 to 1,080 

feet; m the NW. J of this Sec. 23,1,075 to 1,080 feet.

Through Sees. 14,10, and 3, same township, the beach does not have 

its ordinary ridged form, but is mostly marked by a deposit of gravel 

and sand lying upon a slope that rises gradually eastward. Its elevation 

here is 1,075 to 1,085 feet. In the southern part of this distance, probably in the SW. £ of Sec. 14, the margin of the flat, somewhat marshy 

area that appears to have been covered by Lake Agassiz is very definite at 1,075 feet, which thus was probably the height of the lake here.

Beach in the SW. £ of Sec. 34, T. 135, E. 45 (Tanberg), composed of 

gravel, nearly flat, 25 to 30 rods wide, 1,084 to. 1,087 feet, bordered by 

a depression of 2 to 5 feet on the east and by an expanse 10 to 15 feet 

lower on the west.

Beach in the N W. J of this Sec. 34,1,084 to 1,087 feet. Here the land 

next east does not present the usual slight hollow dividing the beach 

ridge from the higher land eastward; instead is a springy belt, mostly 

1,089 feet, quite marshy, yet slowly rising 2 to 4 feet above the belt of 

beach gravel. Occasional hummocks, about 2 feet above the general 

surface and covered with rank grass about 6 feet high, form part of this 

belt of marsh and shaking bog. Next to the east is a slough about 1,086 

i'eet, or 3 feet below the springy tract; and this is succeeded by a surface of moderately undulating till, which rises gradually eastward.

Martin E. Eenkliv's house sill, in. the SW. £ of Sec. 22, same township, 1,094 feet. Shore line of Lake Agassiz, an eighth of a mile west 

of Mr. Eenkliv's, on the border of a marshy flat area, not marked by any 

distinct gravel ridge, about 1,075 feet.

Sloughs, mostly filled with rushes and having areas of water all the 

year, occupy a width of 1 to 2 miles next west of the shore line and 

beach of Lake Agassiz and extend nearly continuously 10 miles from 

south 'to north from the middle of T. 134, E. 45 (Akrou), to the south 

edge of T. 136, E. 45 (Prairie Tiew). The elevation of this belt of sloughs 

is 1,080 to 1,050 feet, being considerably lower on its west than on its 

east border. The highest land westward in the west edge of T. 135, E. 

45 (Tanberg), between these marshes and Manston, is about 1,060 feet. 

Along most of this distance the ordinary beach ridge is wanting.

(412)
.WHAM.] HEKMAN BEACH IN MINNESOTA. 27

Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Eailway, Fergus frails division, track at Lawndale water tank, in or near the southeast corner of 

Sec. 33, T. 136, E. 45 (Prairie View), 6 miles northwest from Eothsay and 

8 miles southeast from Baruesville, 1,088 feet. Here a sidetrack has 

been laid, extending about a third of a mile northward, with its northern 

end some 50 rods east of the main line, to take ballast from the beach, 

which is well exhibited here and onward, having its typical ridged form. 

The elevation of its crest is 1,091 to 1,094 feet. It is composed of gravel 

and sand in about equal amounts, interstratified mainly iu level layers, 

but with these often obliquely laminated. Most of the gravel is quite 

fine, and the coarsest gravel found here has pebbles0 only 2 to 3 inclie.s 

in diameter. About; half of it is limestone.

Beach ridge, llnile farther north, 1,094 feetj three-fourths of a mile 

north of the last and close south of a ravine, 1,099 feet.

Beach about 3 miles north from Lawndale water tank, probably in the 

south part of Sec. 16, T. 136, E. 45 (Prairie View), not ridged,'but a 

belt 25 rods wide, of gravel and sand, on a slope of till that rises eastward, 1,080 to 1,102 feet. Beach, a ridge of gravel and sand, a third 

of a mile north from the last, 1,105 feet. The beach iu Sec. 9 of this 

township is spread more broadly than usual, its higher parts being 

1,095 to 1,107 feet. Here the beach deposits are crossed obliquely by 

several broad depressions 10 to 15 feet deep, running south-southwest. 

The depression east of all these banks of gravel and sand is about 1,090 

feet above the sea.

Beach, & well marked ridge of gravel of the usual character, in the 

SW.£ of Sec. 4, same township, 1,096 to 1,098 feet, and at John Hart's 

house, in the KW. £ of this Sec. 4, 1,103 feet.

Entering Clay County, the elevation of this upper or Herman beach 

at the east side of Sec. 33, T. 137, E. 45 (Humboldt), is 1,100 feet above 

the sea. The land thence for two-thirds of a mile east is low and smootli, 

not higher than the beach. Beyond this the next third of a mile northeastward, iu the nonth part of Sec. 34, is very rocky, with many bowlders up to 6 and rarely 10 feet in diameter, the contour being moderately 

rolling 10 to 30 or 40 feet above the beach. Farther eastward here and 

through the next 15 miles north to the Northern Pacific Eailroad, the 

moderately rolling or smoothly hilly till rises 100 to 250 feet above this 

beach within the distance of about 10 miles between it and the east line 

of the county.

Elevation of the beach ridge in the east half of Sec. 28, T. 137, E. 45 

(Humboldt), one-fourth to three-fourths-of a mile south of Willow 

Eiver, 1,098 to 1,100 feet. In the 3 miles westward to Barnesville the 

area that was covered by Lake Agassiz shows here arid there bowlders 

projecting 1 to 2 feet above the surface, which is till, slightly smoothed 

by the lake.

Saint Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba Eailway, track at Baruesville, 

1,007 feet.

 (413)
28 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [BULL.39.

The beach for three-fourths of a mile north from Willow Eiver consists of a belt of gravel and sand, lying on an eastwardly ascending 

slope of till. Through the next 1J miles northward, in the NW. ^ of 

Sec. 22 and in Sec. 15, T. 137, R. 45 (Humboldt), the shore of Lake 

Agassiz is not marked by the usual beach of gravel and sand, but instead becomes a belt of marshy and springy land 20 to 50 rods wide, 

rising by a gentle slope eastward, rough with many hummocks and 

hollows, in some portions forming a quaking bog, in which horses and 

oxen attempting to cross are mired.

In the next 2 miles northward, through Sees. 10 and 3, same township, the beach is nowhere well marked as a ridge; but is mainly a belt 

of gravel and sand, lying on a slope of till, which gradually rises 30 or 

40 feet higher at the east. The lack of typical beach deposits on this 

shore through the north half of this township is probably due to its 

sheltered situation in the lee of islands on the northwest. The course 

of the shore currents, determined by the prevailing winds, seems to have 

been southward, as on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Highest part of southern island in the east edge of Lake Agassiz, in 

the NE. -I of Sec. 5, T. 137, E. 45 (Humboldt), extending northward 

into T. 138, E. 45 (Skree), 1,117 to 1,122 feet. This island was about a 

mile long from south to north. Beach on its west side, a well developed 

ridge of gravel, near the middle of the north line of Sec. 5, 1,095 feet; 

andfor a third of a mile north-northwest from this, 1,094 to 1,096 feet. On 

the east side of the beach, as it continues northward, is a slough twothirds of a mile long from south to north and about 30 rods wide, 1,085 

feet. This was evidently filled by a lagoon, sheltered on the southeast 

by the island and separated from the main lake by the beach. Toward the northeast it widened into a shallow expanse of water, 8 to 15 

feet deep, about 1J. miles wide, divided from the broad lake on the west 

by two islands and this beach, or bar, which connected them. Lake 

Agassiz here appears to have stood at the height of 1,090 to 1,095 feet. *

Beach or bar in the north part of Sec. 32, T. 138, E. 45 (Skree), a 

broad rounded ridge of gravel, with pebbles up to 3 or 4 inches in diameter, 1,103 feet, and through the next half mile, in the south half of 

Sec. 29, 1,102 to 1,104 feet. Along part of this distance the beach 

ridge is bounded eastward by a steeper descent than usual, the laud 

next cast being 1,085 to 1,090 feet above the sea. This beach or bar 

continues northward in a typical ridge through Sees. 29 and 20, same 

township.

Beach or bar at L. Williams's house, in the SW. £ of the SE. <| of 

Sec. 20, same township, 1,101 feet; a quarter of a mile farther north, 

1,106 feet; three-quarters of a mile north of Mr. Williams's, near the middle of the north line of Sec. 20, J,110 feet, continuing a very definite 

ridge through the south half of Sec. 17, 1,109 to 1,110 feet.

Near the middle of this Sec. 17 the beach deposit of gravel and sand 

ceases at the west side of the northern island, which was situated in

(414) ,
WHAM.] HERMAN BEACH IN MINNESOTA. 29

the east half of this section and extended also eastward in a long, low 

projection nearly across the south side of Sec. 16, and northward half 

way across Sec. 8. Highest part of this island, in or near the NE. ^ of 

the 1STW. J of Sec. 17, about 1,125 feet. The old shore of the north half 

of this island has no beach ridge nor other deposits of gravel and sand, 

but is plentifully strewn with large bowlders up to 5 and 10 feet in diameter, and many of these project 2 to 5 feet above the general surface. 

The lake waves eroded here and deposited the sand and gravel gathered from this till as a beach a little farther south.

North and northeast from ,this northern island a lower expanse, 

nearly level and in. some portions marshy, resembling the broad flat 

valley of the Red River, extends 1£ miles to the east shore, of Lake 

Agassiz, its height being 1,075 to 1,0,90 feet, or 10 to 25 feet below the 

surface of the ancient lake. The distance between these islands was 2 

miles, and the distance from the summit of the first to that of the second, nearly due north, 4 miles. Each of them rose about 25 feet above 

Lake Agassiz. The strait between them and the mainland eastward 

was 10 to 20 feet deep and from 1 to 1£ miles wide, excepting a narrow 

place near the southeast corner of Sec. 16. East of the northern island 

the main shore of the lake was indented by a bay a third to a half of 

a mile wide and about 10 feet deep, stretching 2^ miles southeastward 

from the lake at the northwest corner of Sec. 10 to the west part of 

Sec. 23, same township. The shore of the lake east of its islands along 

this bay and northwesterly to the north line of this township lack? 

the beach deposits which elsewhere distinguish it.

In its continuation northwestward the shore line of the old lake run? 

diagonally across Sec. 32, T. 139, R. 45 (Hawley), where it again presents 

the anomalous character of a very springy and marshy belt, 20 to 40 

rods wide, rough with hummocks and in many places so deeply miry 

that it is dangerous for teams. This boggy tract has a gentle descent 

westward, its'lower portion being about 1,085 feet, and its upper border, 

very nearly level across this entire section, being 1,093 to 1,100 feet, 

which was almost exactly the height of Lake Agassiz, as shown by its 

distinct beach of gravel and sand at the south and north. ]SText eastward rises a moderately undulating slope of till, strewn with abundant 

bowlders 5 and rarely a bowlder, 2 to 5 feet in diameter, is seen on the 

springy land that marks the border of the ancient lake.

DELTA OF THE BUFFALO RIVER.

The delta brought into the east side of Lake Agassiz by the Buffalo 

River extends about 5 miles southwestward from Muskoda, forming a 

continuously descending, plain of stratified sand and fine gravel, declining from 1,100 feet near Muskoda to 1,073 feet at its southwestern 

limit in the north part of Sec. 34, T. 139, R. 46 (Riverton). Here and 

northward along a distance of 3 miles to the Buffalo River, this delta

(415)
BO UPPER BEAdftES OF LAKE AGASSIZ, [IIULT..M.

plain is terminated by a steep slope like the face ot a terrace; the outer 

portion of the original delta, beyond this line, has been carried away 

by the waves and shore currents of the lake when it stood at the lower 

level marked by the Norcross beach.

Northern Pacific Eailroad, track at Muskoda, 1,090 feet. Threshold 

of church a quarter of a mile southeast from Muskoda depot, 1,113 

feet. Beach here and for a third of a mile south to the Buffalo Eiver, 

as also at the excavation for the railroad, 25 rods north of the church, 

1,113 to 1,114 feet, The beach here is 35 rods wide,.rising 14 or 15 feet 

in a gentle swell above the edge of the delta of modified drift on the 

west and descending the same amount to the depression at its east 

side. It is made up of interstratified gravel and sand, the former prevailing, including pebbles up to 3 or 4 inches and rarely 6 or even 9 

inches in diameter, all water-worn. Half or two-thirds of these pebbles are limestone. No bowlders occur here, nor are they found in any 

of the beach deposits of Lake Agassiz.

FROM MUSKODA NORTH TO THE WILD RICE RIVER.

Beach in the next 2 miles north of Muskoda, mainly 1,113 to 1,125 

feet; at its lowest depression, about 1 mile north of Muskoda, 1,105 

feet; at William Perkins's house, in the SE. | of the SE. £ of Sec. 30, 

T. 140, E. 45 (Cromwell), 1,122 feet; an eighth to a third of a mile 

south-southeast from Mr. Perkins's, 1,130 feet. A nearly or quite continuous depression, from a fifth to a third of a mile wide, lies at the 

east side of this beach, declining in elevation from 1,118 feet, near Mr. 

Perkins's house, to 1,100 feet at Muskoda. This distance is about 3 miles.

The surface of Lake Agassiz in its maximum stage was at Muskoda 

1,105 feet very approximately above our present sea level. Within 5 

to 10 miles northward, its height seems to have been 1,110 to 1,115 feet.

Beach through the north half of Sec. 30, T. 140, E. 45, 1,128 to 

1,131 feet, and through the west part of Sees. 19 and 187 same township, 1,125 to 1,130 feet, composed of sand and fine gravel, not generally 

in a typical ridge, but often with a depression 2 to 5 feet lower eastward 

and bounded on the west by a descent of about 30 feet within an eighth 

of a mile. A surface of slightly undulating till rises very gradually 

from this beach eastward.

In T. 139, E. 46 (Eiverton), and in Sees. 35 and 26, T. 140, E, 46, 

the eroded western border of the delta of Buiialo Eiver marks the shore 

of Lake Agassiz at the time of the Norcross beach.

In the west part of Sec. 24, T. 140, E. 46, and for 4 miles northward, the Norcross beach lies only 1 mile to a half mile west of the 

upper beach and is about 50 feet lower. The terracelike area between 

these beaches is strewn with occasional bowlders up to 6, 8, or 10 feet 

in diameter and rarely of larger size, much more abundant than upon 

the average surface of the till in this region, indicating that the surface

(416)
' HERMAN BEACH IN MINNESOTA. 31

there has been considerably eroded by the waves of the lake. The. 

largest bowlder seen in Clay County lies about 50 rods west of the upper beach, in or near Sec. 12, T. 140, E. 46. Its dimensions are 15 by 

12 by 5 feet and its top is 1,095 feet above the sea. It is gneiss, minutely porphyritic, with white feldspar crystals up to an eighth or a 

quarter of an inch long.

The elevation of the foot ot the western slope of the upper or Herman beach along the north part of the east line of T. 140, E. 46, is 1,095 

to 1,100 feet. Crest of the Korcross beach in Sec. 12, T. 140, E. 46, 6 

miles north of Muskoda, 1,080 feet, and along the distance of 3 miles 

through Sees. 13,12, and 1, it varies from 1,075 to 1,085 feet. In Sec. 

31, T. 141, E. 45 (K<son), its height is 1,085 feet. Like the Herman 

beach, it is a low, smoothly rounded ridge of gravel and sand, usually 

having a depression of 3 to 5 feet or more at its east side.

Upper or Herman 'beach at a high portion in or near the SE. £ of Sec. 

1, T. 140, E. 46,1,136 feet. For a mile next south from this point, it is a 

finely rounded ridge of gravel rising northward from 1,130 to 1,136 feet. 

The depression at its east side is 4 to 6 feet lower; then the surface gently 

rises at a quarter to a third of a mile from the beach to 1,135 or 1,140 

feet, beyond which eastward this nearly level but slightly undulating 

expanse of till rises only 5 or 10 feet a mile.

Beach a fourth of a mile north-northeast from the high point mentioned, probably in the NW. £ Of Sec. 6, T. 140, E. 45 (Cromwell), 1,128 

to 1,127 feet. This is an ordinary beach ridge of gravel and sand, with 

a depression of 2 or 3 feet next east.

ISTear the south line of Sec. 29, T. 141, E. 45 (Keon), both the Herman 

and Korcross beaches, here about two-thirds of a mile apart, are inter, 

sected by a watercourse. At its north side the upper or Herman beach, 

near the east line of Sec. 29 and in the NW. £ of Sec 28J consists of two 

well marked ridges of gravel and sand, some 30 rods apart and about 

10 feet above the land eastward and between them. These ridges unite 

in or near the SW. £ of the SW. £ of Sec. 21, at the height of 1,130 to 

3,132 feet.

Beach three-fourths of a mile farther north, probably near the north 

line of Sec. 21, a typical gravel ridge, 1,134 feet, 10 feet above the land 

next east; but a sixth, of a mile farther northeast this beach ridge is 

depressed to 1,123 feet.

Alower beach, contemporaneous with the Herman beach farther south, 

butfbrmed when thesurface of the lake inthislatitude had fallen slightly 

from its highest level, is finely exhibited, at a distance of one-third to 

two-thirds of av mile west from the upper beach, through the 4 miles 

from the south side of Sec. 20 to the northeast corner of Sec. 4, same 

township. The elevation of this secondary beach in the south part of 

Sec. 20 is 1,115 feet; thence to a stream near the east line of the SB. £ 

of Sec. 17,1,118 to 1.123 feet; at each side of this stream, 1,118 feet;

(417)
32 UPPER BEACHES Otf LAKE AGASSIZ ' luULL.39.

northward, in the north west .part of Sec. 16 and in the SW. £ of Sec. 9, 

l',llS~to 1,121 feet; and in the north part of Sec. 9, 1,121 to 1,127 feet.

The elevation of the upper beach in T. 141, E. 45 (Keon), 1,123 to 1,137 

feet, shows that the height of Lake Agassiz here, during its maximum 

stage, was about 1,120 feet. The secondary beach was made by the lake 

after it had fallen 6 to 10 feet.

Surface of ground at Christian Sether's house, in the SW. £ of Sec. 10, 

1,129 feet. Upper beach through the west part of this Sec. 10, 1,130 to 

1,137 feet, increasing in height from south to north. This is a typical 

beach ridge of gravel, with a rather abrupt descent on its east side to 

land G or 8 feet lower, which thence ascends with a slightly undulating 

surface eastward.

Upper beach in Sec 3, same township, l,134.to 1,137 foet, 10 feet above 

the land next east. Secondary beach, parallel with this and about threefourths of a mile distant to the northwest, in Sees. 4 and 34,1,123 to 

1,127 feet, being thus 10 feet lower than the highest parts of the eastern 

beach. Extensj ve sloughs, inclosing lakelets, lie between these beaches 

in Sees. 34 and 35, T. 142, E. 45 (Hageu), at an elevation of 1,115 to 1,120 

feet, but sinking northward to 1,105 fc-et. The secondary beach continues to the northeast corner of Sec. 20, declining in height northeastward as it approaches the South Branch of the Wild Eice Eiver, being 

at 1,125 to 1,115 feet.

Upper beach in Sec. 35 and in the south part of Sec. 25, T. 142, E. 

45,1,140 to 1,142 feet. This is a typical beach ridge of sand and gravel, 

about 30 rods wide, with the land next southeast 5 to 8 feet lower, and. 

divided from the secondary beach northwesterly by a slough about i 

mile wide, this slough being at 1,115 to 1,105 feet.

Beach at B. O. Helde's house, in the south half of the SW. ^ of Sec. 

30, T. 142, E. 44-(Ulen), 1,138 feet. The flat expanse of the Red Eiver 

Valley reaches east on the South Branch of the Wild Eice Eiver to Sec. 

16, T. 142, K. 45 (Hageri), probably being there about 975 feet above the 

sea, or 160 feet below this upper beach of Lake Agassiz, 4 or 5 miles 

southeast.

Beach through Sees. 30 and 29, T. 142, E. 44 (Ulen), extending 1£ 

miles east-northeast from Mr. Helde's to the South Branch of the Wild 

Eice Eiver, in-a low, gently rounded ridge of gravel, 30 rods wide, 5 to 

8 feet above the area of till next southeast and about 15 feet above the 

surface close at its northwest side, 1,138 to 1,142, mostly 1,140, feet.

Beach at Nels Wiger's house, probably in the NW. £ of Sec. 28, 1,133 

feet; about 40 rods west from this, 1,140 feet.

South Branch of Wild Eice Eiver, in the SW. £ of Sec. 21, same township, 1,095 feet.

Beach, a typical gravel ridge, in or near the west half of Sec. 16, a 

half mile to 1£ miles north of the South Branch, 1,140 to 1,143 feet; 

surface of till an eighth' to a quarter of a mile next east, 1,135 feet. 

Farther east the slightly or moderately undulating expanse of till has

(418)
HERMAN BEACH I\ MINNESOTA, 33

an average ascent of about 10 feet a mile for 15 miles to the base of 

the high laud at the White Earth Agency, which is dimly visible, blue, 

close to the horizon. Westward the surface gradually descends to the 

Norcross beach, nearly 60 feet lower, which is the farthest land in sight 

in that direction, about 3 miles distant, beyond which lies the flat Red 

"River Valley.

Beach, a well defined ridge, in Sees. 9 and 4, T. 142, R. 44 (Ulen), 1,139 

to 1,144 feet.

Entering Norman County, an unusually high portion of the beach is 

found in or near the SE. J of the SE. J of Sec. 33, T. 143, R. 44 (Home 

Lake), having its crest at 1,149 feet. It holds thiselevation for an extent 

of some 20 rods, on each side of which its height is mostly from 1,139 

to 1,145 feet. Its material is coarse gravel, principally limestone, with 

pebbles up to 4 and 6 inches in diameter. Surface close east of this 

beach, 1,137 feet. A slight swell above the general descending slope 

westward, about 2 miles distant, has a height very nearly 1,125 feet. 

This may be the continuation of the secondary beach that was seen 

in T. 141, R. 45 (Keon). It hides 'the view farther west, except from 

the highest point of the beach (1,149 feet), where the distant belts of 

timber along the Red and the Wild Rice Rivers are visible.

Beach at J. T. Huseby's house, in the SW. £ of the NW. £ of Sec. 

26, T. 143, R. 44 (Home Lake), 1,147 feet; through 1£ miles next north, 

in the NW. £ of Sec. 26 and the west part of Sec. 23, forming a broad, 

low ridge of gravel and sand, 1,145 'to 1,149 feet.

