AHJ_ah400158 Inventory of the Horace Davis Thomas papers, 1863-1967 Thomas (Horace Davis) papers Andrea Edwards University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.
American Heritage Center Dept. 3924, 1000 E. University Avenue University of Wyoming Laramie, WY 82071 Phone: 307.766.2574 Fax:307.766.5511 Email:ahcref@uwyo.edu URL:http://ahc.uwyo.edu/
2025

University of Wyoming

 Finding aid encoded by Ann Mulfort December 2012 Finding aid is in English Collection Summary Thomas, Horace Davis, 1905 - 1967 Horace Davis Thomas papers 1863-1967 400158 9.15 cubic feet (11 boxes) University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center. English Horace Davis Thomas (1905–1967) was a geologist and professor who taught at the University of Wyoming and served as Wyoming State Geologist. This collection contains Thomas’s professional papers and research data. Biography of Horace Davis Thomas

Horace Davis Thomas (1905–1967) was a geologist and professor who taught at the University of Wyoming and served as Wyoming State Geologist. He earned his undergraduate degree in 1926 and an M.A. in geology in 1928, both from the University of Wyoming, and completed his Ph.D. in geology at Columbia University in 1935. Thomas taught stratigraphy, paleontology, and petroleum geology at the University of Wyoming from 1931 until his death in 1967. His primary research focus was the Permian stratigraphy of Wyoming and the western United States. In addition to his academic work, Thomas served as Wyoming State Geologist beginning in 1941 and held the role until his passing. He was also active in professional organizations and served as vice president of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists from 1955 to 1956.

This collection contains Thomas’s professional papers and research data. This includes subject files on oil fields, oil exploration, and geological studies in Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Nebraska, and other states. The collection also contains professional correspondence, teaching materials, and personal notes from Thomas's time as a student.

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

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There are no known other archival collections created by Horace Davis Thomas at the date of processing.

This material for this collection was donated by Horace Davis Thomas and Maxine Thomas in 1956, 1968, and 1969.

This collection was processed by Andrea Edwards from November - December 2025

Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

 Access Terms Mines and mineral resources -- Wyoming. Petroleum -- Geology -- West (U.S.) Petroleum -- Prospecting -- West (U.S.) Petroleum industry and trade -- West (U.S.) Oil fields -- West (U.S.) Wyoming -- History -- 1919-1945. Wyoming -- History -- 1946-1999 West (U.S.) -- History. Maps. Petroleum geologists. <?xm-replace_text {Title as Subject}?> Agriculture and Natural Resources Mines and Mineral Resources Science, Technology and Health Energy Production Science Wyoming Series I. Professional

This series contains the professional papers of Horace Davis Thomas. It contains correspondence, general files, education and teaching files, manuscripts, and research data created or utilized by Thomas over the course of his career.

