Mapping the legacy of Alfred O. Woodford

The StoryMap was created as part of RAISE (Remote Alternative Independent Summer Experience) Program of Pomona College, supervised by Maria Prokopenko and in collaboration with Jade Star Lackey and Nikki Moore of Geology Department

While certainly coming nowhere close to being a true and full summary of Woody's life and the awe inspiring impact he has had on the Geology community as a whole, in California, and especially at Pomona, his 1990 obituary from the LA Times does help to give a tiny sliver of information on the life he lead.

When simply reading through A.O. Woodford's field notes, you will find yourself greeted by walls of information. From locations and field routes to simple sample numbers and rock descriptions, it is hard to distinguish the motivation for collecting these seemingly small observations and notes. However, with a little bit of context, these notes become the building blocks to new discoveries and allow an informed reader to understand the ideas and follow the process that Woody went through.

A.O. Woodford spent much of career, especially early on, focused on the San Andreas Fault and the uniquely Californian Franciscan Complex. However, in order to really appreciate the legacy that Woody has left behind, it is helpful to look at his work with a modern understanding of California and its geologic history.

One of the reasons making California a spectacular place for Geologic study is the unusual formation of its modern coast line as it is not only a western piece of the North American Plate, but it is also partially a part of the Pacific Plate. This unique aspect of the Continent came to fruition over the past 150 million years or so as the ancient oceanic Farallon Plate subducted beneath the North American Plate. As the Farallon Plate spread away from the Pacific Plate and subducted bellow the North American Plate, the Mid Ocean Ridge itself reached the subduction zone which in turn ended the Farallon Plate. This strange subduction of a spreading zone lead to very unique low-grade metamorphism that created the Franciscan Complex, a important area of study for Woody. While the Farallon left in its wake the Mendocino Triple Junction which traveled up the California Coast, leaving the Franciscan Complex, and the Rivera Triple Junction which has since moved to the Gulf of California.

To help visualize this, follow this video created by Dr Tanya Atwater which show a time lapse of these events.

Below is an interactive map detailing some of Woody's most prominent and often visited field stops. This is not all encompassing of his work, and only covers the 1920's, but, it offers a piece of Woody's legacy that should not be forgotten as many of the discoveries and topics you just learned about and beyond wouldn't have been made as they were without his showcased work below.

Below is a map which hold every stop from Woodford's 1920's field books. You can zoom in an out and click on individual dots to see what location he stopped at. Explore his trips to the East Coast, Pacific Northwest, Baja California, or see the extent of his travels within California, the choice is up to you. Each color represents a stop from a different field book.

• A. O. Woodford and T. F. Harriss, 1928 (California Univ. Pub., Dept. Geol. Sci. Bull., vol. 17, pp. 267, 279-283). Blackhawk breccia
• A. O. Woodford, 1925 (California Univ. Pub., Dept. Geol. Sci. Bull., vol. 15, No. 7, p. 212). Bouquet Canon breccia
• A. O. Woodford, 1925 (California Univ. Pub., Dept. Geol. Sci. Bull., vol. 15, No. 7,. pp. 169, 184, 216-217). Capistrano formation
• A. O. Woodford, 1924 (California Univ. Pub., Dept. Geol. Sci. Bull., vol. 15, No. 3). Catalina metamorphic facies of the Franciscan series. 
• A. O. Woodford, 1925 (California Univ. Pub., Dept. Geol. Sci. Bull., vol. 15, No. 7, pp. 163, 172, 225). Catalina facies of Franciscan series
• A. O. Woodford, 1925 (California Univ. Pub., Dept. Geol. Sci. Bull., vol. 15, No. 7,. pp. 211-212). Catalina schist breccia
• A. O. Woodford and T. F. Harriss, 1928 (California Univ. Pub., Dept. Geol. Sci. Bull., vol. 17, p. 270). Furnace Limestone
• B. L. Clark and A. O. Woodford, 1927 (California Univ. Pub., Dept. Geol. Scl'. Bull., vol. 17, p. 69). Unconformity on the San Lorenzo deposits is the San Pablo group, divided into two formations, the Cierbo and the Nerola. 
• A. O. Woodford, 1925 (California Univ. Pub., Dept. Geol. Sci. Bull., vol. 15, No. 7, pp. 169, 217-219). Post-Capistrano formation
• A. O. Woodford, 1925 (California Univ. Pub., Dept. Geol. Sci. Bull., vol. 15, No. 7). San Onofre Breccia
• A. O. Woodford, 1925 (California Univ. Pub., Dept. Geol. Sci. Bull., vol. 15, No. 7, pp. 210-211). San Pedro schist breccia and sandstone