In or near Sees. M and 16, T. 143, R. 43 (Flom), a prominent massive hill, called u Frenchman's Bluff," of somewhat irregular form, composed of morainic till, rises 150 feet or more above this beach.

Through the W. £ of the NW. I of Sec. 14, T. 143, R. 44 (Home Lake), 

the beach is mostly a typical gravel ridge, with its crest at 1,147 to 

1,152 feet. In the S"W. £ of Sec. 11, same township, it curves northeastward and attains an unusually massive development, its crest being at 1,150 to 1,158 feet, rising 15 feet above the land next southeast 

and 30 feet above the border of the area of Lake Agassiz at its northwest side.

Beach, a well marked gravel rjdge near the southwest corner of Sec. 

1, same township, 1,156 feet, and an eighth of a mile east-northeast 

from this, 1,150 feet.

J. Gr. Aurdal's house, foundation, in the NW. £ of the KE. ^ of Sec. 6, 

T. 143, R. 43 (Flora), 1.148 feet. This is situated on the beach, which 

here is a deposit of gravel and sand 8 feet or more in depth, lying upon 

a slope of till that ascends southeastward.

Anton Johnson's store., foundation, on this beach, in the SE. | of the 

SE. J of Sec. 31, T. 144, R. 43 (Fosum), 1,142 feet.

Creek flowing northwesterly between the last two, about 1,105 feet.

Wild Rice River, 2 miles north of Johnson's store, approximately 

J,075 feet,

l, 39 3 (419)
34 ITPPEE BEACHES OF LAKE AGA&SIZ- [HULL. 39.

Secondary Herman beach, a well marked, broad, smoothly rounded 

gravel ridge, extending from southwest to northeast, crossed by the 

township line road at the north side of the N"B. £ of the NW. £ of Sec. 

2, T. 143, E. 44 (Home Lake), 1,137 feet. It is about 30 rods wide and 

rises 5 to 10 feet above the depression at its southeast side.

FROM THE WILD RICE RIVER NORTH TO MAPLE LAKE.

A broad belt of timber borders the Wild Eice Eiver, lying mostly on 

its north side, in T. 144, E. 43 (Fosum), and T. 144, E. 44 (Wild Eice), 

and at the time of this survey, in 1881, no road nor bridge afforded a 

crossing here. Therefore this series of levels was resumed north of the 

Wild Eice Eiver by starting from Eolette Station of the Saint Paul, 

Minneapolis and Manitoba Eailway, 890 feet above the sea, near the 

middle of Sec. 17, T. 146, E. 46 (Lockhart), about 1£ miles north of the 

Lockhart farm. Proceeding eastward from this point, the first observations of the upper beach were in T. 145, E. 43 (Waukon); T. 146, E. 44 

(Sundal); and T. 147, E. 44 (Garfield).

This beach is intersected by the Wild Eice Eiver near the middle of 

T. 144, E. 43 (Fosum), and thence it passes north-northwesterly through 

the west part of T. 145, E. 43 (Waukon). In Sees. 7 and 6, same town 

ship, it is a low smooth ridge of gravel and sand about 25 rods wide, 

rising 5 to 10 feet. In the west half of this Sec. 6 and in Sec. 36, T. 

140, E. 44 (Suudal), the old Pernbina trail lies on it.

About 2 miles west of the upper beach, a secondary Herman beach, 

of similar material and contour, probably 20 feet lower, was observed a 

few rods east of the stake at the middle of the north side of Sec. 14, T. 

145, E. 44 (Strand), having a height of 6 to 8 feet above its base, with a 

smaller ridge of sand and gravel, 3 feet high above its base, close west 

of this stake. Again, a half mile farther west, in the northeast corner 

of Sec. 15, same township, another Herman beach, probably 10 feet below the last, was noted, having a height of 4 or 5 feet above its base.

Traveling northwestward along the Peinbioa trail, the upper beach 

ridge was not distinctly observed after leaving Sec. 36, T. 146, E. 44 

(Sundal), until it is again occupied by the trail in Sec.' 9 of this township. The intervening 3 miles are flat and nearly level. Probably the 

beach, less noticeable than usual, lies within a half or 1 mile east of the 

trail here. In the eastern part of Sec. 9 this beach is about 25 rods wide, 

rising 5 feet from its east side and descending 10 feet to its western base, 

which was the margin of Lake Agassiz.

Thence the upper beach extends nearly due north through the east 

edge of Sec. 4, same township, and Sec. 33, T. 147, E. 44 (Garfield). In the 

east edge of the SE. \ of Sec. 28 and the west edge of the NW. £ of Sec. 

27, T. 147, E. 44, it is a typical ridge of gravel and sand, with its crest 

1,166 to 1,173 feet above the sea. There is a gradual descent toward the 

west. The depression on the east is a sixth to a fourth of a mile wide,
U*HAM.J HERMAN BEACH IN MINNESOTA. 35

tsinking 6 to 10 feet below the beach. Farther eastward the laud is

moderately undulating till, rising 20 to 30 feet above the beach and 

bearing frequent groves of small poplars, bur oak, and canoe birch.

Water in Sand Hill Eiver, at the ford of the old Peinbina trail, in the 

west part of Sec. 28, T. 147, E. 44, ordinary low stage, July 26, 1881, 

1,071 feet.

Even Grodvig's house threshold, at the top of the bluff north of this 

ford, in the north half of the ITW. | of this Sec. 28, 1,136 feet.

When Lake Agassiz stood at its greatest height, the Sand Hill Eiver 

brought into its margin a delta 6 miles long from south to north and 

3 miles wide, reaching from the upper beach to the west side of T. 147? 

E. 44 (Garfield), and T. 146, E. 44 (Sundal). This westwardly sloping 

deposit of stratified gravel and sand has about an equal area and thick, 

ness with the delta of the Buffalo Eiver at Muskoda. Upon this delta 

plain dunes have been heaped up by the winds, probably before vegetation had spread over this area after the withdrawal of the glacial lake. 

"In the south half of Sec. 32, T, 147, E. 44 (Garfield), and in a belt 

which thence extends approximately north and south, the sand ol this 

delta, as originally deposited, rises eastward with a slope of 25 or 30 

feet in 1 mile, from 1,100 to 1,125 or 1,130 feet above the sea. Beneath 

this plane, however, channels have been eroded by the winds and sandhills 25 to 75 feet above it have been blown up in irregular groups and 

series, scattered over a tract about a mile wide and extending 3 or 4 

miles southward from the Sand Hill Eiver, in Sec. 29, the northeast part 

of Sec. 30, and in Sees. 31 and 32, T. 147, E. 44 (Garfield), and reaching 

southward in Sees. 5 and 8, T. 146, E. 44 (Sundal). The most southern 

of these hills is an isolated group in the east part of the NE. £ of Sec. 

18, T. 146, E. 44 (Sundal). Another isolated group lies north of the 

Sand Hill Eiver, in the NW. £ of Sec. 16, T. 147, E. 44 (Garfield). These 

sand dunes are in part bare, being so frequently drifted by the winds as 

to allow no foothold for vegetation; other portions are clothed with 

grass or with bushes and scanty dwarfed trees, including bur oak, the 

common aspen or poplar, cottonwood, green ash, black cherry, and the 

frost grape.

Elevations of the highest points of these dunes, in order from south 

to north, are approximately 1,190,1,180, and 1,200 feet. The highest 

dune appears to be in or near the east half of the NE. J of Sec. 30, T. 

147, E. 44 (Garneld).

Secondary Herman beach, a smoothly rounded ridge of gravel and 

sand 10 to 15 feet high above the adjacent level, 1,148 to 1,153 feet above 

the sea, about three-fourths of a mile east of the old Pembina trail, in 

the west half of Sees. 21 and 16, T. 147, B. 44 (Garfield), extending 1£ 

miles north from the Sand Hill Eiver to the cluster of dunes in the 

N W. £ of Sec. 16.

Upper Herman beach, the first of the series which was here formed 

contemporaneously with the single Herman beach farther south, ru.jj.
36 UPPE& BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ.

ning approximately from south to north through or near the northeast 

corner of Sec. 4, T. 147, E. 44 (Garfield), a smooth gravel ridge, in some 

parts hidden by scattered groves, 1,165 to Ijl75 feet. Farther east is 

a large area of woodland. Second Herman beach, in the east part of 

Sec. 5, same township, and Sec. 32, T. 148, B. 44 (Godfrey), about a mile 

west from the upper beach, 1,149 to 1,153 feet; this is a ridge of gravel 

and sand, about 40 rods wide, wi'th very gentle, prolonged slopes toward 

both the east and the west. Natural surface at the northeast corner of 

Sec. 32, T. 148, li. 44 (Godfrey), 1,146 feet. Third Herman beach, running north, in the NW. £ of Sec. 5, T. 147, B. 44 (Garfield), and the west 

part of Sec. 32, T. 148, E. 44 (Godfrey), a half or two-thirds of a mile 

west from the last, 1,130 to 1,135 feet, consisting of a distinct ridge in 

its southern part, but farther north being a flat area of gravel and sand 

slightly elevated above the land next east.

Second Herman beach, a broad low ridge of gravel and sand, extending north-northeast through Sec. 28, T. 148, E. 44 (Godfrey), from its 

southwest corner to its north line, 1,148 to 1,150 feet. The northward 

continuation of this beach is a low, flattened ridge, the western one of 

two parallel ridges of gravel below that of the upper beach, extending 

north easterly and northerly through or near the west edge of Sec. 10, 

same township, 1,150 to 1,154 feet. Through" the next 3 miles in Sec. 

3, same township, and in the east part of Sees. 35 and 26 and the NW. 

^of Sec. 25, T. 149, E. 44 (Tilden), it is a prominent beach ridge, with 

its crest at 1,153 to 1,161 feet, somewhat steep on its east side, which 

descends about 10 feet to a belt of lowland and marsh that divides it 

from the parallel beach a quarter to a third of a mile east.

The eastern of these parallel beach ridges is only 8 or 10 feet below the 

average elevation of the upper beach. It probably marks a slight fall in 

the water surface at this latitude; but, as no corresponding beach formation has been observed in Dakota, it is neglected in the foregoing table 

of elevations of the beaches of Lake Agassiz. It is clearly continuous 

8 miles, the first 4 miles extending northerly and the next 4 miles easterly. These parts are connected in Sec. 25, T. 149, E. 44 (Tilden), by a 

graceful curve, that portion of this beach and its extent thence eastward being known as the "Attix ridge," from. Henry and William Attix, 

brothers, who have built their houses upon it. In. its northward course, 

nearly through the middle of Sees. 10 and 4, T. 148, E. 44 (Godfrey), 

its crest is at 1,158 to 1,163 feet j in the west edge of Sec. 36, T. 149, E. 

44 (Tilden), and along its curved course to the northeast and east at the 

west and north sides of Sec. 25 and in the southeast part of Sec. 24, 

same township, 1,163 to 1,168 feet, and in Sees. 21 and 22, T. 149, E. 43 

(Grove Park), 1,171 to 1,173 feet. Slougb, a third tp a naif of a mile 

wide, extending along the east side of this beach, in Sec. 3, T. 148, E44 (Godfrey), and in the southeast part of T. 149, E. 44 (Tilden), 1,155 to 

1,160 feet.

(422)
OTHAM.J . HEEMAN BEACH IN MINNESOTA.' 37

Upper beach in the SW. J of Sec. 11, T. 148, E. 44 (Godfrey), forming 

a plain of stratified gravel and sand a quarter or a third of a mile wide 

from east to west, 1,168 to 1,173 feet. This beach near the south side 

of Sec. 11 becomes a distinct gravel ridge of the usual character, about 

25 rods wide, with its crest at 1,173 feet, bordered by a slough 20 to 40 

rods wide at its east side. About a third of a mile farther southeast 

and some 50 rods west of the southwest extremity of Maple Lake, 

in Sec. 14, same township, the elevation of this beach ridge is 1,175 to 

1,178 feet.

Maple Lake, water surface July 28, 1881, 1,169 feet.

Upper beach, top of its well marked gravel ridge in the east edge of 

the NE. iof the NE. £ of Sec. 3, T. 148, E. 44 (Godfrey), about 20 rods 

north of Mr. Horton's, 1,180 feet.

Beyond this point, through its next 2J miles, curving from a northward to a northeastward and eastward course, this upper beach of 

Lake Agassiz is magnificently exhibited, forming a massive, gently 

rounded ridge of gravel and sand about 30 rods across, with its crest 

1,178 to 1,186 feet above the sea. It is bordered on its southeast side 

by a tract of slightly undulating till 10 to 15 feet lower, mostly covered with small timber and brush and holding frequent sloughs and 

lakelets in its depressions. The top of the beach is not wooded, but 

small trees and bushes encroach upon its slopes. A road extends along 

the crest of its curving portion for a distance of about 1 mile through 

Sec. 36, T. 149, E. 44 (Tilden).

The marsh which borders the northwest side of the northeast part of 

Maple Lake shows a descent of 5 to 7 feet northwestward, or away from 

the lake, in its width of 1 to 1£ miles Maple Lake is prevented from 

flowing in this direction by a beaver dam near the lake. Creek draining this marsh where it intersects the upper beach near the east line of 

the NE. % of Sec. 27, T. 149, E. 43 (Grove Park), 1,163 feet. Here the 

beach skirting the north side of the marsh is a flat deposit of gravel 

and sand, a fourth to a half of a mile or more in width, highest next to 

the marsh, above which it rises 5 to 8 feet iii a moderate slope. Its elevation in the north half of Sees. 26 and 27 is 1,169 to 1^172'feet, being 

even 1 or 2 feet lower than the Attix ridge, which lies some two-thirds 

of a mile farther north, in the south half of Sees. 21 and 22. This belt 

of beach gravel and sand continues 6 miles in a nearly due east course, 

and beyond that it extends still eastward along the north side of a great 

tamarack swamp, which begins in Sec. 34, T. 149, E. 42, and is said to 

be 8 miles long. Maple Lake and this tamarack swarnp hold the same 

relation to the upper beach ridge, which was a barrier "between them 

and Lake Agassiz arid which "now wholly or partially obstructs the 

drainage of these areas..

Third. Herman beach, a small ridge of gravel and sand, extending 

from southwest to northeast, 8 to 10 rods wide and rising 4 or 5 feet, 

crossed by the Oookston road in the SW-1 of Sec. 23, T. 149, E. 44

(423)
38 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [BULL. 39.

(Tilden), and seen to reach at least a mile each way from this road, 1,146 

to 1,149 feet.

Natural surface at the southeast corner of Sec. 15, same township, 

1,134 feet.

Fourth Herman beach, crossed by road to Crookston and Eed Lake 

Falls near the center of the SB. £ of this Sec. 15, 1,132 to 1,134 feet. 

This is a well marked gravel ridge, mainly single, but twofold where it 

is crossed by this road. The distance of 1 mile here between these 

third and fourth Herman beaches consists of till, with a nearly smooth 

surface, which has bowlders up. to 3 and rarely 5 feet in diameter quite 

numerously scattered over it. Southeastward from the third to the first 

or upper beach the surface mostly is modified drift, with no bowlders.

Fo.ur to five miles north from the fourth Herman beach tlie road to 

Eed Lake Falls crosses the Norcross beach in Sec. 27, T. 150, E. 44 

.(Lake Pleasant), where it is a belt of gravel and sand about a half mile 

wide, extending from west-southwest to east-northeast, at an elevation 

of 1,083 to 1,095 feet.

THE UPPER OR HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA.

[See the accompanying map, Plate I.] 

FROM LAKE TRAVERSE NORTHWEST TO MILNOR.

From the south extremity of Lake Agassiz, in Sec. 18, T. 125, E. 45 

(Leonards'ville), Traverse County, Miuu., the upper or Herman beach 

extends northwestward 75 miles to the most southern bend of the 

Sheyenne Eiver in Eaiisom County, Dakota, and thence its course 

is nearly due north, but with slight deflection westward, to the international boundary. The 'mouth of Lake Agassiz was where now a 

slough 2 to 3 miles wide, with frequent areas of open water, stretches 

northward from the northeast end of Lake Traverse. On the west side 

of this slough and of Lake Traverse bluffs of till rise 100 to 125 feet; 

their tops and the rolling surface of till which extends thence westward are 1,070 to 1,100 feet above the sea.

The beginning of the upper or Herman beach in Dakota is in Sees. 

10, 3, and 4, T. 128, E. 48, nearly 2 miles south from the north line of 

the Sisseton and Wahpeton reservation. It rises with terracelike 

steepness 20 or 30 feet above the surface of undulating till which borders it on the northeast. Its material is sand and gravel, with pebbles 

up to 1£ or 2 inches in diameter, about half of which are limestone. 

Beyond its steep margin this deposit of beach gravel forms a belt 

about a mile wide, approximately level, but with frequent short swells 

and low flattened ridges 5 to 10 or 15 feet above the intervening depressions. Its elevation is 1,060 to 1,070 feet above the sea, or from90 

to 100 feet above Lake Traverse.

(424)
VPHAM.I . HEEMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 39

For its first 3 or 4 miles the terracelike'margin of the beach sweeps 

with a gentle curve westerly and northerly to a point in the SW. £ of 

Sec. 34, T. 129, E. 48, where it turns quite abruptly, taking a nearly due 

west course for the next 3 miles to the west side of Sec. 3t of this 

township.

In the KW. £ of Sec. 3, T. 128, E. 48, a third of a mile east of W. J. 

Alien's house, the ascent at the beach margin is about 10 feet to an elevation of 1,060 feet, approximately. The belt of sand and fine gravel 

is here about a half mile wide. Occasional hummocks, rising 5 to 10 

feet and 50 to 100 feet long, which wore observed on this part of the 

beach, appear to have been heaped up by the wind before the protecting mantle of grass and other vegetation was spread over it. In the 

SE. | of Sec. 32, T. 129, E. 48, similar dunes, 1,075 to 1,080 feet above 

the sea, have been excavated for use as plastering sand. Nearly all 

portions of this beach and even its dunes are now covered with a black 

soil and plentiful vegetation; but certain species preferring dry and 

sandy soil, as the dwarf rose, grow in greater abundance on the beach, 

and especially among its hummocks and hollows, than on the flat or 

slightly undulating surface of till at each side.

The margin of this Herman beach, marking the shore of Lake Agassiz 

at its maximum stage, passes in its western course about 60 rods north 

of the southeast corner of Sec. 32 and turns again to the northwest near 

the middle of the west side of Sec. 31, T. 129, E. 48. At the latter 

locality it is a low wavelike ridge of sand and fine gravel, about 1,060 

feet above the sea. On the south it is bordered by land 3 to 5 feeb lower 

for a width of one and a half miles. J. E. Grimesey's well, 13 feet deep, 

at the southwest corner of Sec. 31, on this low tract outside the beach 

ridge, encountered only very fine stratified sand, irregularly laminated 

and containing numerous tubular limonitic concretions. Farther to 

the southwest and west, a gently undulating surface of till, scarcely 

higher than the beach of Lake Agassiz, stretches away several miles, 

.beyond which the highland of the Ooteau des Prairies is seen in the far 

distance.

The Herman beach crosses T. 129, E. 49, in a diagonal course, entering it a half mile norl/h of its southeast corner and running northwest 

to the north side of Sees. 5 and 6. In Sec. 23 and the northeast part 

of Sec. 22, its elevation is about 1,055 feet; but its dunes rise 3 or 4 

feet higher. At the middle of the north side of Sec. 16, on the line between Roberts and Eichlaud Counties, it is a ridge of sand and fine 

gravel about 8 rods wide, rising 4 to 6 feet above the land on each 

side. Its crest here, and for a mile to the southeast and northwest, is 

1,060 to 1,065 feet above the sea. Northeastward the surface falls about 

20 feet in the first mile. On the southwest side of this distinct beach, 

ridge, a smooth, slightly undulating tract 1£ to 2 miles wide, extending through this $ownship, consists of sand and fine clayey silt. Its 

elevation varies, from 1,055 to 1,080 feet, attaining the latter height in

(425,)
40 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. ' [BULL. 39.

i

the northwest part of the township. This belt, with its continuation 

southeastward, previously described, was doubtless covered by Lake 

Agassiz before the erosion of its outlet to the level of the Herman 

beach ; but much of its stratified sand and silt may be modified drift 

deposited by streams from the melting ice sheet. The glacial recession 

here was from southwest to northeast, and this was probably an avenue 

of drainage during a short time, till the continued retreat of the ice left 

-a considerable expanse of water, the beginning of Lake Agassiz, between itself and the shore.

In the north part of Sees. 5 and 6, T. 129, E. 49, and in Sees. 31 and 

32, T. 130, E. 49, this beach consists of two or three parallel wavelike 

ridges of gravel and sand, divided by depressions an eighth to a quarter 

of a mile wide and 5 to 10 feet lower.

This belt reaches north to the Lightning's (or Thunder's) Nest, a 

massive dune of fine sand, partly bare and now wind blown, but mostly 

covered with bushes and herbage, situated near the center of Sec. 

30, T. 130, E. 49. Its base on the south is 1,060 feet and its top 1,120 

feet, approximately, above-the sea. It covers a space about a quarter of a mile in extent from southeast to northwest, with nearly as 

great width, and rises in two summits of nearly equal height. The 

Lightning's Nest is the most prominent in a series of dunes, elsewhere 

rising only 10 to 30 feet, mostly grassed, which extends a mile or more 

to the southeast and is traceable several miles northwest to the east 

end of a very conspicuous tract of dunes 50 to 100 feet above adjacent 

level, with summits at 1,100 to 1,150 feet above the sea, which stretches 

about 4 miles in a west-northwest course in the south part of T. 131, E. 

50,1 to 2 miles south of the Wild Eice Eiver. By winds, eroding and 

drifting, these sand hills were heaped up from the Herman beach and 

its associated belt of modified drift, probably soon after the retreat 

of the ice, though their forms have been constantly changing since that 

time.

Outside the area of Lake Agassiz, the southwest part of Eichland 

County is till, mostly undulating or moderately rolling, butinpart prominently hilly, with rough morainic contour and abundant bowlders. Taylor Lake, approximately 1,050 feet above the sea, 2£ miles west of the 

Lightning's Nest, is a very beautiful sheet of water, bordered by a sandy 

shore and a large grove on the north and by a shore of bowlders and 

morainic hills 50 to 150 feet above the lake on the west. These hills 

and most of the lakes farther west in this county have no timber. Northeastward the area that was covered by Lake Agassiz is mostly smooth 

and nearly flat till, with frequent marshy tracts called sloughs, but with 

duly very rare and small lakelets.