 Sub-series 1. Correspondence 1AAPG Permian1940 - 1941 1Academic Letters1926 - 1929 1Discussions With Visiting Geologists1939 1Frontier - Niobrara Mailing List and Replies1936 - 1937 1Mailing Lists - Casper Cephs and Plicatoderbya1937 1Monolith Reports1943 - 1949 1Permian - AAPG Committee1940 1Thesis Correspondence1932 - 1934 1Thesis Mailing List1934 - 1935 1Worland Field Assignmentundated Sub-series 2. General 1Bloomfield Mesa Field, San Juan County, New Mexicoundated 10Distribution of Embar Crude Oils of Equal Gravity1943 10Index Map of the Petroleum Resources of Northwestern Colorado1938 10Map of the Centennial Valley Showing Superficial Deposits and Outrops1927 1Mapsundated 1Maps and Reportsundated 1Mechanical Analyses of Sundance Sand and Duttom Creek by G.H. Wolfundated 1Mouth of the Mississippi: Jetty System Explained by James B. Eads1874 1Notepadundated 1Official Map of Albany County1886 1Prospectus of the Rossie Lead Mining and Smelting Company1863 10Red Beds Symposium1934 1Richards and Comstock Lance Creek Fieldundated 1Tectonics of the Laramie Basinundated 1Tertiary Sections in Northwestern Colorado1938 Sub-series 3. Education 1Berkey - Geologic Problems1930s 1Columbia University Stratigraphy - Hagnerundated 1Geologic Calculations1930s 1Geology 7x - Intro and Fluvial Cycle1930s 1Geomorphology1930s 1Map Interpretation 1929 - 1935 1Mineralogy 1181930s 1Notebooks1925 - 1927 1Optical Mineralogy and Petrography1930s 1Paleogeography - Lithogenesis1930s 1Principles in Stratigraphy1929 - 1930 1Reports in Lithology1930s 1Stratigraphy Laboratory Notebook1930s 1Structural and Dynamic Geology1930s 1University of Wyoming Geology Notes1920s - 1930s 1University of Wyoming Summer Camp Geology Field Courses1932 1Zoologic Nomenclature1930s Sub-series 4. Manuscripts 1A Stratigraphic Study of the Uinta Mountain Region, Utah and of Lincoln County, Wyoming1940 2Casper Cephalapoda1930s 2Discussion of "Character of Producing Sandstones and Limestones in Wyoming and Montana"1932 - 1933 2Freezout Formation1930s 2Frontier - Niobrara Contact in the Laramie Basin, Wyoming1936 2Geology and Deformation of the Centennial Valley, Wyoming1928 2Late Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic Stratigraphy of the Uinta Mountains, Utah1945 - 1946 2Late Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic Stratigraphy of the Uinta Mountains, Utah 2nd Copy1946 2Late Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic Stratigraphy of the Uinta Mountains, Utah Draft1946 2Mineral Resources of Wyoming1949 2Nature, Usage, and Nomenclature of Rock-Stratigraphic Unitsundated 2New Geographic Factors in Wyoming Petroleum Explorationundated 2On the Brachiopod Punctospirifer Pulchra (Meek)1932 - 1935 2Phosphoria and Dinwoody Tongues 1st Typed Copy1930s 2Phosphoria and Dinwoody Tongues 2nd Typed Copy1930s 2Phosphoria and Dinwoody Tongues Final1930s 2Phosphoria and Dinwoody Tongues Original Copy1930s 2Phosphoria and Dinwoody Tongues Paleontogical Society Abstract1933 2Plicaderbya - A New Permian Brachiopod Subgenus1935 - 1936 2Reprints1935 -1962 Sub-series 5. Oil and Gas Geology 2Conservation1953 2D.C. Barton's Lectures on Oil Geology and Salt Domes 1930 2Drilling 1953 - 1963 2Electric Logging Etc.1942 - 1960 2E-Logs1962 2Exploration1955 - 1966 2Geochemical and Geobiologic Exploration1954 - 1964 2Mimeographed Fieldsundated 2Nature