Edwin D. (Edwin Dinwiddie) McKee

Edwin Dinwiddie McKee was an American geologist, naturalist, and sedimentologist born in Washington, D.C., on September 24, 1906. He became especially closely linked with the Grand Canyon, where he began work in 1927 preparing educational exhibits and later served as a park naturalist from 1929 to 1940.

Over more than fifty years, he studied the geology and natural history of the Grand Canyon region and became widely recognized as a leading expert on its rock layers and ancient environments. His published work included major studies of the canyon and the broader Southwest, as well as research on dunes and sandstone that helped shape the study of sedimentary geology.

McKee died in 1984, but his work continued to influence both scientists and general readers. Books such as Ancient Landscapes of the Grand Canyon Region show the style that made him memorable: careful, observant, and eager to help readers picture how vast landscapes changed over immense spans of time.