Swan Lake, 3 miles long, reaching from Sec. 3 to Sec. 7, T. 130, E. 51, 

estimated 1,070 feet above the sea, with undulating till 5 to 10 feet 

higher on the northeast and 10 to 20 feet higher «on the south and 

west,

(426)
WHAM.] HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 41

Herman beach, a ridge of fine sand, 20 to 25 rods wide and about 3 

feet high, near the south line of Sec. 36, T. 132, R. 52, extending westnorthwest, approximately 1,065 feet. On the north, the exceedingly 

flat plain of Lake Agassiz, sinking very slowly northeastward, reaches 

as far as the eye can see. On the south, flat land, covered by Lake 

Agassiz before the time of this beach, continues 1 £ miles, ascending in 

that distance from 1,060 feet to about 1,080 feet, and moderately undulating till rises beyond to 1,100 and 1,125 feet.

One and a half miles north of this beach the Wild Rice River.is crossed 

by a bridge near the center of Sec. 25, T. 132, R. 52. The stream in 

its ordinary stage is 1 to 2 rods wide, with a depth of about 3 feet, and 

is filled with grass and rushes. Its bottom laud, a sixth to a third of a 

mile wide, is about 10 feet higher and is annually overflowed by the 

high water in spring. Its bluffs rise about 40 feet above the river at 

low water, the elevation of their top and of the adjoining plain being, 

approximately, 1,050 feet. These bluffs and the surface from the Herman beach north to Elk Creek are till, but the country about Wyndmere and south to Elk Creek is stratified, fine clayey sand. Both formations have a very fertile soil, unsurpassed for wheat and all crops 

proper to this latitude. Elk Creek is a stream similar to the Wild Rice 

River, but smaller, and the width and depth of its valley are about 

two-thirds as great.

Northern Pacific, Fergus Falls and Black Hills Railroad: track at 

Wyndmere, 1,060 feet; at the Herman beach 1£ miles \vest of Wyndmere, track 1,064 and crest of the beach 1,065 feet, rising 8 feet above 

the adjacent land 20 rods away both east and west; surface along the 

railroad thence westward 8 miles, 1,060 to 1,063 feet, with Star Lake, a 

third of a mile in diameter on this level area, only 2 or 3 feet below the 

surrounding land, close north of the railroad, in Sec. 5, T. 132, R. 52; a 

higher beach of Lake Agassiz, crossed 3 miles east of Milnor, and therefore called the Milnor beach, crest and track, 1,083 feet, 4 or 5 feet above 

the adjoining laud 10 rods away both east and west; another beach 

ridge formed during the same stage of Lake Agassiz, a third of a mile 

farther west, crest and grade, 1,084 feet; land close east, 1,079, and 

west, 1,076 feet; track at Milnor, 1,095 feet.

The Herman beach west and north of Wyndmere has an irregular 

surface, with frequent hummocks of sand heaped 5 to 10 feet above adjacent hollows. Most of these dunes are now grassed. From near Wyndmere this beach, with frequent small dunes, extends north through 

the west edge of T. 133, R. 51, and thence westerly to another tract of 

prominent dunes 50 to 100 feet above adjacent surface, with their tops 

at 1,100 to 1,150 feet, which extends about 10 miles in a west-northwest 

course from the southwest part of T. 134, R. 52, to the east part of T. 

134, R. 54, terminating about 2 miles east of the Sheyenne River. Like 

the similar high dunes south of the Wild Rice River, these are mainly 

covered by herbage, bushes, and small trees;-but many portions are

' (427)
42 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [BULL.39.

now being drifted by the winds, so that they are wholly destitute of 

vegetation. These dunes mark the course of the Herman beach, here 

greatly increased in volume by delta deposits from the Sheyenne Eiver.

Morainic knolls and hills, rising 20 to 50 feet, with plentiful bowlders, 

lie close west of Milnor, extending in a belt from southeast to northwest. They are probably a continuation of the Altamont and Gary moraines of the Coteau des Prairies. Near Lisbon, about 15 miles northwest from Milnor, some of these morainic hills are quite conspicuous, 

rising 100 feet or more above the surrounding country.

Evidence of a stage of Lake Agassiz 20 or 30 feet higher than that 

of the Herman beach is found, as already noticed, in many places along 

the southern part of its boundary in Dakota. The portion of this glacial lake formed earliest by the recession of the ice seems to have reached 

from Lake Traverse to the Sheyenne Eiver, and its level appears to have 

been then nearly that of the general surface and the top of the bluffs 

bordering Lake Traverse. Distinct traces of this stage of the ancient 

lake have not been recognized in Minnesota, nor along the greater part 

of its boundary in Dakota, from the Sheyenne Eiver northward.

FROM MILNOR NORTH TO SHELDON.

The highest level of Lake Agassiz, near Milnor, is marked by the 

Milnor beach, already mentioned, where it is crossed by the railroad. 

This beach is fine clayey sand, in somewhat irregular and interrupted 

low ridges and terraces, abutting at the west on undulating till, which 

gradually rises 10 or 20 feet higher, while on the east a descent of 10 or 

15 feet, within about 20 rods, is succeeded by a flat area, which thence 

sinks very slowly northeastward. The elevation of the Miluor beach 

at the railroad is 1,084 feet, and at Mr. G-. Y. Dawson's house, at the 

middle of the east side of Sec. 22, T. 133, E. 54, 1,092 feet. Its course 

between these points is north-northwest, and this is continued to the 

mouth of a former channel of the Sheyenne Eiver, near the center of 

Sec. 4 in this township, 3 miles east from the most southern bend of the 

river.

During all the stages of Lake Agassiz the Sheyenne Eiver brought 

into it much sediment, carrying the $lay farther than the sand and 

gravel, which were laid down near the river's mouth. Extensive areas 

of these originally flat beds have been changed by wind action to irregular groups and belts of sand hills or dunes, which vary from a few feet 

to more than a hundred feet in height above the surrounding level. 

Besides the large tract of these dunes before described east of the Sheyenne Eiver, others of even greater extent and equally conspicuous border the river and reach 2 or 3 miles from it in the northeast part of T. 

135, E. 54, and along its next 15 miles.

Watercourses formerly occupied by this stream are found west of the 

Milnor beac,h. One of them is marked by a sandy flat, which reach.es

(428)
UPHAM.] HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 43

from the present course of the Sheyenne Eiver, in Sec. 1, T. 133, E. 55, 

southeastward through T. 133, E. 54, to the vicinity of Milnor. Another runs from near the middle of the SW. £ of Sec. 32, T. 134, E. 54, 

about 1£ miles east-southeast to the middle of Sec. 4, T. 133, E. 54. 

This is a channel, 30 to 50 rods wide, about 40 feet below a ridge 

of coarse gravel, which extends along its northeast side, dividing it 

from the lower area that was covered by Lake Agassiz and from the 

present valley of the river. The crest of the ridge is nearly flat, upon 

a width of 10 to 30 rods, and is 75'to 100 feet above the river, being 

highest westward. It contains pebbles and cobbles of all sizes up to 6 

inches in diameter, about half being limestone and nearly all the others 

granitic. This ridge or plateau of gravel is a remnant of an old delta 

plain of the Sheyeune Eiver, apparently deposited before the formation of the Miluor beach, above which it rises some 40 or 50 feet, which 

suggests that the deserted channel of that depth on its south side was 

probably eroded during the Milnor stage of Lake Agassiz. Similar 

gravel occurs on the side and verge of the bluff, 100 feet high, northwest 

of the Sheyenne Eiver, in the SW. £ of Sec. 29, T. 134, E. 54, but a rolling surface of till extends thence northwest.

Sheyeune Eiver in Sec. 32, T. 134, E. 54,1,037 feet above the sea, and 

on the west line of the NW. £ of Sec. 29, T. 135, E. 54, 1,019 feet. Its 

bed through these townships is mostly 4 to 6 rods wide, with water 1 

to 2 or 3 feet deep, and is strewn in many places with cobbles and 

bowlders up to 2 or 3 feet and rarely 6 or 8 feet in diameter. Its bottomland near the south bend, about a third of a mile wide, is 15 or 20 feet 

above the ordinary low stage of water, and during a term of fourteen 

years preceding this survey in 1885 it had not been overflowed; but 

driftwood, found by the first immigrants, proves that the river sometimes reaches this height. Bluffs of till here, in the southwest corner 

of T. 134, E. 54, rise 100 to 125 feet above the stream.

Bluffs of till close west of the Sheyenne Kiver, in Sec. 20, T. 134, E. 54, 

1,100 to 1,110 feet; moderately rolling till a quarter of a mile farther west, 

1,115 to 1,125 feet; same in Sees. 17 and 18,1,090 to 1,130 feet; and on 

the east side of the river, in Sees. 21, 16, and 17,1,085 to 1,075 feet, descending northeastward. Prominent swell of till west of the Sheyenne 

Eiver in the SE. £ of Sec. 30,«T. 135, E. 54, having four aboriginal 

mounds on its crest, 1,113 feet; top of these mounds, 1,117 feet, very 

nearly. Highest portions of the area of undulating till seen westward 

from this Sec. 30, 3 or 4 miles distant, 1,125 to 1,150 feet.

Surface at Charles G. Froemke's house, in the NW. ^ of Sec. 29; T. 

135, E. 54,1,073 feet; bottom land of the Sheyenne Eiver close west, 

1,037 to 1,027 feet; ordinary low water of the river, 1,019 feet.

Portion v of area of Lake Agassiz, a strip a fourth to a third of a mile 

wide, west of the Sheyenne Eiver, in Sees. 32 and 5, a half mile to 2 

miles south of Mr. Froemke's, 1,065 to 1,075 feet. Herman beach onefourth to two-thirds of a mile east of the Sheyenne Biver here and ex-

(429)
44 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [BULL. 39.

tending southeasterly toward the western limit of dunes in the east part 

of T. 134, E. 54, 1,073 to 1,079 feet. Crest of this beach, a low ridge of 

sand and line gravel, at J. Altniann's house, near the middle of Sec. 

20, T. 135, E. 54, 1.073 feet. Within 10 or 15 rods east there is a descent of about 10 feet. This beach ridge runs north and northeasterly 

to near the northeast corner of this Sec. 20, and thence it passes eastward about 3 miles, having an elevation of 1,075 to 1,065 feet to where 

it is intersected by the Sheyenne Eiver, near the northeast corner of 

Sec. 14. North of the river it continues about a half mile in Sec. 12, 

its elevation being 1,065 to 1,070 feet, to the west end of a tract of dunes 

25 to 100 feet above their vicinity, with summits at 1,100 to 1,150 feet, 

which extends thence about 15 miles eastward. This Herman beach 

was sufficient to turn the course of the Sheyenne Eiver along its west 

and north side for c, distance of 8 miles, from Sec. 9, T. 134, E. 54, north 

and east to Sec. 14, T. 135, E. 54, though it is only a ridge of sand and 

gravel 5 to 10 feet higher than the smoothed area of till, occasionally 

covered by 1 to 3 feet of sand, which lies west of it and in which the 

river has now cut its channel 50 to 60 feet deep.

Eolling surface of till in the south edge of Sec. 9, T. 135, E. 54, 25 to 

40 rods north of the Sheyenne Eiver, 1,080 to 1,090 feet. Most of this 

Sec. 9 is nearly level till at 1,080 to 1,085 feet, with occasional large 

hollows 20 feet lower. It seems to have been smoothed by Lake Agassiz 

at the time of the Milnor beach. Westward is slightly undulating till, 

having an elevation of 1,085 to 1,125 feet for 2 or 3 miles, as far as the 

surface lies within view. . Herman beach in the NW. | of the NW. I of Sec. 10, T. 135, E. 54, 

1,075 to 1,080 feet. This is a deposit of gravel and sand extending 

along the verge of the plateau of till just described in Sec. 9. Fifteen 

or 20 rods to the east the elevation is 1,065 feet, and it sinks slowly 

thence eastward to about 1,050 feet at the west base of the dunes in 

Sees. 12 and 1 of this township.

Lakelet back of this beach, situated in the east edge of the SE. ^ of 

Sec. 4, T. 135, E. 54, about 50 rods long from south to north, 1,060 feet, 

being 25 feet below the average of the adjacent undulating till. Shallow 

lakelet, 40 rods across, close east of the beach, a quarter of a mile east 

from the northwest corner of Sec. 3, als61,060 feet; adjoining laud, 1,065 

to 1,070 feet, excepting on the west, where the Herman beach has an 

elevation of 1,080 feet, with undulating till beyond it a few feet higher.

Herman beach at the.middle of the west side of Sec. 34, T. 136, E. 54 

(Sheldon), 1,082 feet j surface 25 rods east, 1,070 feet, thence descending 

slowly eastward. Here and for 1£ miles south, through Sec. 3, this 

beach is a flattened ridge of sand and fine gravel, 25 or 30 rods wide, 

with a depression 3 to 6 feet deep along its west side. In the NW. £ 

of Sec. 28, its elevation is 1,080 feet.

Fargo and Southwestern Eailroad track at Sheldon, 1,078 feet. 

Wells in Sheldon village are 10 to 15 feet deep, in sandy clay free from

(430)
WHAM.] HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 45

gravel or. bowlders 6 to 10 feet, with sand below. These deposits belong to the Herman beach, which is here spread upon a width of about 

a half mile.

FROM SHELDON NORTH TO THE NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD.

This beach, terracelike, at Hugh Mclutosh's house, in the south edge 

of the NW. 4 of Sec.. 8, T. 136, E. 54 .(Sheldon), has its crest 1,083 to 

1,084 feet above the sea. His well, near the top of the beach, 22 feet 

deep, is soil and sandy clay to a depth of 7 feet, then sand 15 feet to 

water. Till rises to the surface 20 rods farther west. About 30 rods 

east, on land 10 feet lower, a well 10 feet deep is all caving sand below 

the black soil, which is 1 or 2 feet deep next to the surface.

From the east base of the beach near Mr. Macintosh's there is a.very 

slight descent eastward to 1,065 feet, approximately, about Island Lake, 

which lies some 10 feet lower. This lake, nearly round, about a third 

of a mile in diameter, is crossed by the Hue between Sees. 0 and 10. 

Its island, which is said to have an area of 12 acres, lying in Sec. 9, is 

wooded; but the shores around the lake are destitute of timber, being 

in part marshy, with grass and rushes, and in part hard sand. The 

maximum depth of water is only 6 feet, but it has not been dried up 

during the six years from the first immigration here to the time of this 

survey.

Maple, Eiver in Sec. 32, T. 137, E. 54, about 2 miles northeast from 

its most southern bend, 1,017 feet. It is 20 to 40 feet wide and 1 to 3 

feet deep, with cobbles and bowlders in many portions of its channel.

Herman beach, a sand and gravel deposit extending a quarter of a 

mile from south to north, on the verge of the bluff of till west of Maple 

Eiver in the northwest part of this Sec. 32, 1,072 to 1,077 feet. In the 

north edge of the NW. £ of this section, the northeast corner of Sec. 

31, and the east edge of Sec. 30, it is a plateau like tract a fourth of a 

mile wide, with a subsoil of sand and fine gravel, 1,086 feet, from 

which both east and. west a gentle slope falls 5 feet'within 20 or 30 

rods. In the NW. £ of Sec. 20 and the west half "of Sec. 17, it is a gracefully rounded ridge, 1,085 to 1,087 feet, with descent of about 5 feet on 

its west side and 10 to 15 feet vpthin as many rods on the east. The 

surface east of the Maple Eiver in this T. 137, E. 54, has an elevation of 

1,075 to 1,065 feet, declining toward the north and east.

In the east half of T. 137, E. 55, a surface of till, moderately undulating near the beach of Lake Agassiz, but prominently rolling at a 

distance of 3 miles to the west, rises to 1,150 and 1,175 feet in the vicinity 

of the Maple Eiver above its south bend.

The Herman beach,, a broad flattened ridge of sand and gravel, passes 

in a north-northeast course through the center of Sec. 8, T. 137, E. 54, 

its elevation being 1,083 feet. A smoothed surface of till, 1,082 to 1,087 

feet, with occasional ploughs in depressions 15 to 20 feet deep, occupies

(431)
46 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ.

the west half of this Sec. 8; and close east of the beach a flat of till on 

the east line, of the section, at 1,065 to 1,070 feet,-was the bed of the 

lake.

Continuing northeastward, the beach is offset a mile to the east in 

Sees. 4 and 3, T. 137, E. 54, so that the greater part of Sec. 4 was a bay 

of Lake Agassiz during its Herman stage, with bottom at 1,080 to 1,065 

feet, inclosed on the west, north, and east by beach deposits. The 

highest portion of the hook or spit east of this bay is in the SW. J of 

Sec. 3,1,093 to 1,096 feet. It is composed of sand and fine gravel, with 

pebbles, mostly less than an inch but occasionally 2 inches in diameter, forming a smoothly rounded swell 30 to 40 rods wide. This cape, 

projecting south and west a mile into the lake, was accumulated by the 

southward drift of the beach material along the shore, caused by northern winds, as is also observable at various other places on both the 

east and west shores of this extinct lake and on both sides of Lake 

Michigan at the present time.

Herman beach in the west edge of Sec. 26, T. 138, E. 54,1,094 feet. 

On the east side of the beach here, near the center of this section, is a 

slough filled with rushes and containing water all the year; its elevation is about 1,065 feet, that of the laud on its east side in the east part 

of this section being about 1,075 feet. In the NE. J of the KE. J of Sec. 

34, the beach is intersected by a sluggish creek, apparently formed by 

springs within a half mile northwest, its ravine being fully 40 feat below 

the general level of the beach and the land westward. Again, in the 

NW. 4- of the SW. £ of Sec. 26, the beach is cut by a dry channel, the 

outlet in rainy weather from a small slough.

Through the west half of Sec. 23, T. 138, E.-54, the beach is a low, 

smoothly rounded ridge of sand and fine gravel, about half of which is 

limestone and the rest granite or other Archean rocks. As in the 3 

miles next southward, it is largely composed of fine gravel, and pebbles 

abound, often covering half the surface of the knolls made by gophers. 

Most of the pebbles are less than an inch in diameter, but some measure 2 and a few 3 inches. The elevation of this beach ridge is 1,092' to 

1,100 feet; on the north line of this section its height is 1,099 feet. 

A broad depression 3 to 5 feet below the beach borders its west side. 

Toward the east there is a descent of about 10 feet in 25 or 30 rods, and 

thence a gradual slope sinks to 1,060 or 1,050 feet within 1 to 1£ miles.

Undulating till in Sees. 22 and 15, T. 138, E. 54, 1,095 to 1,110 feet ; 

crests of prominently rolling till in the west edge of Sec. 11 and the 

south part of Sec. 10,1,115 to 1,125 feet; thence northwestward lower 

undulating till has an elevation of only 1,090 to 1,100 feet for nearly 

two miles and rises quite slowly beyond.

This somewhat irregular contour has caused considerable diversity 

in the development of the beach, so that its deposits are massed in unusual amount in some places, while elsewhere they are deficient or 

wholly wanting. In the SW, J of the SW, | of Sec, 14, T« 138, E, 54,
UtHAM.l "HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. , 47

a swell of gravel, with pebbles of all sizes up to 2 inches or rarely 3 

inches in diameter, rises to 1,105 feet, extending about 40 rods from 

south to north ; and similar gravel, at 1,095 to 1,105 feet, occurs in the 

west part of the NW. £ of Sec. 23, west of the distinct beach ridge. The 

northwest part of Sec. 14 is a nearly flat tract, having a subsoil of sand 

and fine gravel,.with an elevation of 1,090 to 1,095 feet. Beach ridge 

extending south from the east side of a prominent swell of till in the 

SW. \ of Sec. 11,1,086 to 1,089 feet, having a continuous depression of 

about 5 feet on its west side and bordered eastward by land 6 to 10 

feet below its crest. In the northwest part of this Sec. 11 and the southeast part of Sec. 3 the shore of Lake Agassiz is marked by slight erosion 

in the rolling and undulating surface of till rather than by the usual 

beach deposits of gravel and sand.

Beyond this, a conspicuous beach ridge 25 to 40 rods wide, elevated 10 

feet above the undulating till on its west side and bordered by a still 

lower surface on the east, extends from the middle of the S W. \ of the SE. 

\ of Sec. 3, T. 138, E. 54, northwestward to near the middle of the north 

line of the NW. \ of this section, where it is interrupted by a drainage gap about 20 feet below its crest. Thence this massive beach ridge 

continues in a north-northeast course through Sec. 34, T. 139. E. 54, to 

near the middle of its north line. Its material is sand and gravel, with 

pebbles up to 1£ inches in diameter. In Sec. 3 its elevation is 1,095 to 

1,090 feet, and in Sec. 34, 1,089 to 1,094 feet. It passes onward as a 

very distinct and typical beach ridge, with the same north-northeast 

course, through Sees. 27 and 22, T. 139, E. 54, having an elevation of 

1,087 to 1,095 feet in Sec. 27 and 1,089 to 1,096 feet in Sec. 22. Its 

eastern slope in these sections descends 15 to 20 feet.

About a half mile west from this great beach ridge the east edge of 

Sec. 4 has irregular deposits of beach gravel and sand in swells and bars 

5 feet above the general .level, and in the east edge of Sec. 33, T. 139, E. 

54, a well denned parallel beach begins, having a width of 20 to 25 rods 

and elevation of 1,092 to 1,094 feet, with a depression 2 to 4 feet lower 

on the west and descent of about 5 feet on the east. This western Herman beach extends as a continuous ridge 2 miles to the north-northeast, 

excepting a gap where it is intersected by a small stream in the NW. \ 

of Sec. 27. Its material is sand and gravel, with pebbles up to 2 inches 

in diameter, about half of which are limestone. Both this and the east 

beach have a black soil a foot or more in depth, and are scarcely in- 

 ferior to the adjoining areas of till in productiveness. Farther west a 

slightly undulating or nearly flat surface of till extends from a half mile 

to 1£ miles before it rises above 1,095 feet; and the highest of its swells, 

seen 3 to 6 miles away to the west and northwest, do not exceed 1,150 or 

1,175 feet. Western Herman beach on the north line of the NW. J of 

Sec. 27,1,095 feet; about 6 rods to the south, 1,097 feet, and northeastward, in Sec. 22,1,092 to 1,095 feet, to its junction with the eastern or 

main beach in the east part of this section.