of Petroleum1940 - 1967 2Oil and Gas Leases1950s - 1960s 2Oil and Gas Trapsundated 2Origin to Migration1963 - 1966 2Reservoir Rocksundated 3Sample Studiesundated 3Sonic Logs1952 - 1956 3Well Completions1950s 3Well-logging (Baroid)1962 - 1966 Sub-series 6. Paleontology 3C.L. Porter - Paleo Notesundated 3Micropaleontology and Principles of Paleontology1929 - 1931 3Paleontology - Introductionundated 3Paleontology Syllabuses (Thomas)undated 3Principles of Paleontology1929 - 1930 Sub-series 7. Paleontology Class 3Brachiopods1945 3Brachiopods - Columbia Notes1931 3Cephalopods1929 - 1939 3Corals1930 - 1940 3Gastropoda1930 - 1938 3Grabau - Brachiopods - Neues Jahrbuch - Brachiopods1931 - 1932 3Graptolites1936 - 1945 3Pelecypods1929 3Sponges - Stromotoporoids - Graptolites1930s 3Trilobita1930s Sub-series 8. Presentations 3AAPG Matson Award Paper1961 - 1962 3AAPG Talk1961 3AIME Talk1963 3Future of the Mineral Indudtries in Wyoming - Wyoming Engineering SocietyFebruary 12, 1944 3Geologic History of Southeast Wyoming, RMAGSeptember 19, 1963 3Geological History of Wyoming undated 11Glass Slidesundated 3Interstate Oil Compact Commission TalkJune 12, 1957 3Memo on Oil ShaleMay 11, 1967 3Mineral Resources of Wyoming and Their DevelopmentFebruary 24, 1950 3Oil Shale TalkMarch 29, 1966 3Paleozoic Stratigraphic Problems of the Wind River Basin August 12, 1948 3Photocopies: Glass Slide, Wyoming Geological History Talks #5undated 3Research and Publications of the Geological Survey of Wyomingundated 3Research and Talks1960 3Talk Before Political Science GroupOctober 9, 1940 3Welcome to the AAPG, Rocky Mountain SectionApril 23, 1953 3Words of Welcome - First Annual Meeting Rocky Mountain section Geological Society of AmericaMay 15, 1948 Sub-series 9. Reference Materials 3General Reference1939 - 1963 3State and Area Reference - Reprints1952 - 1964 Sub-series 10. Regional Geology 3Abstracts - Colorado Wyoming Academy of Science1930s 3Geological Historyof the Mountain States in Repect to Chemical Raw Materials1953 3Physiography of the Western United States1930s Sub-series 11. Sedimentation 3Mechanical Analyses of Sedimentsundated 3Sedimentary Structuresundated 3Sedimentationundated 3Sedimentation - Calcareous Sedimentsundated 3Sedimentology - Introduction Geology 11aundated 3Sedimentology - Products of Sedimentation1927 - 1936 Sub-series 12. Stratigraphy 3Bibliography of Stratigraphy1938 - 1939 3Cambrian1934 - 1966 3,4Cretaceous1931 - 1965 4Devonian1939 - 1967 4Jurassic1940 - 1959 4Lists of Guide Fossils Stratigraphic Sections1933 4Miscellaneousundated 4Mississippian1942 - 1963 4Ordovician1930 - 1963 4Paleogeography/Stratigraphyundated 4Pennsylvanian1931 - 1964 4Permian1950s 4Silurian1934 - 1963 4Stratigraphic Reviewundated 4Triassic1939 - 1961 Sub-series 13. Teaching 4Air Photosundated 4Constructional Forms1935 - 1936 4Exams1951 - 1965 4General - Reports Geology 3c1935 4Geological Mapping 1101938 - 1945 4Geological Mapsundated 5Geology 672c Spring Quarter Exercises1950 5Geology Laboratory Lessons1940s - 1950s 5Map Constructionundated 5Personnel Records1965 5Principles of Geology1930s 5Stratigraphy 130aundated Sub-series 14. Wyoming Geological Survey 5Early Cretaceous Problems, WGA Guidebookundated 5National Resources Economic Subcommittee HearingFebruary 1948 5Precambrian Projectundated 5WGS 3 1956 - 1964 Series II. Research Data

