author

Thomas P. Thayer

1907–2004

A noted American geologist, he spent decades studying the rocks and mineral resources of the American West and became especially well known for his expertise on chromite and ultramafic rocks. His writing reflects a field scientist’s eye for landscape, deep time, and the stories hidden in the ground beneath familiar places.

1 Audiobook

The Geologic Setting of the John Day Country: Grant County, Oregon

The Geologic Setting of the John Day Country: Grant County, Oregon

by Thomas P. Thayer

About the author

Born in Scarsdale, New York, on May 22, 1907, and raised in Eugene, Oregon, he studied geology at the University of Oregon, Northwestern University, and the California Institute of Technology, earning his Ph.D. in 1934. His early work focused on the volcanic rocks of Oregon, a subject that remained important throughout his life.

He went on to a long career with the U.S. Geological Survey, beginning in 1937, and became widely respected for his work on mineral resources, especially chromite deposits and ultramafic rocks. Colleagues remembered him as an energetic researcher who shared his findings generously, both through formal publications and through conversations with other geologists.

Thayer retired in 1977 and died in St. Petersburg, Florida, on May 14, 2004, just days before his 97th birthday. For readers, his work offers the perspective of a scientist who knew how to make a region’s geologic history feel vivid and real.