(433)
48 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ.

A lower Herman beach, formed after the lake level here had fallen 

slightly, appears in the northwest edge of Sec. 26, T. 139, E. 54, having 

its crest at 1,072 to 1,075 feet; passing north-northeast, 

west half of Sec. 23, its elevation is 1,075 to 1,080 feet; through Sec 14, 

1,080 to 1,087 feet, being highest near the center of this section; and in 

the east part of Sees. 11 and 2 and northward to the SW. £ of Sec. 36, 

T. 140, E. 54,1,083 to 1,080 and 1,075 feet. Its maximum development 

is in Sec. 14, where it is a massive, smoothly rounded ridge of sand and 

fine gravel, 30 rods wide, with a descent of 15 feet on each side. In 

Sees. 26 and 23 it is bordered on the west by a continuous depression 

4 to 8 feet below it; and, through Sees. 14, 11, and 2 and in the SW. £ 

of Sec. 36, a slough 3£ miles long, mown for its luxuriant marsh hay, 

having an elevation of 1,067 to 1,072 feet, lies between this and the main 

beach, a half mile farther west.

Floor of S. P. Gardner's house, in the northwest corner of Sec. 27, 

T. 139, E. 54, 1,096 feet.

Main Herman beach through the west edge ot Sec. 14, T. 139, E. 54, 

1,096 to 1,093 feet, declining northward; in the west part of Sec. 11, 

1,093 to 1,095 feet; in Sec. 2,1,092 to 1,095 feet, changing from a north 

to a north-northeast course; in the southeast edge of Sec. 35 and the 

northwest edge of Sec. 36, T. 140, E. 54, 1,092 to 1,096 feet; and in the 

west part of Sec. 25, where it is cut .by the Northern Pacific Eailroad, 

1,093 to 1,099 feet. At the railroad cut its crest is 1,097 to 1,099 feet 

and the track is 1,091 feet. Along this distance of 5 miles it is a typical 

beach ridge of sand and gravel, with pebbles up to 2 inches and occasionally 3 to 6 inches in diameter, about 30 rods wide, rising nearly 

25 feet above the slough on the east, and bordered on the west by a 

continuous depression, mostly about an eighth of a mile wide, 3 to 7 

feet below its crest. Slightly undulating till rises beyond to 1,125 and 

1,140 feet within 1 or 1£ miles west, which is as far as the surface lies 

within view.

Northern Pacifib Eailroad, track at Wheatland, 991 feet; on bridge 

ovei; creek in the east edge of Sec. 25, T. 140, E. 54, 4 miles west of 

AVheatland and three-fifths of a mile east of the Herman beach, 1,074 

feet; bed of the creek, 1,055 feet; track at summit, 4f miles west from 

the Herman beach, same as the natural surface, 1,206 feet; and at Buffalo, a half mile farther west, 1,200 feet.

FROM THE NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD NORTH TO GALESBURG.

Herman beach, a broad, smoothly rounded, continuous ridge of the 

same material and contour as southward, for the next 4 miles north 

from the Northern Pacific Eailroad, bearing north-northeast, 1,097 to 

1,100 feet, very constant in elevation. The descent of its east slope is 15, 

or 20 feet in about 20 rods, and of its west slope, about 5 feet. Thence 

westward the surface is undulating till, in swells 10 to 15 feet above the

(434)
HEEMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 49

depressions, rising gradually to 1,150 and 1.200 feet above the sea at a 

distance of 3 to 5 miles, the farthest seen in that direction. In a broad 

view this area seems an almost flat plain.

Where this beach is cut by the Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba 

Railway from Bipoii to Hope, near the middle of the line between Sees. 32 

and 33, T. 141, E. 53, its crest was 1,096 to 1,099 feet above the sea. It 

has been excavated here for ballast to a distance of about 30 rods south 

from the railway. It is mostly gravel; the pebbles seldom exceed 2 

inches in diameter; about half is limestone and the remainder granitic.. 

The thickness of this beach deposit is only 8 to 10 feet; its east slope 

falls 12 or 15 feet, and its west slope, 5 to 7 feet.

On the floor of this excavation, about 10 rods south from the railway, 

in the upper foot of the till or bowlder clay, under the gravel, numerousbones of a mammoth were found in the year 1884'. These included a 

tusk 11 feet long and 9 inches in diameter (tapering to 6 inches at the 

smaller end, where it was broken oil'), three teeth, two vertebrae, and 

several other bones. They were embedded in the top of the till, and 

the overlying jbeach formation has yielded no bones, shells, or other 

fossils.

Southward from this locality the Herman beach is double for a distance of about 4 miles. The secondary beach ridge east of that already 

described is similar in size and material. Its south end is in the west 

part of Sec. 19, T. 140, E. 53, a half mile east from the main beach, and 

it passes thence north-northeastward through Sees. 18, 7, and the east 

edge of Sec. C, having an elevation of 1,081 to 1,084 feet. It becomes 

merged with the main beach in the SE. £ of Sec. 3U, T. 141, E. 53. Between these beach ridges is a depression, approximately 1,075 feet, 

partly occupied by a grassy slougb, which is all used as mowing lane, 

having no area of water or bog.

Herman beach, in the SW. £ of Sec. 28, T. 141, E. 53, 1,094 to 1,096 

feet, not so distinct as usual, being intersected by Swan Creek and 

having no well marked depression along its west side. Farther north 

in this section it is a ridge of the ordinary type, with its crest at 1,096 

to 1,098 feet. In Sec. 21 it is narrowed to 8 or 10 rods in-width, but 

continues as a very distinct ridge with a slight ascent northward, from 

1,097 to 1,101 feet. Its east slope falls 15 to 20 feet in about 20 rods 

and there is a depression of 3 to 6 feet on the west. Thence a surface 

of undulating till, seeming nearly flat in a general view, rises gradually 

westward to about 1,150 feet at a distance of 2 or 3 miles.

This beach ridge passes onward through Sec. 16 and the south part 

of Sec. 9, T. 141, E. 53, with an. elevation of 1,095 to 1,100 feet; but, 

having been followed thus continuously in a north-northeast course for 

more than 15 miles, it ceases in the east part of this Sec. 9. Its north 

end abuts at 1,100 to 1,105 feet upon a terrace slope of till, which, rises 

about 10 feet higher. This forms the east boundary of a slightly undulating expanse of till, which thonoo gradually rises to 1,150 and 1,200 

feet in 2 to 5 miles west and northwest. From Sec, 9 north ward through 

Bull, 39- 4, (4'55)
50 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASS1Z. [HULL. 39.

the east part of Sec. 4 arid in the west edge of Sec. 34 and the west 

part of Sees. 27, 22, and 15, T. 142, E. 53, passing close east of Erie, the 

Herman shore of Lake Agassiz is marked by snch a terrace or escarpment formed by wave erosion, and the usual deposit of beach, gravel 

and sand is absent. The base of the escarpment is at 1,095 feet, approximately, and it rises with a moderate slope 25 to 40 feet.

About a half mile east of this escarpment, however, lies a broad low 

ridge of beach sand and fine gravel, having an elevation of 1,085 to 1,090 

feet. Its course is from the west part of Sec. 10 north-northeast through 

Sees. 3 and 34 and nearly due north through the east edge of Sees. 27, 

22, and 15. The descent eastward is more gentle than usual, falling 

only G to 10 feet in a quarter of a mile,.beyond which is a flat area of 

.till. On the west a depression 3 to 5 feet deep, partly occupied by a 

grassy slough, intervenes between this beach ridge and the wave-cut 

escarpment. On the north line of Sec. 15 the crest of the ridge is at 

.1,092 feet; the depression west, 1,088; the base of the escarpment, 1,092, 

and its top, about 1,115 feet.

Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Eailway from Eipon to Portland, track at tank and section-house close south of Eush Eiver, 1,096 

feet; at Erie, 2 miles farther north, 1,128 feet; summit, about 1 mile 

north of Erie, 1,133 feet; South Branch of the North Fork of Elm Eiver, 

bridge, 1,083 feet; bed of creek, 1,064 feet; track at sunimit 1 mile 

north, 1,091 feet; at Galesburg, 1,081 feet; North Branch of the North 

Fork of Elm Eiver, bridge, 1,078 feet; bed of creek, 1,065 feet; track at 

Clifford, 1,057 feet. At Erie and westward the surface is prominently 

rolling till, which rises within 3 miles to a height 100 feet above the 

shore of Lake Agassiz.

In Sees. 10 and 3, T. 342, E. 53, the Herman beach is again well exhibited in its usual character. On the north line of Sec. 10 it is a gently 

rounded ridge of sand and gravel, with pebbles up to 2 inches and 

rarely 3 or 4 inches in diameter, half being limestone; its width is about 

20 rods; the elevation of its crest is 1,106 feet and the slopes fall 10 

feet OTI the east and 3 feet on the west. For the next mile northward, 

through the west part of Sec. 3, this beach ridge has a width of 10 to 15 

rods; its elevation is mostly 1,105 to 1,108 feet, with a depression 5 to 

7 feet deep along its west side; but in a few places the ridge itself is 

depressed to 1,099 feet. Passing northward this beach in the west half 

of Sec. 34, T. 143, E. 53, is a very smooth, gracefully rounded, wavelike 

swell, 30 to 40 rods wide, 1,108 to 1,112 feet in elevation, rising 15 feet 

above its east base and having a depression of 3 to 5 feet on the west. 

A well in the NB.£ of the SW.'j of Sec. 34, on the top of this beach, 

went through 12 feet of sand and gravel, going into till below. In the 

SW. £ of Sec. 27, the beach continues with the same massive development and nearly north course, its elevation being 1,111 to 1,115 feet. 

In the NW. ^ of this section it becomes a still broader deposit of gravel 

and sand? a fourth to a third of a mile wide, with no depression on its

(436)
HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 51

west side. Here its course is.turned northwestward, entering the SE. ^ 

of Sec. 21 with an elevation of 1,109 feet; but it seems not to be distinctly traceable farther. About a half mile west of this beach a 

plateau of till, 1,125 to 1,128 feet above the sea, extends a third of a mile 

from southeast to northwest in the SB. ^ of Sec. 23; but for a mile south 

and west of this plateau and for 3 miles northwest the surface of 

slightly undulating till averages only 1,103 to 1,120 feet.

The secondary Herman beach, already described in its* course east of 

the Erie escarpment of till, continues northward with an elevation of 

1,095 feet, approximately, through the east half of Sees. 10 and 3, T. 142, 

E. 53, and Sees. 34 and 27, T. 143, E. 53. In Sees. 22 and 1C this beach 

turns in a gradual curve to the northwest and west and its crest varies 

in height from 1,095 to 1,104 feet, being highest in or near the southeast corner of Sec. 16. There it is a ridge of gravel and sand about 30 

rods wide, rising 10 to 15 feet above its northeastern base and descending 6 to 10 feet on the southwest to a nearly flat tract of moist mowing 

land fully a mile wide, with a height of 1,090 to 1,095 feet. Through 

Sees. 17, 8, and 5 it again curves to the northwest, north, and northnortheast, ha\7ing an elevation of about 1,100 feet. Tn the north half 

of Sees. 5 and 4, T. 143, E. 53, a smooth plain with sand subsoil extends 

a mile eastward from the east base of this beach ridge, descending in 

this distance from 1,090 to 1,075 feet.

Continuation of this beach northward nearly through the middle of 

Sec. 32, T. 144, E. 53, 1,096 to 1,099 feet. It is a typical beach ridge of 

fine gravel and sand 3 to 10 feet above the land on its east side and 

having a descent of about 5 feet westward, beyond which the surface 

of undulating till rises in 1 or 1| miles to 1,125 and in the next 2 miles 

to 1,175 or 1,200 feet. A half mile east from this beach and only 20 to' 

30 rods west of the railroad, there is a parallel beach ridge of similar size 

and material, 1,090 to 1,092 feet. The former of these beaches, where 

it crosses the south line of Sec. 20, a fourth to a half mile west of Galesburg, is spread in a broad, nearly flat deposit which rises westward 

from 1,096 to 1,101 feet. On the west it is bordered by a depression 

about 8 feet lower.

FROM GrALESBURa NORTH TO LARIMORE.

Iii Sec. 20, T. 144, E. 53, the beach is .about a third of a mile wide, 

its higher western margin being at 1,097 to 1,102 feet. From its crest 

a slope descends first somewhat steeply and then slowly to the amount 

of 20 or 25 feet in two-thirds of a mile eastward, having a subsoil of 

sand and very fine gravel to a depth of 5 to 10 feet, underlaid by till, 

as is shown by wells at. Galesburg. Crest of this beach through the 

west half of Sec. 17,1,102 to 1,107 feet; in Sec. C, T. 144, E. 53, where 

it is intersected by the North Branch of the North For.k of Elm Eiver, 

and in Sees. 32 and 29, T. 145, E. 53, 1,115 to 1,125 feet, being 10 to 15 

* (437)
52 UPPER .BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [BULL.39.

feet higher than on the south and north ; in Sees. 20 and 17, about 1,110 

feet; in the southwest part of Sec. 8, 1,117 feet; westward through 

Sec. 7 of, this township aud through the northeast part of Sec.. 12, T.' 

145, B. 54,1,112 to 1,117 feet. In the west part of Sec. 7 a slough 

about an eighth of a mile wide, having an elevation, of 1,100 feet, approximately, borders the southwest side of this beach ridge. On the 

line between Traill and Steele Counties, where the top of the ridge is at 

1,114 feet, it is a typical beach deposit about 25 rods wide, composed 

of sand and gravel, with pebbles up to 2 or 3 inches in diameter. Its 

course is due west, and the descent from crest to base on the south is 

6 or 8 feet and northward 12 or 15 feet, beyond which a very gentle 

slope sinks toward the northeast. A well on this beach, in the east 

edge of the NW. | of Sec. 12, T. 145, E. 54, went through sand and fine 

gravel 13 feet, finding till below. Within a few hundred feet farther 

west the beach is. interrupted for a distance of about 1 mile by an area 

of till some 15 feet lower, with no beach deposits. It reappears, however, as a typical beach ridge of gravel aud sand for a distance of threefourths of a mile in the NW. £ of Sec. 11 aud the NE. £ of Sec. 10, 

having an elevation of 1,114 to 1,112 feet, with a slough on its south 

side C to 8 feet lower.

Eeturuing to the vicinity of Galesburg, a slightly higher beach, approximately parallel with theforegoiug, remains to be traced. It becomes 

recognizable in the west edge of Sec. 20, T. 144, E. f>3, where the border 

of the area of rolling till that extends theuce westward bears occasional 

deposits of gravel at 1,115 to 1,120 feet. In the east part of Sec. 18 it is 

a well developed beach ridge of sand and fine gravel 30 to 50 rods wide, 

with a depression on the west 4 to 0 feet below its top, which has an elevation of 1,120 to 1,123 feet. The next half mile or more westwardin Sec. 

18 is very smooth till, 1,120 to 1,12 "} feet; but within one mile farther west 

prominent swells of till rise.to 1,100 and 1,175 feet. North ward in Sec. 7 

this beach, continuing at 1,120 to 1,1.23 feet, is quite broad, without a distinctly ridged form, and is indented from the east by a large slough? 

whose elevation is approximately 1,100 feet, including several acres of 

water free from grass and rushes. Crest of beach in the SW. £ of Sec. 

G, 1,122 to 1,120 feet. North Branch of the North Fork of ElmEiver 1,105 

feet, dry in summer, in a valley 15 to 40 rods wide. Beach through Sees. 

31 and 30, T. 145, E. 53,1,125 to 1,129 feet; and in the west half of Sec. 19, 

3,127 to 1,124 feet, sinking slightly from south to north. The farther 

course of this shore is not marked by continuous beach deposits ; but, 

following the contour line of 1,125 feet, it must turn west in the SW. | of 

Sec. 18, T. 145, E. 53, aud extend through Sees. 13 to 16, T. 145, E. 54, to 

the South Branch of Goose Eiver.

Highest ground crossed by road on the line between Traill and Steele 

Counties at the west side of Sec. 18, T. 145, E^ 53,1,125 feet.

Natural surface at the southwest corner of Sec. 3, T. 145, E. 54, a 

dozen rods west of the South Branch of Goose Eiver, 1,104 feet. This

(438)
UPHAM.I HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. " 53

stream, about 1,070 'feet, is 8 to 20 feet wide and mostly 1 to 2 feet deep. 

Its bottom land, 5 to 10 feet above this stage of low water, varies from 

20 to 100 rods in width and is inclosed by bluffs rising 30 to 50 feet, 

increasing in height southwestward. The valley has no timber, the 

largest wood growth being willows 5 to 8 feet high and 2£ inches or 

less in diameter. With the aid of these, however, beavers construct 

dams and were living on this stream when this survey was made in 

1885, one of their dams then occupied being found by my assistant in 

the west edge of Sec. 10, T. 145, E. 54.

Floor of Henry Bentley's barn in the southwest corner of the SE. £ 

of Sec. 6, T. 145, E. 54, on the Herman shore of Lake Agassiz, 1,123 

feet. This is a moderate slope, ascending 10 or 15 feet, eroded in till, 

which from its; top stretches westward about 2 miles in a nearly level 

expanse. From the south side of Sec. C, such a low escarpment, with 

its top at 1,120 to 1,123 feet, extends due north, or a few degrees west of 

north, about 5 miles.

E. W. Palmer's house, in the northwest corner of the SW. £ of Sec. 

2, T. 145, E. 55, .1,145 feet. Well here, 27 feet 'deep: soil and hard 

cemented gravel and sand, 2 feet; sand with occasional layers of fine 

gravel, 22 feet; and darker clayey quicksand, 3 feet, with water.

This is on the west part, nearly at the crest, of an unusually high 

beach of this glacial lake, similar in elevation with the Milnor beach, 

farther south. Including its slopes, it has a width of 60 rods, the nearly 

flat crest being 40 rods across and in elevation 1,142 to 1,147 feet. The 

depression on the west falls about 5 feet. In the north part of Sec. 2 

the beach deposits have an irregular contour, not lying as usual in a 

continuous ridge; their highest portions vary from 1,145 to 1,152 feet. 

Southward from Sec. 2 this shore line is not marked by a continuous 

beach formation, but is interrupted by wide depressions where the surface is till. Beach gravel and sand appear, however, in some amount at 

Mr. Thomas Ward's, in the southwest corner of Sec. 11, T. 145, E. 55; 

also, in the southwest part of Sec. 23, nearly 2 miles farther south. 

Within 1 to 3 miles west from these sections an area of undulating and 

rolling till rises to 1,200 and 1,250 feet.

Near the middle of the north half of Sec. 23, T. 146, E; 55, the elevation 

of this beach is 1,142 to 1,144 feet. It is a ridge of gravel and sand, 

extending a quarter of a mile from southeast to northwest, with crest 

15 feet above the surface on each side. Toward the east it descends in 

a long slope, but more steeply westward. In Sec. 14 this shore lino 

curves westerly, the crests of its somewhat irregular beach deposits 

being about 1,135 feet, with a descent of 10 to 15 feet in 25 rods east. 

Through Sec. 11 they range from 1,135 to 1,147 feet, being highest in the 

SE. £, where the descent eastward is 20 feet or more. These beach doposits are sand and gravel, with pebbles up to 1£ or 2 inches in diameter, 

massed in flattened hillocks or swells, mostly ridged lengthwise with the 

shore and occasionally inclosing hollows without outlet. The forma-

(439)
54 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSI2.

tion has a width of a quarter of a mile or more in its northward course 

through the west part of the east half of Sec. 11. An undulating surface of till rises slowly to the west, while on the east a very smooth ex- 

^panse of till sinks slowly toward the Eed Eiver.

Herman beach ridge, 30 rods wide, in or near the east edge of the 

SE. | of Sec. 2, T. 146, E. 55,1,125 feet. Irregular accumulations of the 

higher beach a quarter of a mile farther west, approximately, 1,140 feet. 

These upper deposits and those described in the last two paragraphs 

seem to have been formed while the level of this margin of Lake Agassiz 

was held above its Herman stage by the barrier of the retreating ice 

sheet, still remaining nnmelted within a few miles east, and by that of 

the high area on the south in Ts. 144 and 145, E. 54.

Crest of the Herman beach, a definite ridge 25 to 30 or 40 rods wide, 

through the east half of Sec. 2, T. 14G, E. 55,1,122 to 1,135 feet, 10 

to 15 feet above the land east and with a depression of G to 8 feet on 

the west. In the south part of Sec. 35, T. 147, E. 55, the beach ridge is 

merged in a flat, eastwardly sloping area of sand and fine gravel at 

1,135 to 1,120 feet, underlaid by till at the depth of a few feet. The 

beach ridge reappears in the north part of this Sec. 35 at 1,125 to 1,130 

feet.

North Fork of the Middle Branch of G-oose Eiver, where it intersects 

the Herman beach in the southeast part of Sec. 26, T. 147, E. 55, approximately, 1,085 feet. Its bottomland is 30 to 80 rods wide, bordered 

by bluffs rising 30 to 40 feet.

Through Sees. 26 and 23, T. 147, E. 55, the Herman shore is marked 

by swells and flattened ridges of sand and fine gravel at 1,130 to 1,143 

feet, occupying a width of an eighth to a third of a mile, with a depression of several feet along their west side. Four sloughs, elevation about 

1,120 feet, lie within the east part of these beach deposits, or on their 

east border, in the SE. ^ of Sec. 23. In the south part of Sec. 14, this 

massive but irregular beach has an elevation of 1,132 feet on the east 

side of a large slough.

In the middle of Sec. 14, T. 147, E. 55, the beach assumes a definitely 

ridged form and extends thus northward along the east side of Golden 

Lake, which owes its existence to this barrier. Crest of beach, through 

the center and north part of Sec. 14,1,132 to 1,137 feet; in Sec. 11, east 

of G61den Lake, 1,132 to 1,141 feet; and at Golden Lake post office, in 

the east edge of the SW. £ of Sec. 2,1,138 feet. An eighth of a mile 

north from the south end of this lake the action of its waves has eroded 

the greater part of the beach ridge. The material of the beach exposed 

by an excavation near the post office is coarse gravel, with very abundant pebbles up to 3 and occasionally 4 to 6 inches in diameter.