This series contains Horace Davis Thomas' research data broken out by state/ region, and then within that, by county for the state of Wyoming.

 Sub-series 1. Wyoming 5Albany County 5Bamforth Lake1948 5Big Hollow1936 - 1948 5Bone Creek1936 5Bosler Area1958 5Cooper Basin - Core Holes UPRR Coal Exploration1964 - 1965 5East Big Hollow1954 5East Foot Creek1937 5GillespieMarch 1934 5Herrick1947 5James Lake1936 5Klinkundated 5Lake Hattie to James Lake (Reconnaissance Map)undated 5Laramie Basin 1919 - 1922 5Laramie Basin - Subsurface Strcutural Contour Map1935 - 1953 5Laramie Basin: Northern Part (Giddings)undated 5Little Laramie1937 - 1948 5McGill Anticline1935 - 1947 5Quealy1948 5Rex Lake1919 - 1935 5Schmidt (Lakeside)undated 5Sheep Mountain (Irvine Ranch)undated 5Two Rivers1935 5Wheatland Reservoir, Albany Co. Geological Map - E.O. Fuller1950 5Big Horn County 5#1 Lodestone1955 - 1956 5Byron and Garland Fields1921 - 1948 5Crystal Creek Fieldundated 5Garland1929 - 1938 5Greybull1934 5Lamp Anticline and Torchlight Dome1934 5Mercer Dome 1921 5Spence1943 5Zeisman1937 5Campbell County 5Gillette1949 5Carbon County 5Allen Lake (North)1956 5Baggs and South Baggs (Otter Creek)1937 5Bell Springs1944 5Buck Springs1931 5Bunker Hill1938 5Carbon CountyJuly 1937 5Carbon County (UPRR Report)undated 5Cedar Ridgeundated 5Cold Springs (Beer Mug Hill)1944 5Como Bluff1953 5Cooper Coveundated 5Diamond1919 - 1935 5Dutton Creek1936 - 1940 5East Allen Lake1941 5East Bailey1951 5Elk Mountain1930 - 1939 5Flat Top1955 5Fort Steele Anticlineundated 5Grenville1926 - 1955 6Greybeal1927 - 1941 6Hannaundated 6Hanna Basin1929 6Hatfield1949 - 1954 6Haystack Hilla (Parco)July 1938 6Kindt Basinundated 6Little Medicine Bowundated 6Lost Soldierundated 6Mahoney-Ferris1940 6Medicine Bow1933 - 1935 6Miller Hill1925 - 1937 6Muddy Creekundated 6O'Brien Springsundated 6Overland1936 6Paint Rockundated 6Pass Creek1934 - 1947 6Riverside (Encampment)undated 6Rock Creek1912 - 1940 6Rock River 1920 - 1934 6Rock River District (R.D. Stewart - 1919)1919 6Sage Basin1948 - 1951 6Saratoga1921 - 1954 6Shirley1952 6Table Hills1949 6Walcott (East) Anticline1947 6Wertz (USGS - 1944)1944 6Converse County 6Big Muddy1915 - 1949 6Bull Creek1939 - 1940 6Glenrock1917 - 1950 6La Preleundated 6McKinley Spurundated 6Sage Hen Anitcline1923 6Shawnee1931 - 1944 6Crook County 6Benton Creekundated 6Canyon Dome1946 6Donkey Creek1958 6Government Canyon1941 6Moorcraft Anticline 1917 6Rocky Fordundated 6Rocky Point1924 6Structure Map Colony Area1938 6Fremont County 6Alkali Butte Anticline1934 6Bargee1946 6Barren Buttes1942 6Beaver Creekundated 6Big Sand Draw1920 - 1931 6Bison Basin1937 6Black Mountain 1927 6Circle Ridge Dome1922 6Crooks Gap1933 - 1938 6Dallas and Derby Field1935 6Glen and Puddle Springs1942 6Lander City Water Wellundated 6Lander Field1911 - 1924 6Little Domeundated 6Logan Gulch undated 6Maverick Springs1919 6Maverick Springs Area (USGS - 1944)1944 6Muskrat1937 6Pilot Butte1916 -1939 6Sage Creek - Winkleman Anticlinesundated 6Sheep Creek1933 6Sheldon1929 6Spring Creekundated 6Steam Boat Butteundated 6Winkleman1946 - 1948 6Goshen County 