Geological Survey of Minnesota

The Minnesota Geological and Natural History Survey (MGNHS) was established on 1 March 1872 by an act of the legislature and the University of Minnesota was placed in charge of conducting the survey. Newton H. Winchell was brought to the University in 1872 to direct the survey. Winchell resigned in 1900 causing the survey to be abandoned until 1911 when William H. Emmons was hired to be the new head of the Geology department and director of the survey, renamed the Minnesota Geological Survey (MGS).