Golden Lake, water July 28,1885,1,122 feet above the sea; highest 

level reached by this lake in recent years, 1,128 feet. It is a beautiful 

sheet of water, 1^ miles long and a quarter to a third of a mile wide. Its 

west shore is moderately undulating till, with the highest swells 20 to 30

(440)
UWIAM.J HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. . 55

feet above the lake. In a few places its grassed bluffs rise steeply from 

the water's edge 10 to 20 feet. Farther west the rolling surface of till, 

seen for a distance of 3 or 4 miles, rises to 1,225 or 1,250 feet. This 

lake has no trees on its margin, excepting two small, cottonwoods, each 

about 25 feet high, on its northwest shore; bushes grow in several 

places, mostly on the east; but the greater part of the lake border, like 

all the surrounding country, is prairie.

Beach ridge through the north part of Sec. 2, T. 147, E.' 55, 1,138 to 

1,132 feet. In the south half of Sec. 35, T. 148, E. 55, it has been mostly 

eroded by a lake which borders this beach on the east from the north 

part of Sec. 2 to the north part of Sec. 35, having a length of 1 

mile and a width of an eighth to a fourth of a mile.. The elevation of 

this lake is 1,104 feet. It has no trees nor bushes, excepting a few willows 4 to G feet high near the middle of its west side, and is wholly surrounded by hard grassy shores. Crest of beach west of the north part 

of this lake, 1,140 to 1,142 feet, and through the south half of section 

20, 1,137 to 1,142 feet, similarly bordered on. the east by two lakelets, 

which have approximately the same height as the preceding, 1,104 feet. 

The land east of these three lakes is flat, 1,113 to 1,117 feet near them, 

with a very gentle slope descending thence eastward.

More diffuse and irregular beach deposits in north to south swells and 

short massive ridges of gravel and sand, inclosing occasional hollows 

with no outlets, some of which hold small ponds and sloughs, extend 

from the north edge of Sec. 26 northward through the west half of 

Sec. 23, T. 148, E. 55, with an elevation of about 1,135 feet. The depression on the west is some 5 feet lower and on the east there- is a 

descent of 10 feet from the crest to the base of the beach. Fin gal's 

Creek in. the northwest corner of section 23, where it intersects the 

beach, about 1,110 feet. Undulating and rolling till within 3 or 4 miles 

westward rises to 1,250 feet.

Herman beach through the west part of Sec. 14, T. 148, E. 65, 1,142 

to 1,147 feet, being mainly a somewhat typical ridge, with short swells 

of beach gravel and sand on its east side 10 to 15 feet lower, inclosing 

hollows, but few or no sloughs. Two lakes at 1,110 feet, approximately, 

lie close east of this beach near the center and in the NW..£ of this section. They are bordered on the east by laud 10 feet higher, from which 

a very gentle descent sinks toward the Eed Eiver.

Continuation of this beach ridge northward through the east edge of 

Sec. 10, T. 148, E. 55, 1,142 to 1,140 feet, 3 to 5 feet above the depression on its west side. On the east, three lakelets at 1,120 feet, approximately, lie in the west edge of the NW.£ of Sec. 11, each being about 

20 rods long from south to north and 15 rods wide. Crest of beach 

ridge, 30 to 40 rods wide, extending nearly due north through the east 

edge of Sec. 3,1,14.4 to 1,150 feet; east base about 1,125 feet; depression on the west, 5 to 10 feet, nearly level upon a width of 40 rods; beyond is an ascent of undulating and rolling till to 1,250 feet within 2

(441)
56 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AOASSIZ. [BULL.39.

or 3 miles. In the SW. J of the SW. J of Sec. 36, T. 149, E. 55, this 

Herman shore is marked by irregular swells and massive short ridges 

of gravel and sand, with occasional inclosed sloughs. This is succeeded 

by a half mile of the ordinary continuous single ridge, 1,147 to 1,150 

feet.

Watercourse intersecting the beach near the northwest corner of 

Sec. 36, T. 149, E. 55, about 1,115 feet j bottomland 10 to 15 feet higher, 

a third of a mile wide, bordered by bluffs rising about 25 feet above it. 

Some portions of this creek are very shallow or dry, with scarcely any 

channel, but other portions are pools 6 to 9 feet deep and 20 feet wide, 

extending 10 to 20 rods or more.

Magnificent beach ridge, passing north-northwest through the east 

part of Sees. 26 and 23, T. 149, E. 55 (Lind), 1,147 to 1,150 feet. A road, 

which was formerly an Indian trail, runs on its top here and for several 

miles northward. This beach is composed of the usual sand and gravel, 

thickly filled with pebbles up to 2 and rarely 4 inches in diameter. It 

forms a broad wavelike ridge, 30 to 40 rods wide, including the slopes. 

On its west side is a depression of 5 to 10 feet, 20 to 60 rods wide, which 

is moist grass land, excepting a small reedy slough in the south edge 

of Sec. 11. Farther west undulating and rolling till rises to 1,175 feet 

within a quarter or a third of a mile and attains a height of 1,250 to 

1,300 feet within 3 to 5 miles. On the east side of this upper Herman 

beach there is a very smooth slope descending 25 or 30 feet in as many 

rods. Next is a nearly level belt 20 to 60 rods wide, increasing in width 

from south to north, succeeded by a lower .Herman beach ridge rising 

8 to 10 feet, with its crest at 1,127 to 1,130 feet, or 20 feet below the upper beach. These parallel Herman beaches are very finely developed 

thus for nearly 6 miles, passing north through Sees. 23,14, 11, and 2, 

T. 149, E. 55, and the southwest part of Sec. 35, T. 150, E. 55. High 

portion of the upper beach in the south edge of Sec. 14, 1,153 feet, and 

depression west, 1,142 feet; crest onward through this section, 1,153 to 

1,149 feet. In the north part of Sec. 11 and the south edge of Sec. 2, 

it is a few feet lower, is irregular in height and outlines because of 

intersecting watercourses, and has a less continuous and shallower 

depression on its west side. In Sec. 2, however, both beach ridges are 

finely displayed, having the same contour as southward. Crest of upper beach in Sees. 2 and 35,1,152 to 1,155 feet; depression on the west, 

8 to 15 feet, partly occupied by a long slough. The northwest part of 

Sec. 35, in the course of these beaches, is lower smooth till, with no deposits of sand and gravel.

Goose Eiver, near the north line of the NW. ^ of Sec. 35, and the Little Goose Eiver, in the north part of Sec. 15, T. 150, E. 55, where they 

cross the ancient lake,shore, are in valleys about 30 feet deep, eroded 

in till. Each consists of pools 5 to 7 feet deep and 10 to 20 feet wide,, 

alternating with other portions so narrow that one may step across them.

In the east part of the west hah of Sec. 26 and the southwest corner

(442)
WHAM.] HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 57

of Sec. 23, T. 150, R. 55, the upper Herman shore is offset a third of a 

mile east from the remainder of its course and consists of massive irregular swells of till, partly overspread with gravel and sand, 1,152 to 1,160 

feet. Among them are hollows 4 to 6 feet deep without outlet, and 

their entire belt, a quarter of a mile wide, is crossed by depressions as 

low as 1,145feet. Through Sec. 22 this shore bears a typical beach ridge 

of sand and gravel, 40 or 50 rods wide, 1,157 feet, with depression of 10 

to 15 feet on the west j descent of eastern slope, 20 to 25 feet in 30 or 40 

rods. In Sec. 15 this'upper beacb, 1,152 to 1,157 feet, has a quite irregular form, chiefly due to erosion by the Little Goose River and its 

small tributaries. It is again exhibited in its ordinary type through 

Sec. 10, being a ridge 25 or 30 rods wide, with crest at 1,155 to 1,157 feet, 

15 to 20 feet above its east base, and with a narrow depression of 4 to 8 

feet on the west} through the west part of Sec. 3, T. 150, R. 55, and the 

west edge of the SW; £ of Sec. 34, T, 151, R. 55,1,157 to 1,159 feet, excepting gaps cut by small watercourses; and in the east edge of the 

NE. £ of Sec. 33,1,154 to 1,157 feet. Thirty rods west from the northeast corner of this Sec. 33, its elevation is 1,155 feet, with slopes descending 12 feet eastward and 8 feet westward.

Lower Herman beach, a half mile to three-fourths of a mile east of 

the foregoing, in the west edge of Sees. 14 and 11 and the east edge of 

Sec. 3, T. 150, R. 55,1,130 to 1,135 feet, from which there is a descent 

of 5 feet to its west base and 10 feet to the east. From the SE. £ of Sec. 

34, T. 151, R. 55, this beach passes northeasterly to Larimore.

Upper Herman beach, a well defined ridge, running north through the 

east part of Sec. 28, T. 151, R. 55,1,155 to 1,159 feet; thence northnorthwesterly through Sees. 21 and 16, 1,157 to 1,160 feet, and through 

the southwest part of Sec. 9, the northeast of Sec. 8, and the SE. £ oi 

Sec. 5,1,157 to 1,162 feet. Where it is crossed by the Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway from Larimore to Devil's Lake, in the 

south part of the KE. % of Sec. 5, its crest was 1,162 feet, 4 feet above 

the track, and it holds the same height for about 50 rods northeastward. Two-fifths of a mile east from this beach the railroad crosses a 

second beach deposit whose crest and the track are the same, 1,146 feet.

SHORE WEST OF THE ELK AND GOLDEN VALLEYS.

Through Sec. 32, T. 152, R. 55 (Elm Grove), the upper beach runs 

northwesterly, its elevation being 1,160 to 1,163 feet. Its material is 

coarse gravel, with pebbles up to 6 inches in diameter, in part accumulated as a ridge 10 or 15 feet above the land at its base northeast 

and 5 to 8 feet above its southwest base, and in part lying on the flank of 

swells of very stony till, the crests of which are only 5 to 10 feet higher 

than the beach. This till or morainic drift contains a multitude of 

granitic and limestono bowlders up to 1£ feet in diameter, but few or 

none of larger size. In the rolling till which rises thence westward to

(443)
58 UPPEE BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [HULL. 39.

1,250 or 1,300 feet within 2 or 3 miles, are many granitic bowlders up to 

5 feet or more in diameter, exceeding the usual proportion in the till of 

this region.

In the north, edge of Sec. 32 and the south part of Sec. 29, T. 152, 

E. 55, this beach is the terracelike border of a nearly level tract of sand 

and gravel an eighth of a mile or more in width, at an elevation of 1,171 

to 1,173 feet. The bordering slope is beach gravel, with its base at 1,155 

to 1,158feet; but the slow descent thence eastward is till, somewhat 

eroded by wave action and having many small and large granitic bowlders up to 4 or 6 feet in diameter strewn on the surface or partially covered by the soil. In the NE. £ of Sec. 30 this upper Herman beach 

is typically developed, being a gracefully rounded ridge of sand and 

gravel, 25 or 30 rods wide; crest, 1,165 to 1,166 feet; foot of eastern 

slope, 1,150 feet; depression west, usually 2 to 5 feet, beyond which is a 

slowly ascending area of smooth undulating till.

Upper beach through Sec. 19, T. 152, E. 55, a low rounded ridge of 

sand and gravel about 25 rods wide; crest, 1,106 to 1,168 feet; base of its 

east slope on the north line of this section, 1,158. In the SW. J of 

Sec. 18, this beach is cut by the South Branch of the Turtle Eiver; its 

elevation in this section south of the stream is 1,167 to 1,168 feet. There 

is no considerable valley here and the creek runs only in spring or after 

unusual rains, being reduced to stagnant pools during the rest of the 

year. Within 2 miles southeast, however, it becomes a living stream, 

fed by almost ice-cold springs ; and thence to the secondary Herman 

beach, near Larimore, it has cut a valley 50 to 90 feet deep.

Elm Grove, comprising about 5 acres, is on this creek, a third of 

a mile east of the upper Herman shore line, which continues northnorthwestward through the southwest part of Sec. 18, T. 152, E. 55, and 

the northeast edge of Sec. 13, T. 152, E. 56 (Niagara), to the west side 

of Little Elm Grove, 10 acres or more in extent, in the east part of Sec. 

12. Along this distance of 1£ mites the surface presents a very favorable slope, from 1,150 to 1,200feet elevation, on which a beach ridge or 

definite beach deposits would usually be found well developed; but the 

waves and currents of Lake Agassiz coiild not act very efficiently here, 

because this .area lay in the lee of islands and a wave-formed bar or 

beach, several miles to the east, which are the eastern boundary of the 

Elk Valley. Consequently deposits of beach sand and gravel are scanty 

on the upper western snore of Lake Agassiz here and for 40 miles northward along the extent of the Elk and Golden Valleys, east of which 

a narrow chain of islands and bars rose above the surface of Lake Agassiz during its highest Herman stage. Between the South Branch of 

Turtle Eiver and Little El in Grove the beach formation consists only 

of a thin covering of sand and gravel spread on the sloping area of till, 

elevation from 1,160 to 1,175 feet. Several of the small grassy channels eroded here, dry excepting in spring and times of excessive rain,

(444)
UJ-HAM.] HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 59

are almost completely paved with stones up to 1 or 2 feet in diameter,. 

but few stones occur upon the adjoining surface of till.

From the.Little Elm Grove the highest western shore of Lake Agassiz 

(consisting of a similar slope of till ascending gently westward, with 

inconspicuous deposits of beach gravel and sand, not accumulated in 

any distinct ridge, but probably recognizable almost continuously) extends northward through Sees. 12 and 1, T. 152, E. 56, and Sees. 31 and 

30, T. 153, R. 55 (Agnes), to the central part of Bachelors' Grove, which 

it passes through in the west half of Sec. 30. This grove borders the 

head stream of Turtle River'for 1£ miles, with an average width of about 

a quarter of a mile, thus comprising approximately 250 acres. It is 

dense woods, chiefly elm and basswood in its east half, but nearly all 

bur oak for the west half. Much bur oak is also found along several 

miles of this stream next westward, but it is not seen from the margin 

of Lake Agassiz, being hidden in the valley, 40 to 50 feet deep, which 

the stream has eroded in that area of undulating and rolling till.

Surface at M. S. Wallace's house, in the middle of the west edge of 

Sec. 32, T. 153, R. 55,1,146 feet. Bridge over the North Branch of 

Turtle River on the east line of the SE. £ of -Sec. 30, 1,150 feet; channel (dry August 5, 1885), 1,142 feet. There is no valley here,'only a 

trenchlike channel in the flat expanse of Lake Agassiz, 8 feet deep.

Herman beach, for the first mile or more north from Bachelors' Grove, 

passing through ^the NW. £ of Sec. 30 and'the west edge of Sec. 19, 

1,165 to 1,17Q feet. This is mostly a well defined beach ridge, 20 to 30 

rods wide, composed of sand and gravel, with pebbles up to 2 inches 

in diameter. It rises slowly to a height of 10 or 12 feet above the flat 

land on the east and is bordered on the west by a depression of 1 to 3 

feet, beyond which a smoothly undulating and rolling surface of till 

rises to an elevation of 1,200 and 1,250 feet at a distance of 3 miles. 

In the NW. % of this Sec. 19 the beach deposit becomes complex, consisting of several irregular ridges rising 5 to 8 feet above their bases, 

1,167 to 1,170 feet above sea level, with inclosed hollows, and the depression close west occasionally sinks to 1,155 feet.,

Surface at Michael McMahon's house, 40 rods west from the center 

of Sec. 13, T. 153, R. 56 (Oakwood), 1,176 feel, Rounded hill of till a 

half mile northeast, about 1,205 feet; swells of till in the southwest 

part of Sees. 12 <ind 2, 1,195 to 1,210 feet.

Through these Sees. 13 and 12, the southwest parfc of Sec. 1, and in 

Sec., 2, T. 153, R. 56, to the grove on the north line of this section at the 

junction of the north and south branches of Lost Creek, and thence 

northeast and north through Sec. 35, T. 15-1, R. 56 (Elksmount), the 

Herman shore, between 1,160 and 1,170 feet, is not marked by any con 

siderable deposits of gravel and sand. Farther north this shore is distinguished not only by a noticeable change in the topographic features 

along a nearly level line at 1,170 feet, dividing the very flat area of the 

glacial lake from the undulating and rolling till on the west, but also

(445)
60 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE . AGASSIZ. [HULL. 39.

by occasional beach deposits. Through the south half of Sec. 26 a somewhat typical beach ridge of sand and gravel, 15 to 25 rods wide, with a 

depression of 3 to G feet on its west side, runs north and northwest, its 

crest being at 1,175 to 1,170 feet, declining from south to north. On 

the east its slope falls 5 to 10 feet in 10 to 20 rods; and thence a more 

gentle descent, with surface of sand and line gravel, sinks to 1,155 feet 

within an eighth of a mile. In the 1STW. £ of this Sec. 20 the beach ridge 

ceases and is succeeded northward by an expanse of nearly flat till, 

which along the north line of this section sinks eastward from ],175 to 

1,155 feet.

Elk Valley, for 12 miles from Elm Grove and McCanna north to Forest 

Eiver, is nearly constant in elevation, which is .1,155 feet on its west 

border and 1,135 feet near its east side, its average width being about 

4 miles.

Surface at Frank Hamilton's house, in the center of the NE. £ of Sec. 

15, T. 1.54, E. 5G, 1,178 feet.

Upper Herman beach, a definite and massive ridge of sand and fine 

gravel, 25 to 40 rods wide, for a half mile south from the South Branch 

of Forest River, in the west part of the E" W. £ of Sec. 14, T. 154, E. 5G, 

1,173 to 1,178 feet, passing north and northwest, with a descent of 12 

to 15 feet on the east and a depression of 4 to 8 feet on the west.

Beyond this branch of the Forest Eiver, in the north half of Sec. 10, 

the beach ridge, similar in'outline, with its crest at 1,174 to 1,179 feet, 

is the site of an abandoned railway grade, on account of which its material is well exhibited. It is sand and gravel, and three-fourths of the 

pebbles, mostly less than 2 inches in diameter, are dark gray slaty shale. 

Twenty miles to the south-southeast the same shale in small grains 

makes fully two-thirds of a stratum of sand that extends from 20 to GO 

feet in depth in the well at the Sherman House, Larimore. Pebbles of 

it were also observed in kamelike deposits of gravel and sand near 

Balaton, Lyon County, in Southwestern Minnesota. During the further 

exploration of the western shore of Lake Agassiz this shale was discovered in place and is found to be the bed rock, of cretaceous age, 

which forms the conspicuous escarpment of Pembina Mountain, though 

even there it is generally covered and concealed by drift.

Natural surface at the northwest corner of Sec. 3, T. 154, E. 56, on the 

line between Grand Forks and Walsh Counties, 1,181 feet.

The upper Herman shore passes north-northwesterly through this 

corner of Sec. 3 and the east part of Sec. 33, T'. 155, E. 56 (Medford), to 

the Middle Branch of Forest Eiver (farther east formerly called Salt 

Elver), which it reaches near the center of the east half of Sec. 28. It 

has only scanty deposits of beach gravel and sand, nowhere forming a 

ridge; instead, the surface is mainly till, very 'flat east of this shore, 

but undulating or rolling westward.

The South and Middle Branches of Forest Eiver occupy valleys 25 to 

40 feet deep and 20 to 30 rods wide. They are bordered with groves,

(44G)
LTHAM.J HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 61

or at least a continuous line of trees, along the greater part of their 

course.

In tbe NW. f of Sec. 28 and tbe west part of Sec. 21, T. 155, R. 56, the 

highest shore line of Lake Agassiz is very distinctly marked, at 1,183 to 

1,185 feet, by being; the upper edge .of a flat slope'of till, probably with 

scanty deposits of gravel and sand, which sinks 20 to 30 feet in tbe next 

half mile eastward. Farther east, for the wi,dth of 3 or 4 miles across 

the Elk Valley, tbe surface elevation is 1,160 to 1,125 feet.

Just west of this shore line a knolly belt of morainic drift, bearing a 

marvelous profusion of bowlders, occupies a width of 25 to 50 rods, 

generally forming a single series of hillocks rising 15 to 30 or 35 feet. 

These are strewn with bowlders of all sizes up to 5 feet and rarely 8 

feet in diameter, so plentiful that they cover a third or even half of the 

surface. A few masses of limestone were observed j but fully^ 90 per 

cent, of the bowlders are archeau granite and gneiss. This is tbe most 

eastern portion of a semicircular moraine, which appears to have been 

accumulated on tbe eastern boundary of a lobe of tbe ice sheet during 

a pause in its retreat. From Sees. 21 and 28 this moraine continues, 

with nearly the same features, south and southwest to the SE. ^ of Sec. 

32, and thence west-southwest by Pilot Knob in the NW. £ of Sec. 5, T. 

154, E.56, to tbe west side of Sec. 1, T. 154, R. 57, and perhaps beyond. 

Its bills and knobs rise 25 to 75 feet above the general level of the adjoining smoothly undulating till, their tops being 1,250 to 1,300 feet 

above the sea. To the north, northwest, and west it reaches, with similar development, in a great curve convex to tbe northeast, along an 

extent of 5 or 6 miles, to a cluster of prominent morainic hills rising 

50 ito 75 feet, situated in Sees. 2 and 3, T. 155, B. 57. This moraine 

matter was doubtless euglacial; among its multitude of both large and 

small rock fragments a half hour's search failed to discover any marked 

with stria} or having surfaces planed by glaciation. On the west the 

area Inclosed .by this curving moraine is very smooth, only slightly 

undulating till, at 1,185 to 1,250 feet, ascending slowly westward.

Another distinct morainic series, similar in its very kuolly contour, 

in its material (excepting a larger proportion of gravel, half of which 

is the cretaceous shale before described), and in the great abundance of 

, bowlders, nearly all. granitic, branches from the preceding in the north 

part of Sec. 8, T. 155, E. 56, and sweeps northeast and nortb through the 

west half of Sec. 4, and thence northwest and west through Sees. 32, 29, 

and 19, T. 156, E. 56 (Vernou), and Sees. 13 to 16, T. 156, E. 57 (Norton), 

to a group of morainic hills a"bout 75 feet high, a mile northwest of Gait 

post office. Between this curved moraine and the nearly parallel northern part of the preceding, 4 miles distant to the south, the surface is 

very smooth undulating till, rising slowly toward tbe west.