6Goshen Hole Geological Map1949 6Jay Em1936 -1937 6Lively1948 6Raw Hide1938 6Torrington Water Wellundated 6Hot Springs County 6Black Mountain 1952 6Chimney Butteundated 6Corley1946 6Gebo1926 6Golden Eagleundated 6Gooseberryundated 6Grass Creek1914 -1952 6Hale Anitclineundated 6Hamilton Dome1935 -1938 6Indain Hill1943 6Kirby Creek1935 6Little Buffalo Basin1933 6Little Buffalo Basin - Gooseberryundated 6Lucerneundated 6Lysiteundated 6Murphy Dome1943 6Red Springs1940 6Thermopolis Districtundated 6Warm Springs1937 6Waugh1936 -1952 6Johnson County 6Billy Creek1938 6Kaycee1952 6Laramie County 6Borie1931 -1950 6Horse Creek1942 6Indian Hill1949 6Tracyundated 6Warren Livestock Company1951 7Lincoln County 7La Barge1923 - 1941 7Lincoln Countyundated 7Moxaundated 7North La Barge Deep Test Elictric Log and Written Log1943 7Smiths Forkundated 7Wyoming Anticline1931 - 1933 7Natrona County 7Arminto and Lox1924 - 1941 7Bates Hole District (Carter, Mellem, etc.)1925 7Bates Park1937 - 1938 7Bolton Creek1935 7Boone Dome1924 7Cole Creek1944 7Dutton Basin1942 7Iron Creek1937 7Midway, Geary, and North Gearyundated 7Natrona County1935 7North Casper Creek1937 - 1951 7North Emigrant Gap Anticlineundated 7Notchesundated 7Pine Mountainundated 7Poison Spider1935 7Powder Riverundated 7Rattlesnake1923 7Salt Creek 1930 7Salt Creek Lease Sale1956 7Salt Creek Oil Field1937 7South Casper Creek1935 7South Emigrant Gap Anticlineundated 7Spindletop and Bolton Creek1937 7Stinking Creek1935 7Two Bar, Clark, and Schooner1922 - 1943 7Wilson1941 7Niobrara County 7Ant Hills1940 7Cross Ranch Nitrogen Well1942 7Dakota1940 7East Lance Creek1940 7Lance Creek1917 - 1939 7Middle Creek1924 7Mule Creekundated 7North Lance Creek (Goodstein Block)1937 7Old Woman1935 7Split Hill1919 7West Mule Creek 1931 7Park County 7Badger Basin1938 7Cody Anticlineundated 7Elk Basin1943 - 1951 7Four Bear1927 7Frannie1931 - 1942 7Gooseberry1942 7Little Buffalo Basin1945 7Oregon Basin1924 - 1944 7Polecat1937 7Red Spring1940 7Shoshone Anticline Park County1939 7South Fork1947 7South Oregon Basinundated 7Spring Creek Anticlineundated 7Sunshine1934 7Wagon Hound1929 - 1930 7Platte County 7Antelope Gap - Wheatland1942 7Diamond Ranch1933 7Van Tassel1948 7Sublette County 7Clear Creek1949 - 1950 7Sheridan County 7Big Piney1920 - 1958 7Dry Piney1925 - 1930 7Pinedaleundated 7Sweetwater County 7Baxter Basin1915 -1947 7Blacks Forks1938 7Buffaloundated 7Cherokee Ridge1946 7Church Buttes1943 - 1950 7Farson1942 7Haymower and Canyon Creek1930 - 1943 7Lost Soldier1936 -1937 7Lost Soldier (USGS-1944)1944 7South Baxter Basin1937 7Teton County 7Jackson Hole Areaundated 7Uinta County 7Leroyundated 7Spring Valley1938 - 1940 7Spring Valley and Aspen1930 - 1938 7Uinta County1933 -1941 7Washakie County 7Bud Kimball1952 7David Dome1951 - 1953 7Mortonundated 7Nieberundated 7Rattlesnake or Bruceundated 7Tensleepundated 7Zimmerman Butte1943 7Weston County 7City of Newcastle Water Well1948 7Dewey1938 7Fiddler Creek1931 7Lodge Poleundated 7Mush Creek1944 - 1948 7Osage1935 - 1937 7Powder River Basin 1935 7Pump Creek Anticlineundated 8Wyoming - General 8Air Photo Index