Organization

United States Geological Survey

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is a scientific agency established within the US Department of the Interior in 1879. Its original duties combined public-land classification with investigation of national geology and mineral resources.

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Published 2026.10.23v1

Contents

Establishment in 1879

On 3 March 1879, President Rutherford B. Hayes signed an appropriations act establishing the Survey. Congress had earlier requested a National Academy of Sciences plan for organising surveys of US territories efficiently and economically.

References: [1]

Land classification and geology

The new agency joined classification of public lands with examination of geological structure and resources. These responsibilities emerged from the history of federal land administration and expanding territorial and resource surveys.

References: [1]

Reports and public explanations

USGS communicates through scientific reports and educational publications. This Dynamic Earth, for example, explains how seafloor mapping, magnetic stripes and earthquake observations supported the development of plate tectonics.

References: [2]

References

Mary C. Rabbitt, U.S. Geological Survey. “The United States Geological Survey: 1879–1989.” 1989, Circular 1050, official publication abstract. View source ↗
U.S. Geological Survey. “Developing the theory: This Dynamic Earth.” View source ↗

Revision history

Corrections are reviewed before publication. Content expansions retain revision records.

v12026.10.23First edition

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Submitted by: StellarEpicReviewed by: StellarEpicSubmitted: 2026-10-23 14:06 UTCReviewed: 2026-10-23 14:06 UTC