Geology of New York City
Arts | Jul 12, 2010
Before written history, great forces shaped the surface of the Earth and therefore
our city. Great glaciers of various Ice Ages carved and sculpted the place where
New York City was to exist after the ice receded. Indeed, people inhabited the
area even as the last ice covered the area before it retreated. Older geologic
forces created the bedrock and land formations upon which our city was built.
Remnants of all of these are still there to be observed even though humans have
drastically altered the landscape.
1. Where can we find evidence of the terminal moraine, the places where the glacier from the last Ice Age stopped and began to recede?
2. Which street in Manhattan still follows the natural ridge over its 17-mile length?
3. How did original terrain influence the outcome of battles?
4. What is the geologic origin of The Narrows, the place where Brooklyn and Staten Island are closest?
5. New York has many faults but does it have any geological faults ? If so, where are they located and what remains are visible?
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