Map1945 - 1963 8Bibliography of Oil and Gas Data in Wyoming (Union Oil Company of California)1938 8Big Horn Basin Structural Mapundated 8Black Oil Fields1925 8Charts Showing Production of Wyoming Oil Fieldsundated 8Classification of Exploratory Drilling for Petroluem - PAW - 19441944 8Geological Survey of Wyoming1938 -1939 8Index to 1954 Wyoming Geological Map1952 - 1956 8Iso-Gravity Maps: Embar and Tensleep (Thomas 1943)1943 8Madison Oil Fields - L.O. Gray1946 8Oil and Gas Fields of Wyoming1937 - 1939 8Oil Fields - Big Horn Basin (PAW report)1943 8Oil Fields - Casper Area (PAW report)1943 8Oil Fields - East Powder River Basin (PAW report)1943 8Oil Fields - Sweetwater - Laramie Area (PAW report)1943 8Oil Fields - Wind River Basin (PAW report)1943 8Oil Fileds - Green River Basin (PAW report)1943 8Pipe Lines - Rocky Mountain Region1940 -1943 8Rocky Mountain Producing Horizons, Complied by California Company1932 8Rocky Mountain Wildcats -1936-1941 USGS - Casper - Sept.6, 19411941 8Sample Log - Pure Oil No. 1 Worland Unit1940s 8Seismic Exploration1940 8Wind River Basin 1942 8Wyoming - General1925; 1940 8Wyoming Petroluem Withdrawals USGS Bull. 6231913 Sub-series 2. Colorado 8Caddoa Creek1943 8Elk Springs, Meeker, and White River1938 8Fort Collins1924 8Hiawatha District1917 - 1937 8McCallum1933 8McElmo, Montezuma Countyundated 8Moffat, Thornburg, and Iles1923 - 1953 8North Parkundated 8Northeastern Colorado1924 - 1955 8Northwestern Colorado1924 -1928 8Oil and Gas Resources of Northwestern ColoradoApril 1938 8Pagosa Springsundated 8Piceance Creek1933 8Rangeley (USGS 1944)1944 8Rangely1933 - 1946 8Routt and Moffat Cosundated 8Salt Creek - Garfield Co. Coloradoundated 8Tow Creekundated 8Tow Creek - Williams Park, Routt Countyundated 8Vermillion Creekundated Sub-series 3. Montana 8Baker - Glendive1934 - 1935 8Baker - Glendive Deep Test Logundated 8Bears Den1940 8Bowdoinundated 8Cat Creek1947 8Cut Bank1937 - 1939 8Disturbed Belt C.E. Erdmann1941 8Dry Creekundated 8Great Falls - Conrad Region1930 - 1939 8Little Rocky Mountains, Montana, USGS - 19441944 8Maxwell Butteundated 8Missouri1945 - 1946 8Mizpah1947 8Montana Oil Fields1923 - 1940 8Montana Plains1932 - 1935 8Montana Wildcat Wells 1944 8Pendroy1940 8Whitelash1932 - 1940 Sub-series 4. Nebraska 9Agate1937 - 1938 9Amerada Tests1946 9Antelope1936 - 1937 9Nebraska - Cretaceous Formations Correlation Chart - Reed, 19501950 9Sanford1938 9Scottsbluff1945 Sub-series 5. North Dakota 9Glenfield - Foster County1929 9Nesson1937 -1938 Sub-series 5. South Dakota 9Amerada Tests1946 9Base Map - South Dakota1940 9Camp Crook1920s 9Dawes County1945 9Fall River County1945 - 1946 9Shannon County1945 9Sioux Countyundated Sub-series 6. Utah 9Clay Basin Logs1945 - 1947 9Coalville Anticline, Utahundated 9Green River Desert1946 9Milfordundated 9N.E. Utah - Well Logs1920 - 1937 Sub-series 7. General 9Lease Regulations and Forms 9List of State Leases1935 - 1940 9Miscellaneous Logs 9Log Formsundated 9Micellaneous Logs1940 9Microslides - W.H. Curtin Co.1939 9The Pure Oil Company, Jasper County, Ill.undated 9Samples of U. of W. 9Lists of Well Samples1940 - 1942