These moraines, with their east base at 1,185 to 1,170 feet above the 

sea, formed the west shore of Lake Agassiz at its highest stage for 

nearly 7 miles between the Middle and Nortb Branches of the Forest

(447)
62 * UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [BULL. 39.

Eiver. The North Branch intersects this shore line near the center of 

Sec. 20, T. 156, B. 56, close to the southwest end of Bamsey's groves, 

which extend thence about a mile along this watercourse in the north 

part of Sec. 20 and the SB. i of Sec. 17. The stream in these sections 

has Jio valley, only a channel 20 to 30 feet wide and 10 feet deep.

Elevation of road at the southeast corner of this Sec. 20, 1,177 feet.

Golden Valley, on the north line of Sees. 4 and 5, T. 156, B. 56,1,185 to 

1,195 feet, showing an ascent of 10 feet from east to west in its width of 

2 miles. About the same transverse slope, raising the west side of this 

valley 10 or 15 feet above its east side, is found along its whole extent 

of 20 miles or more^ from the Middle and North Branches of Forest Biver 

to the Middle and Korth Branches of Park Biver. In the north half of 

T. 156, B. 56, and thence northward, the width of this valley varies from 

If miles to only 1 mile. It is flat aud consists mainly of clay, free from 

gravel; but wells find gravel intermixed with the clay, probably till, at 

a depth of a few feet, and about 20 feet from the surface they sometimes 

encounter a water-bearing stratum of gravel, chiefly made up of cretaceous shale.

Natural surface at the southwest corner of Sec. 27, T. 157, B. 56 

(Garfield), 1,191 feet. Highest part of Golden Valley south of the 

South Branch of Park Biver, along the north line of Sees. 27, 28, and 

29, iii this township, 1,199 feet on the east to 1,211 feet on the west.. 

Surface at school-house on the west side of the NW. £ of Sec. 21, 

1,207 feet.

South Branch of .Park Biver at the Garfield bridge, near the middle 

of the north lino of Sec. 21,.T. 157, B. 56, 1,170 feet, approximately; 

bottomland about a quarter of a mile wide, 10 to 15 feet above the 

stream; crest of the* south bluff rising to the flat belt of the Golden 

Valley, 1,191 to 1,209 feet, ascending westward ; of the north bluff, 1,189 

to 1,205 feet.

Golden Valley, on the north line of Sec. 5, T. 157, B. 56,1,195 to 1,205 

feet; 2 miles farther north, on the north line of Sec. 29, T. 158, B. 56 

(Lampton), 1,198 to 1,208 feet. In this northern part of the valley limited tracts of its flat area are strewn with abundant bowlders up to 2 

feet aud less frequently 3 or 4 feet in diameter. They are probably 

where swells of till rose nearly to the surface of the water in this strait 

of Lake Agassiz, so that its fine portions were swept away by waves 

and currents, to be deposited elsewhere in the valley as clayey silt, leaving the masses of rock which, could not be thus removed. Approaching the Middle Branch of Park Biver, the surface of Golden Valley 

continues very smooth and flat, but it ceases to have a continuous ascent 

from east to west, some portions along the center being depressed a few 

feet. Such, a shallow hollow holds a slough about a mile long from 

south to north and a half mile wide in its broadest part, at 1,193 feet, 

extending from the north edge of Sec. 20 through the west part of Sec. 

17, T. 158, Bi 56, in which a small area of water remains , throughout

(448)
HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 63

the year. On each side of this slough and for miles south and north, 

this valley is a great hay meadow.

The west border of the Golden Valley was the most western shore of 

Lake Agassiz in its highest stage, but it is only very scantily marked 

by deposits of beach gravel and sand, because of its sheltered position 

on the western and leeward side of. this narrow strait. From the middle of Sec. 20, T. 156, E. 50, this shore line extends in a quite direct 

course a few degrees west of north 11 miles through the west part of 

Sees. 17, 8, and 5, in this township, Sees. 32, 29, 20, 17, 8, and 5, T. 

157, E. 5C, and the east edge of Sees. 31 and 30, T. 158, E. 56. For 

the next 3 miles, in tli'e east edge of Sees. 39, 18, and 7, T. 358, E. 56, 

it runs nearly due north. Thenco it turns to a northwesterly course 

through Sec. 6 of this township, passing a mile west of Edinburgh 

post office and through Sec. 31, T. 159, E. 56. In this vicinity the 

Golden Valley terminates.

Bushes and trees clothe the slope on the west side of the Golden 

Valley along its northern part, extending to the south line of T. 158, E. 

56; but this ascent farther south, also the entire extent of the Golden 

Valley, the drift hills forming its east border, and the vast plain of the 

Eed Elver Valley, are prairie, excepting that narrow belts of timber 

border the water courses. .

Smoothly undulating till rises slowly from the west side of the southern part of the Golden Valley; but in Sec. 30, T. 158, E. 56, rounded hills 

of till attain a height about 100 feet above the valley, or 1,300 feet above 

the sea. Thence northward a smooth slope ascends 50 to 60 feet, or in 

some portions only 30 or 40 feet, within the first quarter or half of a 

mile to the west, succeeded beyond by a moderately rolling surface with 

less ascent.

A terrace of beach sand and gravel, containing pebbles and cobbles 

up to 6 inches in diameter, extends a third of a mile from southeast to 

northwest, with a width of 5 to 30 rods, in the'NW. 4 of Sec. 33, T. 158, 

E. 56, abutting on the west flank of the rolling and hilly deposits of till 

which make the east border of the Golden Valley. It was formed by 

currents entering this strait of Lake Agassiz from the north, eroding the 

bordering hills in the east edge of Sees. 20 and 29, and thence sweeping 

this sand and gravel southward. It marks the highest stage of Lake 

Agassiz, having an elevation of 1,213 to 1,195 feet, declining from north 

to south, and also sinking 1 or 2 feet from west to east in its width of 

100 to 500 feet, being thus slightly higher alou'g its verge than where it 

rests upon the adjoining hilly till.

Natural surface at the quarter-section stake on the east side of Sec. 

8, T. 158, E. 56, 1,203 feet; at Edinburgh post office, near the center of 

Sec. 5,1,202 feet.

Middle Branch of Park Eiver a half mile south of Edinburgh, approximately, 1,185 feet; crest of the south'bank of the very small valley of 

this stream, rising to the flat Golden Valley, 1,192 feet on the east to

(449)
64 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [HULL. 39.

1,215 feet on the west. The Golden Valley here shows thus a transverse ascent of more than 20 feet in its width of about 1 mile. On the 

north line of Sees. 5 and 6, T. 158, R 56, the east edge of this valley has 

an elevation of 1,210 feet, and its west edge, 1,220 feet. About a half 

mile farther north, the height of this belt, where it is crossed by a tributary of the Middle Branch, is 1,220 to 1,235 feet, from east to west, being 

thus above the highest level of Lake Agassiz. Elevation of this tributary at a bridge of a road that runs very crookedly through bushes and 

small woods in Sec. 32, T. 159, R. 5G, 1,204 feet; and at a-bridge a few 

rods north of the middle of the east side of Sec. 29, 1,175 feet.

BEACHES AND ISLANDS EAST OP THE ELK AND GOLDEN VALLEYS.

Returning about 45 miles south to Larimore, we have yet to describe 

the beaches of Lake Agassiz and its islands of rolling and hilly till 

which divided the strait of the Elk and Golden Valleys in Grand Forks 

and Walsh Counties from the main body of this glacial lake.

Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway track at Larirnore, 

1,134 feet above the sea.

The upper or first and the second Herman beaches before described, 

respectively 4f and 4£ miles west of Larimore, are 1,162 and 1,146 feet 

above the sea. Third Herman beach, a third of a mile east of Larimore 

depot, crest, 1,133 feet; another beach belonging to the same stage of 

Lake Agassiz, a third of a mile farther east, crest, 1,134 feet, with descent in thirty or forty rods east 11 feet, and in the same distance west 

9 feet. Fourth Herman beach, consisting of four small beach ridges 

crossed by the railway 1£ to 2 miles east of Larimore, crests, 1,123 

to 1,118 feet, with intervening hollows 3 to 5 feet deep. A nearly level 

tract reaches 4 miles westward from Larimore along the railway to 

Devil's Lake, averaging 1,130 feet and varying only 2 or 3 feet above 

and below this level. Beneath the rich black soil here and elsewhere, 

all about Larimore, are stratified sand and fine silt free from gravel. 

The beach ridges near this town are consequently composed wholly of 

sand, quite in contrast with their usually coarser material.

Well at the Sherman House, Larimore, L. C. Neal, proprietor, dug 

20 feet and bored 40 feet lower: soil, 2 feet; fine sandy and clayey silt, 

without coarse sand, gravel, or stones, 5 feet; fine yellowish sand, 

with less clay, being mainly siliceous, 13 feet; and dark sand, very soft 

to bore through, two-thirds cretaceous shale in particles up to a twentieth of an inch in diameter, 40 feet, with much water. Hard blue till 

was found at the bottom. This is the deepest well in the town. All 

the other wells are said to obtain their supply of water at a depth of 

about 20 feet, in the upper part of this sand chiefly derived from shaleThe origin and manner of deposition of these beds of sand and silt deserve further observations and study.

(450)
WHAM.] HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 65

The beach seen two-thirds of a mile east of Larimore passes north and 

north-northwesterly through the east half of Sees. 7 and 6, T. 151, E. 

54, and the west half of Sees. 31 and 30, T. 152, E. 54, into the southeast 

corner of Sec. 24, T. 152, E. 55. North of the South Branch of Turtle 

Eiver it is not a typical ridge, but a series of massive rounded swells 

of sand 10 to 15 feet high, with their crests at 1,135 to 1,140 feet.

A parallel beach ridge a third to a half mile west of the foregoing, 

mostly massive, with typical wavelike form, has an elevation of 1,133 

feet close east of Larimore; 1,144 feet at a cemetery close north of the 

South Branch of Turtle Eiver in or near the southwest corner of Sec. 31, 

T. 152, E. 54; chiefly 1.137 to 1,140 feet in its course thence north-northwesterly through Sees.. 36 and 25, the west edge of Sec. 24, and the east 

half of Sec. 14, T. 152, E. 55 ; 1,142 to 1,145 feet in the west half of Sec. 

11 and 1,143 to 1,147 feet in the east edge of Sec. 3 of this township. 

Along the west edge of Sec. 11, a duplication of this beach ridge, of the 

same massive size, lying a half mile farther west, extends a mile south 

from the North Branch of Turtle Eiver, its crest being at 1,142 to 1,145 

feet; but thence southward the general elevation is about 1,130 feet to 

the tract of this height crossed by the railway west of Larimore, excepting that the South Branch of Turtle Eiver has eroded a valley 40 to 75 

feet deep. The distance of one and a half miles from Larimore north to 

this stream, is a gradually descending smooth slope, but its northern 

bluff rises steeply to a height a few feet above that of Larimore.

North Branch of Turtle Eiver in the north half of Sec. 11, T. 152, E. 

55,1,085 to 1,075 feet; bottomland, an eighth of a mile wide, 10 to 15 

feet above the stream; crest of bluffs a quarter to a third of a mile apart, 

about 1,135 feet.

Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Eailway at McCanna, 1,140 

feet; on bridge over the North Branch of Turtle Eiver, 1,132 feet, 17 feet 

above the stream; summit, in the northeast corner of Sec. 22, T. 153, E. 

55, grade and natural surface, 1,164 feet; Orr, 1,098 feet.

Lower Herman beach, running northwesterly in the northeast part of 

Sec. 24, T. 152, E. 55,1,127 to 1,128 feet, Avith depression of 2 to 3 feet 

on its Avest side; in Sec. 13,1,127 to 1,132 feet; in the west part of Sec. 

12 and the northeast part of Sec. 11,1,130 to 1,135 feet, being in these 

sections the easternmost in a succession of three beach ridges, the two 

others of which are 10 feet higher; at E. 0. D. Shortridge's house, in 

the center of Sec. 2,1,137 feet, forming a broad flat swell of sand and 

fine gravel, with a depression of 3 to 5 feet on its west side; in the Avest 

part of Sec. 36, through Sees. 26 and 23, and the southwest edge of Sec. 

14, T. 153, E. 55, a continuous, well defined beach ridge, 1,140 to 1,149 

feet, with a descent of 10 to 15 feet on the east and a depression of 

about 5 feet on the west; in the east,edge of the NE. £ of Sec. 15 and 

through the SE. ^ of Sec. 10, a deposit of sand and fine gravel, with nearly 

level top 20 to 30 rods wide, 1,145 to 1,149 feet, from which a slope falls 

10 or 15 feet in 20 to 30 rods eastward, while on the west it is bordered 

Bull. 39 5 (451)
66 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [BULL. 39.

by a slough 5 to 20 rods wide, which is partly permanent water and 

partly mowing laud. It is to be noted that the northern two-thirds of 

the beach here described for a distance of 8 miles corresponds in -elevation with the two beaches close east of Larimore and their continuation 

northward to the North Branch of Turtle River, marking the third Her 

man stage of Lake Agassiz; but that the southern part records aslightly 

lower level of the lake,'\vhen ithad fallen about 10 feet, or to its fourth 

Herman stage.

On the west- bide of this beach a smoothly undulating broad swell of 

till, which was an island in Lake Agassiz, lies in the west part of Sec. 

20 and the east edge of Sec. 27, T. 153, E. 55, with nearly level top 

of several acres, at 1,182 to 1,190 feet. An aboriginal burial mound, 

raised 4 feet and 50 feet across, is situated on the highest part of this 

area, 15 rods east-northeast from the quarter-section stake between 

thes& sections. Such localities, overlooking an extensive and beautiful 

panorama, were frequently chosen for this use, as is shown by many 

mounds on hill-tops and on the margin of bluffs bordering deeply eroded 

valleys throughout the Northwest. A lower tract of somewhat roughly 

rolling, till, with plentiful bowlders, reaches a third of a mile southeasterly from this swell to the south edge of Sec. 26. Thence a broad 

ridge of beach gravel and sand, belonging to the second and third Herman stages of Lake Agassiz, with an elevation of 1,153 to 1,151 feet, 

sinking southward to 1,145 feet, extends south-southeasterly through 

the east half of Sec. 35 and continues with the same course to Larimore, 

as before described.

North of this island the upper Herman beach is represented in the 

east part of the SB. £ of Sec. 22 and in the west half of the SVV. £ of Sec. 

23, T. 153, E. 55, by a wide tract of gravel and sand deposits, in irregular ridges and swells rising 4 to 8 feet, mostly trending from north 

to south, with their crests at 1,164 to 1,170 feet. Next to the north it 

is a well defined beach ridge, with crest rising from 1,163 to 1,168 feet 

ill its course of a half mile from, south to north through the east edge of 

the NE. £ of Sec. 22.

In the SE. .^ of Sec. 15, T. 153, E. 55, the plain that descends slowly 

toward the Eed Eiver on the east is divided from the Elk Valley on 

the west by a low swell of till, having an elevation of 1,157 to 1,160 

feet, destitute of beach deposits. This is succeeded in the north part 

of this section and the south part of Sec. 10 by a second island which 

rose above the highest level of the glacial lake, having a length of 1 

mile from south to north and averaging a quarter of a mile wide, its 

elevation in the S W. ^ of the NE. £ of Sec. 15 being about 1,187 feet, on 

the line between these sections about 1,175 feet, and near the center of 

Sec. 10, at the north end of this irregular ridge, about 1,180 feet. Its 

material is till, partially overspread in its south half by gravel, which 

seems to have been brought by the currents and waves of Lake Agassiz 

from the erosion of its northern portion.

(452)
UPHAM.] HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 67

The beach of Lake Agassiz during its highest stage extends north 

from the north end of this island into the SW. £ of Sec. 3, T. 153, E. 55, 

where it is a ridge about 20 rods wide, with an elevation of 1,165 to 1,172 

feet, composed of coarse gravel and sand, inclosing plentiful rock fragments, chiefly granitic, of all sizes up to 6 inches in diameter, most of 

which are only slightly water-worn. Its eastern slope descends 15 to 

20 feet in as many rods, and on the west an equal descent takes place 

within 8 or 10 rods. The steep western slope of this beach or bar, forming the east rim of the strait that filled the Elk Valley, was due to storms 

on the broad lake, rolling its waves upon the bar and carrying the sand 

and coarse gravel upward and over its crest. Turning northwestward, 

this beach passes into the NE. £ of Sec. 4, where it consists of irregular 

accumulations of gravel and sand, occupying a width of an eighth to a 

fourth of a mile, with their crests at 1,155 to 1,1G2 feet. In the north 

edge of Sec. 4 it again becomes a definite beach ridge of the same material and contour as in Sec. 3, and thus passes northeast and north 

through Sec. 33, T. 154, E. 55, with its crest mostly at 1,105 to 1,172 feet, 

its lowest part, about 1,102 feet, being near the center of this section. 

The two islands before described, this beach or bar, and the long island 

next northward are together commonly called "The Eidge," being the 

eastern limit of the Elk Yalley, which averages 4 miles wide, 1,150 to 

1,140 feet ab.ove the'sea in its eastern and central portions, but rising with 

a transverse slope to 1,1GO feet on its western border.

A third island above the highest stage of Lake Agassiz, 3 miles long 

from south to north and a quarter to a half mile wide, reaches through 

the central part of Sees. 28 and 21, the west half of Sec. 1G, and into 

the southwest corner of Sec. 9, T. 154, E. 55. It is till, with somewhat 

uneven surface, bearing frequent bowlders. Highest points of this in 

Sees. 28 and 21, 1,185 to 1,195 feet; intervening gaps, about 1,170 feet; 

summit, near the center of the SW. £ of Sec. 18,1,223 feet, and lower 

summit, about a half mile to the north, 1,213 fect/caeh. bearing a flat 

round earthwork about 1 foot higher; lowest depressions intervening, 

about 1,105 feet; depressions in the northwest, part of Sec. 1C, 1,185 

feet, and highest points in the southwest corner cf Sec. 9,1,194 and 1,195 

feet. Beach deposits occur on the east flank of this island in Sec. 21 

at 1,155 to 1,105 feet, and from 1,155 feet a smooth slope of sand and 

fine gravel falls slowly eastward along the east side of this highland 

through the greater part of its extent.

In the southeast part of Sec. 8, T. 154, E. 55, irregular accumulations of beach gravel, with crests at 1,170 to 1,175 feet, 10 to 15 feet 

above the adjoining depressions of till, extend northward from the 

island just described; and in the north part of this Sec. 8 the beach 

sinks within an eighth of a mile from 1,172 to 1,161 feet and changes 

to a broad, smooth ridge, which thence passes northward through Sec. 

5 of this township, in which it is intersected by the Forest Eiver, with 

valley a half mile wide and 60 to 75 feet deep, and through the west

(453).
68 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [BULL.39.

half of Sec. 32, T. 155, E. 55, near the center of which it has three 

aboriginal mounds on its top. The material of this beach ridge is fine 

gravel and sand. Elevation of its crest on the line between Sees. 8 and 

5,30 to 40 rods east of the quarter-section stake, 1,161 feet; an eighth 

of a mile north, at the verge of the south bluff of Forest River, 1,155 

feet; for the first half mile from the bluff north of this river, 1,152 to 

1,157 feet; and at the mounds in Sec. 32, .1,156 to 1,159 feet. These 

mounds lie in a line bearing north-northeast; top of most southerly 

mound, 1,162 feet, about 6 feet above the adjacent ground; elevation of 

the middle one, some 20 rods away, 1,166 feet, and of the most northern, 

again about 20 rods from the last, 1,167 feet, each being 8 feet higher 

than its base.

Another beach ridge, 20 rods wide, with descent of 10 feet on each 

side in as many rods, formed during the same stage of Lake Agassiz, 

lies a half to three-fourths of a mile west from the foregoing, in the NE. ^ 

of Sec. 6, T. 154, E. 55. This is the highest laud between the main 

Forest Kiver and its South Branch. It consists of sand and fine gravel, 

of which a considerable proportion (about a sixth) is cretaceous shale. 

The maximum elevation of this ridge, 1,157 to 1,164 feet, is maintained 

for 50 or 60 rods, from which it sinks to 1,150 feet at each cud.

From the north side of Sec. 32, T. 155, E. 55, an island of rolling and 

hilly till above the highest level of Lake Agassiz, far larger than any 

of those already described, extends, with the exception of two short 

gaps, 20 miles northward, varying in width from a half mile to a little 

more than 1 mile in its southern quarter and from 1^ to 2£ miles through 

the remainder of its extent. This hilly tract, commonly denominated 

"the mountains," forms the east border of the Golden Valley. In the 

north part of Sec. 36, T. 156, E. 56, it has a depression to about 1,180 

feet, which probably was a strait of the glacial lake in its highest stage, 

an eighth of a mile wide and a few feet deep. Again, in the center of 

T. 157, E. 56 (Garfield), it is intersected by the South Branch of Park 

Eiver, which has a valley a quarter to a half of a mile wide and about 

75 feet deep. The stream, in its course of 1£ miles through this belt, 

descends about 50 feet, from 1,165 to 1,115 feet, approximately. It 

seems almost certain that a depression slightly lower than the Golden 

Valley on the west originally extended across this rolling and hilly area 

where it is cut by this South Branch of Park Eiver; but the erosion 

of its valley has undermined and removed portions of adjoining hills 

and ridges, so that its inclosing bluffs now rise 50 to 100 feet, their highest points being about 1,225 feet above the sea, or 25 to 30 feet above 

the east edge of the Golden Valley. All these bluffs and two plateaus 

left in the midst of the valley are till, yellowish near the top and dark 

bluish below.

Elevation of "the mountains" in their southern and narrower portion, 

through the west part of T. 155, E. 55, and the northeast corner of T.

(454)
i _ HERMAN BfiACIl IN DAKOTA. 69

155, E. 5G, 1,190 to 1,225 feet; through the east half of T. 156, E. 50, 

1,200 to 1,250 feet; in the south part of T. 157, E. 5G, 1,200 to 1,200 feet; 

and through the north half of this township and the south half of T. 158, 

E. 56, 1,200 to 1,275 feet, being highest in Sec. 28 of the township last 

named, near the northern cud of this hilly tract.

The east border of "the mountains" in Sec. 20, T. 155, E. 55, falls 

somewhat steeply to about 1,135 feet, and thence a flat slope, with no 

beach ridges, sinks slowly eastward. In the N W. J of the NE. ^ of Sec. 

7 in this township a well defined beach ridge 10 to 15 rods wide, composed of sand and gravel, with pebbles up to 2 or 3 inches in diameter, 

extends 25 rods south from an eastern spur of the hilly till; crest of 

this spur, about 1,105 feet; of the beach, 1,172 feet, with depression of 

3 to 6 feet on the west. Irregular beach accumulations, 10 to 20 feet 

lower, continue southward nearly a half mile. Tho east half of Sec. 6, 

T. 155, E. 50, has a descent of nearly 100 feet to about 1,100 feet. It is 

till, with no noteworthy beach deposits. No stream has flowed through 

the depression in Sec. 30, T. 150, E. 50, and no considerable watercourse 

crosses the gentle slope of till, overspread with much beach gravel at 

1,175 to 1,155 feet, which lies within the next mils east.

In Sec. 30, T. 150, E. 50, the eastern border of this rolling and hilly 

area falls 75 feet or more within a third of a mile, to about 1,100 feet. 

Its material is till, with scanty deposits of beach gravel and sand, not 

distinctly accumulated in ridged form. About half way down this 

slope, it shows in some places a more abrupt escarpment, with steep 

descent of 15 or 20 feet. The same features continue through Sec. 19, 

except that a series of distinct beach deposits is observable about 25 

rods east from the crest of the slope, at 1,170 to 1,175 feet, probably 

formed during the second Herman stage of Lako Agassiz. A little 

farther north, the upper Herman beach is probably represented, 15 to 

30 rods north-northeast from the southwest corner of Sec. 18, in a bank 

of coarse gravel at 1,182 feet, with a small coulee on its west side. A 

descent ot 125 feet takes place within a half mile on the east side of 

" the mountains," near where it is cut by a largo but short ravine, in 

the SE. £ of Sec. 12, T. 156, E. 56, falling from 1,180 to 1,050 feet, approx. 

imately, with no well marked shore lines observable. A grove lies at 

the east base of this slope a third of a mile south of the ravine. In the 

NW. £ of this Sec. 12 and the west edge of the SW. £ of Sec. 1, a well 

developed beach, in part consisting of two parallel low ridges, has an 

elevation ot 1,170 to 1,177 feet; and in the cast edge of Sec. 2, continuing northward, its elevation is 1,177 to 1,184 feet. Its eastern slope falls 

to 1,170 feet within 10 or 20 rods. Through Sec. 36, T. 157, E. 50, it is 

not very distinct; but 10 to 25 rods north from the quarter-section stake 

between Sees. 30 and 25 it is represented by a broad bank of gravel and 

sand, with crest at 1,187 to 1,190 feet, from which a slight depression 

falls 1 or 2 feet on the west.

(455)
70 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. feniLL.39.

Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Eailway track at Park Eiver 

depot, 998 feet; natural surface at the southeast corner of Sec. 23, T. 

157, E. 50, on the road from Park Eiver to Garfield, 1,178 feet.

Crest of the upper Herman beach crossed by this road 10 rods west 

from the point named, 1,187 feet; same 20 rods southeast and northwest 

from the road, 1,192 feet; depression on the west 3 to 8 feet and descent 

on the east 10 to 15 feet in as many rods. This is a typical beach ridge 

of sand and gravel, with pebbles up to 2 or 3 inches in diameter, mostly 

limestone and granite. The cretaceous shale before mentioned is very 

rare in the till of "the mountains" and in the beaches formed along 

their east side, indicating that the east limit of this shale is the Pcmbiua Mountain and the western ascent of the Golden Valley, and that 

the glacial currents by which the drift here was deposited came only 

from the north and northeast, with no intermixture of currents from 

west of north.

Highest beach on verge of south bluff of the South Branch of Park 

Eiver, in the SE. £ of Sec, 23, T. 157, E. 50,1,188 to 1,192 feet, with a 

basin shaped hollow on its west side 20 feet lower, which changes southward to a depression of about 5 feet. The river bluff is here freshly 

undermined, showing the depth of the beach sand and gravel to be 5 to 

10 feet, lying on till. Lower beach, a quarter of a mile farther east, extending from northwest to southeast, in the SW. £ of Sec. 24, 1,107 to 

1,170 feet.

Lower Herman beach, a massive ridge of gravel and sand, extending 

in a curved course convex toward the east from the NE. ^ of Sec. 2, T. 

157, E. 50, through the southeast part of Sec. 35, T, 158, E. 50, crest, 

1,100 to 1,105 feet; through the northeast edge of Sec. 30 and the southwest corner of Sec. 25, 40 to 50 rods wide, with slightly undulating surface, 1,100 to 1,107 feet; near the middle of the east side of the SE. ^ of 

Sec. 20,1,105 to 1,100 feet; and at the quarter-section stake on the north 

side of this Sec. 20,1,103 feet.

Near the west line of Sec. 23, T. 158, E, 50, two Herman beaches abut 

upon the east flank of the north end of (t the mountains," and extend 

thence north-north westerly 2 miles to the Middle Branch of Park Eiver. 

The eastern one, a well defined ridge of sand and fine gravel, passes 

close west of the quarter-section stake between Sees. 15 and 10, The 

elevation of its crest is 1,161 to 1,160 feet, with increase in height from 

south to north; the descent on the east is 15 or 20 feet in as many rods, 

aud the depression on the west is 3 to 8 feet deep and 10 rods wide. 

The other beach ridge is 40 or 50 rods farther west, parallel with the 

preceding and similar inform and material) its crest, rising slightly 

northward, is at 1,173 to 1,170 feet. Another distinct beach ridge, but 

of smaller size, runs in a parallel course through the east part of the 

SW. | of Sec. 9, with its crest at 1,185 to 1,187 feet. These appear to 

represent in succession the fourth, third, and second Herman beaches

(450)
HEKMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 71

!

of the series observed no.rthwest of Maple Lake in Minnesota and east 

and west of Lariinore.

Upper Herman beach, northward from the north end of "the mountains," forming in the NW. | of Sec. 21 and the west part of Sec. 16, T. 

158, R. 50, a massive, broad ridge, composed of sand and gravel, with 

pebbles up to 4 or even. C inches in diameter, crest, 3,197 to 1,207 feet, 

rising highest northward, where the beach deposit overlies the eastern 

slope of a wavelike swell of till that rises to 1,212 feet. Small beach 

ridge, belonging to this stage, in the east edge of the SJB. ^ ot Sec. 8, 

1,202 to 1,207 feet. Surface at Evau Edwards's house, in the west part 

of the SW, ^ of Sec. 9, 1,197 feet, consisting of sand and gravel of this 

beach to a depth of 10 feet, underlaid by till, yellowish in its first G feet 

and dark bluishbelow. Summit of a smoothly rounded hillock, probably 

till, bub having few or no bowlders, in the east edge of the NE. % of Sec. 

8, about 1,230 feet; train of beach gravel and sand extending thence 30 

rods southward, 1,217 feet, with descent of 15 or 20 feet on each side.

Continuing beyond the Middle .Branch of Park River, this highest 

beach is well developed in a broad ridge running due north through the 

west part of Sec. 4, T. 158, E. 50, with its crest at 1,202 to 1,208 feet. On 

the east the surface falls 30 or 40 feet, and more slowly beyond, while 

toward the west a descent of 10 feet is succeeded by a flat surface of 

till, which rises slowly from the foot of the beach ridge to a swell, 1,215 

to 1,225 feet, a half mile away, forming the east boundary of the Golden 

Valley. This beach is sand and gravel, with pebbles up to G inches in 

diameter. About half of them are limestone; nearly : all of the remainder are archean granite, gneiss, and schists; scarcely 1 in'200 is cretaceous shale. Through the west edge of Sec. 33, T. 159, R. 50, the elevation of this excellent beach ridge is 1,202 to 1,205 feet, and in the 

southwest edge of Sec. 28 and the middle of the east edge of &ec. 29, 

1,202 to 1,197 feet, decreasing in height and size northward. For a half 

mile through the SW. £ of Sec. 33, a slight secondary beach ridge, 4 to 9 

feet lower, lies about 30 rods east from the foregoing; its crest is at 

1,198 to 1,195 feet, sinking a few feet from south to north ; it is divided 

from the higher beach by a continuous depression about 3 feet deep.

Very massive beach ridge, composed of sand and gravel, with pebbles 

and rock fragments, the largest only slightly water-worn, up to G inches 

in diameter, passing a few degrees west of north through the center of 

Sec. 20, T. 159, R. 50, crestin the south half of the section, 1,208 to 1,215 

feet; in the north half, 1,215 to 1,223 feet. On the east is a descent of 20 

to 30 feet within 25 to 40 rods, and on the west 10 or 12 feet from the 

highest part of the beach within 10 rods to a nearly level area of till, 

1,211 feet, which sinks 40 rods farther west to a long slough, about 1,205 

feet, parallel with the beach and one-sixth of a mile wide. Beyond 

this an undulating surface of till, partly covered with bushes and small' 

trees, rises to 1,250 or 1,275 feet within 2 miles, and then in smooth massive swells to 1,450 or 1,500 feet within the next 2 to 4 miles. These are

(457)
72 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [BULL. 39.

part of a plateau, thence rising more slowly westward, whose boundary 

for the next 50 miles or more to the north and northwest is the conspicuous escarpment called Pembina Mountain.

The north end of this massive beach bears on its crest an artificial 

embankment 100 feet long-from east to west and 20 feet wide, raised li 

feet above the natural surface, its top being 1,225 feet above the sea. 

This is 10 rods south from where the beach is cut to 1,210 feet by a wide 

gap, as of some ancient watercourse. In the south edge of the SW. £ 

of Sec. 17, T. 159, E. 50, on the south bank of the North Branch of Park 

River, about 10 rods east from the ford of the "Halfbreed road," this 

beach has an elevation of 1,220 feet. 

North Branch of Park Eiver at this ford, 10 to 15 feet wide and a 

few inches deep, 1,203 feet. Surface at Garder, a mile east, 1,175 to 1,170 

feet. Lower Herman beach, passing from south to north along the 

east side of Sees. 20 and 17, T. 159, E. 56, a third of a rnile west of 

Garder, about 1,185 feet.

FROM GARDER NORTH,TO THE TONGUE RIVER.

Sees. 17, 8, and 5, T. 159, E. 56, rise from 1,190 and 1,200 feet on their 

east side to 1,220 and 1,225 feet on the west, including, therefore, the 

upper Herman shore of Lake Agassiz ; but they present no considerable 

deposits of beach gravel and sand. A swell of till, sprinkled with very 

abundant bowlders, nearly all archeau granite and gneiss, up to 5 

feet in diameter, extends from south to north across the lino between 

Sees.8 and 5, having its crest at 1,215 feet, from which there is a steep 

descent of 10 or 12 feet to the west. Sloughs and pools of water, permanent through the year, lie in the west part of Sec. 5, about 1,190 feet 

above the sea.

The South Branch of Cart Creek in Sees. 31 and 32, T. 160, E. 56, is 

bordered by a belt of timber a half mile wide; but it has only a small 

channel a few feet below the general surface and is dry through the 

greater part of the year. Its alluvial gravel, like that of the Middle 

and North Branches of Park Eiver, is mostly cretaceous shale, derived 

from the gorges eroded in this rock at the sources of these streams in 

the Pembina Mountain.

Along the western border of Lake Agassiz here and northward into 

Manitoba extends a prominent wooded bluff, the escarpment of a treeless plateau which from its crest stretches with slow ascent westward. 

This escarpment, commonly called the second Pembina mountain, is 

a very marked feature in the topography for at least 50 miles. It is 

caused by the outcrop, mostly overspread by glacial drift, of a continuous belt of nearly horizontal cretaceous shale, several hundred feet 

thick, usually so hard and enduring that it is popularly termed "slate." 

Its course coincides nearly with the west lino of Ts. 159 and 160, E. 56. 

Thence it continues in an almost straight course, a few degrees west of 

north, through Sees. 31 and 30, T. 161, E. 56;' Sees. 24,13,12, and 2, T.

(458)
UPHAM.] HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 73

161, R. 57; Sees. 35, 26, 22, 15, 10, 9, and 4, T. 162, E. 57; Sees. 33, 28, 

21, 16, 9, and 4, T. 163, B. 57; and Sees. 33, 32, and 29, T. 164, B. 57, 

to the international boundary, beyond which it soon turns more to the 

northwest. The base of the ascent is about 1,225 feet above the sea 

and its crest approximately 1,500 feet, northward to the Peinbma River, 

beyond which the base sinks to 1,150 and 1,100 feet and the crest to 

1,400 and 1,300 feet. The width occupied by the slope varies from a 

quarter to a half of a mile.

Natural surface at the quarter-section stake on the north side of Sec. 

32, T. 160, E. 56,1,178 feet above the sea. Sees. 32, 29, and 20 of this 

township are mostly till, smoothed by this glacial lake, the depressions 

having been filled by leveling down the higher portions, where many 

bowlders partially embedded testify to considerable erosion. A broad 

ridge of beach sand and fine gravel, 3 to 5 feet high, extends from south 

to north through the center of Sec. 29, its crest being at 1,180 to 1,182 

feet. This is the third in the series of four Herman beaches observed 

near Maple Lake, near Larirnore, and in T. 158, E. 56. The higher 

beaches are probably also recognizable 1 to 1£ miles farther, west, 

near the base of the "second mountain," which is 1,220 to 1,230 feet 

above the sea; but it is impracticable to trace their course and determine their exact elevation, because woods reach from the base of this 

escarpment a half mile east, where these beaches belong.

Fourth Herman beach, a broad low swell of sand and gravel, extending north-northwesterly through the east half of Sec. 20, T. 160, E. 56, 

1,166 to 1,172 feet; through Sees. 17 and 8, an eighth to a quarter of a 

mile wide, 1,161 to 1,173 feet, having in some places a depth of at least 

10 feet, as shown by wells. On the north line of Sec. 20 and again in 

the north part of Sec. 17, it is intersected by branches of Cart Creek, 

which occupy valleys about 40 feet deep and an eighth to a quarter of 

a mile wide. Brush and scattered trees grow iu these valleys and on 

the area between them. Toward the east a descent of 30 or 40 feet is 

made within the first half mile ; westward there is only a slight ascent, 

to about 1,200 feet, in l.mile; then a more considerable slope, covered 

with'woods, rises 20 to 40 feet to the base of the " second mountain," on 

or near the township line.

In the west part of Sec. 8 and again near the northeast corner of 

Sec. 6, T. 160, E. 56, this beach is intersected by the headstreams of 

Willow Creek, iu valleys about 35 feet deep. On the north line of Sees. 

5 and 6 of this township, the fourth and third Herman beaches are 

merged in an undulating tract of gravel and sand a half mile wide, 

which rises from 1,160 feet on the east to 1,184 feet on the west. A well 

on the west part of this belt found the beach deposit 6 feet thick, underlaid by till, which forms the slightly ascending surface next west.

Base of second Pembina Mountain in the east half of Sec. 31, T. 161, 

E. 56,1,235 at the south to 1,220 feet northward, coinciding nearly with 

the upper Herman shore of Lake Agassiz. William Crombie's well, 24

(450)
74 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [BULL. 39.

feet deep, near the center of Sec. 30, situated about 50 feet above the 

Tongue Eiver, a few rods back from the verge of its north bluff, was 

soil, 2 feet ; gravel, nearly all cretaceous shale, 8 feet; underlaid by 

gravel, nearly all granite and gneiss, with scarcely any intermixture of 

shale, containing pebbles and cobbles up to 4 inches in diameter, 14 feet, 

yielding a permanent supply of water. This well is close to the base of 

the " mountain," at an elevation of about 1,230 feet. Its bed of granite 

gravel appears to be the upper beach, the overlying shale gravel being 

a delta deposit brought by Tongue River.

Surface at Young post office, in the northeast corner of the SW. % of 

Sec. 32, T. 161,11. 50, 1,192 feet. The welt here, 14 feet deep, is wholly 

stratified gravel and sand, being a beach deposit of the second and 

third stages in the Herman series. Third beach, about an eighth of a 

mile east of Young post office, a broad ridge of sand and fine gravel, 

a few feet above the land on its west side, crest, 1,187 feet. Fourth and 

lowest Herman beach, of similar form with the last, but larger, running 

a few degrees west of north through the west edge of Sec. 33,1,173 to 

1,175.feet, with depression of 1 to 5 feet on its west side and descent 

of 25 feet within 30 or 40 rods east. About a third of a mile east 

from the crest of the last is another parallel beach ridge, belonging to 

the Norcross stage of this glacial lake.

Tongue River at bridge near the center of the south half of Sec. 28, 

T. 161, R. 56, about 1,110 feet; bottomland, 10 feet higher; top of bluffs, 

about 1,150 feet. Gavin's Creek in the south half of Sec. 20, about 1,140 

feet; valley 40 feet deep, a sixth of a mile wide.

Lowest Herman beach, a massive ridge of sand and fine gravel, in the 

NE. £ of Sec. 29 and the east part of Sees. 20 and 17, T. 161, R. 56, 

1,175 to 1,180 feet.

DELTA OF THE PEMBINA EIVER.

The largest tributary to the Red River in Dakota is the Pembina 

River, which has cut a valley about 400 feet deep and a mile wide in 

the plateau of the second Pembiua Mountain. During the recession 

of the ice sheet this stream appears to have been much, larger than 

now, being the outlet of glacial lakes in the basins of the Souris 

and Assiniboine Rivers. 1 From the bend of the Souris, or Mouse River, 

eighteen miles southwest of its mouth, the river discharging the waters 

of these lakes ran southeasterly to the Pembina River. Pelican Lake, 

eleven miles long from northwest to southeast and about a mile wide, 

occupies a part of the channel of this stream; and a distinct watercourse of similar width, called Laug's Valley, eroded 150 to 200 feet 

below the general level, extends eleven miles between this lake and the 

Souris River. The highest portion of Lang's Valley.is 1,364 feet above

'Ninth Annual Report of the Geological and Natural History Survey of Minnesota, 

p. 342; and Hind's Report of the Assiniboine and Saskatchewan Exploring Expedition, 

1859, pp. 118 and 168.

(460)
WHAM.) HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 75

the sea, and is bordered by bluffs that rise 160 feet. It is a channel 

similar to that of Lakes Traverse and Big Stone and Brown's Valley, 

eroded by the River Warren. The delta deposited in the margin of the 

glacial Lake Agassiz by the Pembiua River, thus swollen by a great 

affluent from the melting ice fields beyond the present limits of its basin, 

extends twelve miles from south to north and has a maximum width of 

seven miles, with a maximum thickness exceeding two hundred feet. 

About five-sixths of this delta of fifty square miles or more lie south of 

the Pembina River; reaching nearly to the Tongue River.

Its'elevation in the northwest part of Sec. 17, T. 161, R. 56, is 1,200 

feet; thence northward it rises slowly in two miles to 1,225 feet in the 

east part of Sec. 6; and in Sees. 31 and 30, T. 162, R. 56, it varies from 

1,220 to 1,227 feet. From this crest of the southern part of the delta it 

slopes slowly east and northeast to 1,080 and 1,090 feet at its eastern 

border, in Sees. 25,24, and 13, which coincides nearly with the east line 

of this T. 162, R. 56. Deep valleys, with frequent tributary ravines, 

have been eroded in it by several small streams. Westward the delta 

reaches to the base of the " second mountain," the belt a half mile to 

one mile wide next beyond the crest, only about 5 feet lower, being 

a very flat, beautiful prairie, which rises slowly, like the crest, from 

south to north. The elevation of this belt in Sec. 18, T. 161, R. 56, is 

1,190 to 1,195 feet, and at Mr. Henry Golf's house, in the middle of the 

east edge of Sec. 36, T. 162, R. 57,1,221 feet. Farther west there is an 

ascent to about 1,240 feet at the base of the " second mountain." Wells 

on this area penetrate only beds of sand and gravel, easy to dig and 

needing to be curbed to prevent caving. A large proportion, probably 

half, of the gravel is cretaceous shale. Water is obtained at depths 

varying from twenty-five to sixty feet.

Natural surface at the northwest corner of Sec. 30, T. 162, R. 56,1,227 

feet.

The part of the Pembina delta thus far described is divided from its 

central and higher part by a depression about a mile wide, through 

which a portion or the whole of the river flowed during much of the tim c 

in which this delta was formed. In the southwest corner of Sec. 18, T. 

162, R. 56, this depression is 1,205 feet above the sea, being 20 fe'et lower 

than the area on the south. It extends eastward with a slow descent 

and rises westward to 1,215 feet close east of the Little Pembina River 

in Sec. 15, T. 162, R. 57. This stream flows through the escarpment of 

the " second mountain" in the SE. ^ of Sec. 22, about a mile south from 

this lowest part of the divide on its east side. It there turns abruptly 

from its eastern course and thence flows north-northwest along the base 

of the " second mountain " to its junction with the Pembina River; thus 

leaving the depression just described, which would seem, to be its more 

natural course, and taking in its stead a channel that is eroded through 

a portion of the. delta 50 feet higher.

(461)
76 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. [HULL. 39.

The most elevated point of this delta, as it now remains, is about 1,270 

feet above the sea, near the northwest corner of Sec.-11, T. 162, E. 57, 

east of the Little Pembiua and south of the Pembina Kiver, nearly 300 

feet above the junction of these streams, 1£ miles distant toward the 

northwest. Sec. 12 of this township and the west part of Sec. 7, T. 162, E. 

56, slope from 1,225 on the south to 1,215 feet on the north; their southern part is the highest land crossed between the depression before mentioned and the Pembina Eiver by the line dividing these townships. 

The level of Lake Agassiz in its highest stage here was 1,220 or 1,225 

feet above the sea, being 50 feet below the top of the Pembina delta, as is 

shown by the beach line of this level, 1,226 feet, in the central part of 

this Sec. 7, where an eastward descent begins. This is the east verge of 

the nearly flat area of the delta in Sees. 12 and 7. Like all of this vast 

delta deposit, the material here is sand and gravel, covered by a fertile 

soil. A small proportion of the pebbles of this gravel is limestone; a 

large part is cretaceous shale; but more was derived from archeau 

formations of-granite and gaeiss.

Second Herman beach, a ridge of the usual form, crossed by the road 

near the east side of the NE. £ of Sec. 7, T. 162, E. 56, descending from 

1,212 feet to about 1,200 feet in a distance of a third or half of a mile 

from south to north.

William Eoadhouse's well, 110 feet deep, in the NW. £ of Sec. 9, T.

162. E. 56, at elevation of 1,184 feet, is all stratified sand and gravel, 

with pebbles up to 6 inches in diameter, fully half cretaceous shale. 

Water comes in coarse sand at the bottom, filling the lowest 2 feet. 

Another well of the same description, but 137 feet deep, is a mile far. 

ther east, at Wellington Stewart's house, in the SW. £ of Sec. 4, 1,192 

feet above the sea. 

Crest of the first Pembina mountain in the north part of Sec. 33, T.

163. E. 56, nearly two miles southeast from Walhalla, a few rods west 

from the summit on the Olga road and 5 feet higher, 1,196 feet. 

This is a beach accumulation, belonging to the third Herman stage. On 

the west and southwest the undulating delta plateau, mostly covered 

with bushes and occasional trees, is 10 to 30 feet lower for a width of 

1 to 1£ miles, averaging about 1,175 feet.

Northeast from the crest of the Olga road a short descent is made to 

a prairie terrace 30 to 60 rods wide, varying in elevation from 1,182 

to 1,169 feet, but mainly within 2 feet above or below 1,175. In general the verge of this terrace is its lowest portion. Thence a very steep 

descent of 169 feet is made on the road from. 1,173 to 1,004 feet, this 

being the very conspicuous wooded escarpment called the " first mountain." It is the eroded front of the great Pembina delta, the eastern 

part of which, originally descending more moderately, has been swept 

away by the waves and shore currents of the ancient lake during its 

Norcross, Campbell, and McCauleyville stages. From the north part of

(462)
WHAM.] HERMAN BEACH IX DAKOTA. 77

this Sec. 33 the "firstmountain" extends southeast to Sees. 13 and 24, T. 

162, E. 56, before mentioned, and northwest across the Pembiua Eiver, 

passing close southwest of Walhalla and onward to Sees. 10 and 3,T. 163, 

E. 57. Its highest part is intersected by the Pembina.Eiver, above 

which it rises on each side in bluffs of gravel and sand 200 to 250 feet 

high, with their crests a half mile to 1 mile apart.1

Surface at Bellevue Hotel, Walhalla, 994 feet above the sea; at the 

post office, Mr. Or. D. Loring's store, 968 feet; Pembiua Eiver, at the 

bridge, a third of a mile east of Walhalla, 934 feet.

Highest part of the Pembina delta north of Pembina Eiver, in Sees. 

25 and 26, T. 163, E. 57,1,210 to 1,230 feet, rising slowly from east to 

west; in the west half of Sec. 26 and the east edge of Sec. 27, it is depressed to 1,225 and 1,220 feet; but beyond this it rises to 1,235 and 

1,240 feet, next to the foot of the "second mountain." From this upper 

portion the delta slopes down gradually toward the northeast and 

north,.extending only 2 to 4 miles beyond the Pembiua Eiver.

Natural surface at the quarter-section stake on the north side of Sec. 

26, T. 163, E. 57,1,191 feet.

Third Herman beach, crest 5 rods south of this stake, 1,197 feet, from 

which there is ;.i descent in 5 rods south to 1,192 feet and in 15 rods north 

to 1,180 feet. This beach curves thence to the northwest and north, and 

in the opposite direction runs east-southeast 2 miles to near the center 

of Sec. 30, T. 163, E. 56, where its elevation is approximately 1,192 feet. 

Other shore lines of the Herman group were not noticed north of the 

Pembina Eiver.

In the gravel of this delta, as seen in the bluffs of Pembina Eiver 

near Walhalla and at noteworthy springs 2 miles to the south, on 

the south side of the river in the southwest corner of Sec. 32, the pebbles of some beds are mainly cretaceous shale, of others mostly limestone, and of others granite, gneiss, and dark trappean rocks. In the 

aggregate, these three classes have a nearly equal representation. 

White quartz and moss agate are frequent and bits of silicified wood

occur rarely ; but no banded agates were found. Numerous pieces of

_______________i___________________i_____

1 The first Pembiua mountain was visited by D. D. Owen in 1848. He describes it 

as follows: " Pembina Mountain is, in fact, no mountain at all, nor yet a hill. It is 

a terrace of table laud, the ancient shore of a great body of water that ouce filled 

the whole of the Red River Valley. On its summit it is quite level and extends so 

for about five miles westward to another terrace, the summit of which I was told is 

level with the great buffalo plains that stretch away towards the Missouri, the hunting grounds of the Sioux and the half-breed population of Red River." Report of a» 

Geological Survey of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota, 1852, p. 178.

Both the first and second Pembina mountains were examined in 1857 by Palliser, 

who says of the flat Red River Valley and the Pembina delta: " This plain, no doubt, 

had formed at one time the bed of a sheet of water, and the Pembina Hill, consisting 

of previously deposited materials, was its western shore." Journals, detailed reports, 

&c., presented to Parliament, 19th May, 1863, p. 41.

(463)
78 UPPER BEACHES OF LAKE AGASSIZ. ' [BULL. 30.

lignite, rounded by water wearing, from 2 to 4 inches in diameter, no. 

ticed in this delta gravel at the springs, have caused some to look for 

workable beds of this kind of coal in the vicinity ; but the proportion 

of these fragments is no greater than in the glacial drift generally 

throughout this region and for hundreds of miles to the south.

Surface at the iron post set on the international boundary on the north 

side of the fractional Sec. 27, T. 164, E. 57, about a quarter of a mile 

east from the line between Sees: 27 and 28, 1,018 feet above the sea; 

top of this post, 1,022 feet. 1

Smooth surface of till on the top of the " second mountain" in the SE. 

\ of Sec. 32, T. 164, E. 57,1,268 to 1,311 feet above the sea; shallow 

lakelet in the SW. £ of this Sec. 32, 30 rods long from northwest to 

southeast, 1,309 feet; natural surface of the northeast corner of Sec. 6, 

T. 163, E. 57, 1,321 feet.

Base of ''Heart Mound," 2 a peculiar hillock of cretaceous shale, with 

very steep sides and smoothly rounded top, situated near the center of 

this Sec. 6, T. 163, E. 57. about 1,360 feet; and its top, about 1,390feet. 

Some have erroneously supposed it an artificial mound. Glacial drift, 

containing granitic bowlders up to 4 or 5 feet in diameter, thinly covers 

its northeast side; but the other sides and crest of this knob show very 

clearly that it is an outlier of the cretaceous beds that form, higher land 

about a mile westward, and, indeed, make the whole length of the secon d 

Pembina Mountain, being left thus isolated from the surrounding area 

by erosion.

The lowest exposure of this shale observed is 3£ miles south from 

Heart Mound, at the "fishs trap," a rude weir of brush and poles, on the 

Pembina Eiver, iu the northeast corner of the ETW. £ of Sec. 30, T. 163, 

E. 57. Here the river falls 7£ feet in 40 rods, its elevation being estimated about 1,050 feet. The southwestern bluff rises steeply from the

'The section on the boundary within the nest 2 miles west is described by Dr. G. 

M. Dawson as follows: " The eastern front of Perubiua escarpmeu t is very distinctly 

terraced, and the summit of the plateau, oven at its eastern edge, thickly covered 

with drift. The first or lowest terrace, which is about one-third from the prairie level 

toward the top of the escarpment, * * * doos not seem to preserve exactly the 

same altitude. On the boundary line its height above the general prairie level was 

found to bo about 90 feet; a second terrace, 260 foot; and that of the third level, or 

summit of the plateau, about 3GO feet. The surface of the first terrace, which is here 

wide, is strewn with bowlders, as is also that of the second to rrace and plateau above. 

These are chiefly of Laurentian gneiss and granite, but a few smaller ones of limestone occur. The banks of ravines cutting the top of the plateau and draining 

westward into the Pembina Rivor show, iu some places, a great thickness of lightcolored, yellowish, marly drift, with few bowlders embedded in it." Report on the 

Geology and>Resources of the Region in the Vicinity of the Forty-ninth Parallel, from 

the Lake of the Woods to the Rocky Mountains, 1875, p. 219.

2 Commonly called by English-speaking people in its vicinity "The Indian Mound," 

but more properly named as above, in accordance with the usage o f the French voya. 

geurs and immigrants, who, probably translating the aboriginal name, call this mound 

and the area of prairie around it La Baie du Cceur.

(464)
WHAM.] HERMAN BEACH IN DAKOTA. 79

fisli trap .to a height of 150 feet, and at tlio time of my visit, in August, 

1885, was newly exposed by slides, being shown to be a hard, fissile, 

dark gray shale, nearly horizontal in stratification to a height of 100 

feet, capped by glacial drift. In the shale, crystals of selenite, 2 or 3 

inches long, are frequent, and the same mineral occurs in its crevices 

and seains. No fossils were found; but the formation may be wi th confidence referred to the cretaceous series, and with much probability to 

its Fort Pierre subdivision.1 The thickness of this shale, seen at the 

Heart Mound and the fish trap of Pembiua River, is at least 300 or 400 

feet; but it probably exceeds this, for there is no indication that these 

exposures mark its upper and lower limits. Its eroded eastern edge 

forms the long, high escarpment of the second Pembina Mountain, as 

the eroded border of the Pembina delta forms the almost equally notable 

"first mountain." Till, or bowlder clay, containing frequent granitic 

bowlders, up to 5 or even 8 feet in diameter, covers the shale, so that it 

is rarely seen excepting in the sections cut by streams.

1 This reference has been confirmed during the field work of 1886 by the discovery, 

in the shale at this locality and in its continuation southward on the headstreanis 

of Park River, of Scaphites Nicolletii ( Morton), Scapli lies iwdosus ( 0 wen), JJaciilites ovalus 

(Say), and Baculites compressus (Say); two species of Inoceramus, one of which, is I. 

altus (Meek), or near that species, besides other laincllibrauchs nob yefc identified; 

and the teeth of fishes, apparently Pacluyrldsodus lallmentum (Cope) and Lamna mudyel 

(Cope), or a smaller species., with a vertebral bone, perhaps belonging to one of these.

(465)

INDEX.

Page, 

Agassiz, Lake, gravitation toward the ice sheet the probable cause of changed

levels of...... ........................................................ 9,18:

area of................................................................ 10, IBnamed in memory of Louis Agassiz..................................... 10

erosion by.......................................11,24,29,30,31,50,53,63,66,73

gravel and sand forming the beaches of....................11,14,25,27; 30,54,64

marshy tracts along the margin of..................................11,26,28,29'-

terrace marking the shore of....................................11,22,24,50,69

influence on the deposition of the glacial drift......................... 14

outlet of glacial Eiver Warren ........................................ 14,-

depth ol .............................................................. 18

elevation during formation of beaches................ 19,20,22,26,28,29,30,32,7fr

forest in basin of.......................................19,33,35,53,59,63,72,7ff

islands of.....................................................19,28,58,64,66,68

prairie district of......................................................19,55,63

proportion of limestone in gravel of beaches of............27,30,38,43,46,76,77

currents along shores of.........................................28,46,63,66,76

Alluvial deposits in the Eed Kiver Valley .................................. 14

Archean rock fragments in the drift..............................46,61,71,72,76,78

Assiniboine Eiver, glacial lake in basin of................................. 74

Barrier of Lake Agassiz, formed by the receding ice sheet..................10,16,18

opinion of G. K. Warren.......................................... 15,18

Bars connecting islands of Lake Agassiz...................................28,58,67

Beaches of Lake Agassiz .................................................. 10

composed of gravel and sand...........................11,14,25,27,30,54,64,70

containing no bowlders................................................ 11,30

typical section of..................................................... 11

changes in the relative levels of....................................... 16,17

elevations of crests of................................................. 20

(See Campbell, Herman, McCauleyville, Milnor, and Norcrossbeaches.) 

Big Stone Lake, caused by partial silting up of the channel of the Eiver

Warren ............................................................ 15

elevation and extent.................................................. 15

Bowlders and bowlder clay ........11,27,29,30,31,38,40,42,43,49,57,61,62,67,72,73

Brown's Valley eroded by the Eiver Warren.......................... ...... 15,75

Buffalo Eiver, delta of .................................... ............. 29

Campbell beach .................. _..................................... 12,76

northward and eastward ascent of.....................................17,18,20

elevation of Lake Agassiz during formation of......................... 19,20

Chamberlin, T. C., letter of transmittal................................... 7

on effects of weight and temperature of the ice sheet on the earth's crust, 

cited...........................................................__ 18

Coteau des Prairies .................................__....__ ..........14,39,42

Cretaceous shales of Pembina Mountain ...................................70,72,78

drift gravel and sand derived from ............ 60,61,62,64,68,70,72,74,75,76,77

fossils of.............................................................. 79

Dawson, G. M., description of Pembina Mountain on the international boundary, quoted........................................................... 78

(467) 81
82 - INDEX.

Tage. 

Delta deposits in the margin of Lake Agassiz..................... 24,29,35,40,42,74

Drift, glacial, deposition of, in Lake Agassiz ............................... 10,14

thickness of................................ .......................... 13

modified, bordering the Herman beach................................. 40

Dunes in vicinity of the Lightning's Nest and northward to the Wild Eico

River, Dakota ...................................................... 39,40

Dunes of Sand Hill River . .i.-.i; ;..;... .'.i..i .j.i;.-.;...;...:.:..-.; .^.^ .-* .. 35

Dunes of Sheyenne River ............................................u:..:: 42

Elk and Golden Valleys............. ........^.............................11,57,64

ElmRiveij Herman beach near.................;;i .i.......... .^.... ..i... 50

Erosion, preglacial:.......;.... ...........................................^ 13,14,73

Erosion by Lake Agassiz................. i... 4 . ...i.. 11,24,29,30,31*50,53,62,66,73

Fargo and Southwestern Railroad, elevation at Sheldon.... *.....;........; 44

Forest River, Herman beach near .......................i.............;..^ 60,67

Fort Pierre shales of Peinbina Mountain..;.....:;..;.>... j...............;. 79

Fossil shells and remains of vegetation in alluvial deposits of the Red River

Valley.............................................................: 14

Fossils of the cretaceous shale of Pembina Mountain .....i.......... i...... i 79

Gilbert, G. K., on effects of weight and temperature of the ice sheet on the

earth's crust, cited .................................................. 18

Glacial currents...............................................;.......-.i. 70

Golden Lake, Herman beach near .......;... i... ^....... ...* ii:........... 54

Golden Valley.....................................................^...11,62,68,70

Goose River, Herman beach near branches of ...........:.......... i... ....52,54,56

Gravitation toward the ice sheet, probable cause of changed levels of Lake

Agassiz. .... -.- ................ ....^. :... -~ .:.ii. ;;.i...:....i.'.. 9,18

Heart Mound, outlier of Cretaceous shale on Pembina Mountain...-..... .i.. 78

Herman beach, general description of ................ -. ^ ................. <. 10

eletation of Lake Agassiz during formation of ..i. 11,19,20,22,26,28,29,30,32,76 

extent explored.......................................................11,16,17

interruptions of the beach ridge ............ ...^.;... i. * .<..-. ...-. .i..ll, 22,24,29

northward and eastward ascent of................... ii...i i^.... ...^..16,17,20

in Minnesota, from Lake Traverse east to Herman............i.......... 21

from Herman north to the Red River ...... ii..i..................i.. 23

from the Red River north to Muskoda................j. : ..... .i..;.'.. 24

from Muskoda north to the Wild Rice River....... ...i.. ;.*;..;. .;i..... 30

from the Wild Rice River north to Maple Lake ..*... .-..£.. .......i-. 34

in Dakota, from Lake Traverse northwest to Miluor .............. i.... 38

from Milnor north to Sheldon...................... ..,;... i...i......i 42

from Sheldon north to the Northern Pacific Railroad.. i...... i...-:... 45

from the Northern Pacific Railroad north to Galesburg :.... i i i....... 48

from Galesburg north to Larimore ................. ..^....i^ i....... 51

west of the Elk and Golden Valleys...................... .....: ..;... 57

east of the.Elk and Golden Valleys ,.....-...:..........;.;..........*. 64

from Garder north to the Tongue River:..... i.;. .-..i...: . .;..... .*.. 72

in vicinity of the Pembina River.....................j.:............. 74

Hind, H. Y.j report of, cited..;-.;.. ..........;.*....* .......i.i.......... 74

Ice sheet, recession of.....................................................10,18,40

drainage from final melting of......... .*.............. i.....-.......... 15

northern barrier of Lake Agassiz .........ii. ..i.*.. .^.i.. .;.;. .; :.i. i... 16,18

effects on the earth's crust of weight and temperature of .....;... ..:... 18

gravitation toward, causing changes in relative levels of Lake Agassiz. 18 

currents of.................;;..................... .....i... ..w......... 70

(468) .
INDEX. 83

Page. 

Islands of Lake Agassiz.......................................... 19,28,58,64/66,68

ItascaLake, profile from Mob'fh'&td to ............i........................ 13

Lao qtii Parle, caused by partial lilting up of the' channel of the River

. Warren.:.;................................^.. '.;..........^...^.^...... 15

Lang's Valley, course of glacial river outflowing froni the Souris basin to

Penibfna River......................................... ......... 74

Larimore, Herman be'acheariear ............................................ 64

Level, changes in the relatioris of surfaces bf............................. 9,16,19,20

Leveling, elevations Of. beaches determined by...................... i...... 9,12,16

Lightning's (or Thunder's) Nest ................... ..................... 46

Lignite in gravel of the Penibinadelta .................................... 77

McCauleyville" beach....................................................... 12,76

elevation of Lake Agassiz during formation of........ .............. 19,20"

northward and eastward ascent of ...... ...........................:..17,18,20

Mammoth, fossil bones of, in till, beneath the Herman beach............... 49

Maple Lake, beaches in vicinity of....... ................................. 16,37

Maple River, Herman beach near.......................................... 45

Marsh, tracts of, along the" margin of Lake Agassiz .... .............. ll, 26,28,29

Milnor beach. ..................................................... .41,42,43,44,53

Minnesota, Geological and Natural History Survey of, cited ................ 9,74

Minnesota River, outlet of Lake Agassiz along present course of............ 10,14

Moorhead, profile from Itasca Lake to ..................................... 13

Moraines, terminal.....................................................40,42,57,61

Mounds, aboriginal, on and near the Herman beach..................24,43,66,68,72

Mouse or Souris River, glacial lake in basin of............................. 74

Muskoda", delta of Buffalo River" hear..*..................................i.. 29

Mustinka River, Herman beach near ...................................... 21

Newberry, J. S., opinion of, respecting formerly higher levels of the Laurentiaii lakes........................................................... 16

Norcross beach...... .........................................12,30,31,33,38,74,76

northward and eastward ascent of..................................... 17,20

elevation of Lake Agassiz during formation of......................... 19* 20

Northern Pacific, Fergus Falls and Black Hills Railroad, elevations of...... 41

Northern Pacific' Railroad, elevations of................................ *... 30,,48

Outlet of Lake' Agassiz ....... ............................................ 14

Owen, D". D\, on fir's't Femb'ina Mountain................................... 77

Palliser, John, oh the Pem'biria delta .... .................................. 77

Park River, Herman beach near branches of.. .............................62,68,72

fossils of cretaceous shale on head streams of........................... 79

Pembina Mountain, first, delta of Pembiua River .......................... 76

second, contour due to preglacial erosion............................... 14

second, escarpment of cretaceous shale ................................72,74,78

Pembina River, delta of, and Herman beaches near......................... 74

fish trap of............................................................ 78

Prairie district of Lake Agassiz ...........................................19,55,63

Red River of the North, channel of........................................ 12

elevations of.......................................................... 24

Herman beach near ................................................... 24

Red River Valley .........................................................10,12,32

lakes on the plain of....!.......................................13,25,40,41,45

lacustrine and alluvial deposits of stratified clay in and alluvial........ 14

Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway, elevations of.....21,23,27,34,50,57,

64,65,70
84 INDEX.

Page. 

Sand Hill River, Herman beach, delta, and d unes, near .................... 35

Sand Mils.............................. ...^-........................... 35,39,40,42

Sheyenne River, Herman beach, delta, and dunes, near ... _......^........ 42,43,44

elevations of........................ .................................. 43

Slougns in the Red River Valley.............................. ....13,24,25,26,28,40

Souris or Mouse River, glacial lake in basin of. _......................... 74

Spit or hook connected with the Herman beach ............................ ,- 46

Taylor Lake, Herman beach and dunes near................................ 40

Terrace marking the shore of Lake Agassiz..........................11,22,24,50,69

Thunder's (or Lightning's) Nest ........................................... 40

Till, commonly adjoining the beaches of Lake Agassiz...................... 11

forming the surface on much of the area of Lake Agassiz ........ ;..... 13,14

Tongue River, delta and Herman beaches near ............................. 74

Topography, grand features of, due to preglacial erosion ................... 13

Traverse, Lake, caused by partial silting up of the channel of the River Warren ................................................................. 15

elevation and extent.................................................. 15

Herman beach near ................................................... 21,38

Turtle River, Herman beach near branches of.............................. 58,65

Upper or Herman beach. (See Herman beach.)

Warren, G. K., survey of the Minnesota Valley ............................ 14,15

opinion of, respecting the northern barrier of Lake Agassiz............. 15,18

Warren, River, outlet of Lake Agassiz..................................... 14,15

named in memory of G. K. Warren .................................... 15

Wells, sections shown by................. 39,44,45,50,51,52,53,60,62,64, 73,74,75,70

White Earth Agency. ................................................. 14,33.

Wild Rice River, Herman beach near South Branch of..................... 32

Minnesota, Herman beach near........................................ 33

Dakota, Herman beach and dunes near.. ............................ 40,41

Winchell, Horace V., assistant ............................................ 9

Winchell, N. H., work done in Minnesota under direction of................ 9

opinion of, respecting the northern barrier of Lake Agassiz............. 16

Winds, producing shore currents .......................................... 28,46

forming dunes ......................................._...........35,39,40,42

Winnipeg, Lake, elevation of .............................................. 10

present representative of Lake Agassiz ................................ 14

Young, Robert H., assistant............................................... 9'

(470)

1ST O T I C TTJ.

The bulletins of the United States Geological Survey are numbered in a contiuiiotaa 

series ami will bo bound in volumes of convenient size. 

This bulletin will be included in Volume VI.