The following is a list of books, magazine articles, activities, and exhibits about fossils and geologic history that are suitable for the general public, students, and amateur paleontologists. Emphasis is on the central California coast. Consult the Paleontology Links for additional resources.
Brace-Thompson, Jim. 1992. The Whales of Capitola--A Walk Along Central California's Pliocene Coast. Rock & Gem, vol. 22, no. 10 (October), pp. 8-12.
Jenkins, Olaf P., editor. 1951. Geologic Guidebook of the San Francisco Bay Counties. California Division of Mines Bulletin 154, 392 p. Though much of the material is out of date, the several chapters on fossils are still interesting reading.
Monterey Bay Paleontological Society Bulletin. Published quarterly for members, the Bulletin usually has a feature article pertaining to local fossils.
Perry, Frank A. 1977. Fossils of Santa Cruz County. Santa Cruz City Museum, 31 p. Surveys the county's fossils by formation and geologic age. Illustrates many of the fossils and includes a list of references. Out of print but available in libraries.
Perry, Frank A. 1988. Fossil Invertebrates and Geology of the Marine Cliffs at Capitola, California. Santa Cruz Museum Association, 30 p. Describes the geology and fossil invertebrates from the cliffs between Capitola and New Brighton beaches. Over thirty species (mostly mollusks) are illustrated.
Perry, Frank A. 1994. Fossil Sharks and Rays of the Southern Santa Cruz Mountains, California. Santa Cruz Museum Association, 48 p. Describes and illustrates fossil teeth from over twenty kinds of sharks and other fishes. Out of print but available in libraries.
The Society occasionally receives requests for a good non-technical explanation of local geology. Unfortunately, the literature on this subject is scattered and sometimes in odd places. This list should provide a good beginning, with an emphasis on geologic history. Most of these publications are aimed at general audiences but include references to technical literature.
Howard, Arthur D. 1979. Geologic History of Middle California. University of California Press, 113 p. Retired Stanford Professor Arthur Howard traces the geologic history of central California from the middle Paleozoic to the present. Slightly dated, but most of the interpretations are still accepted.
Konigsmark, Ted. 1998. Geologic Trips: San Francisco Bay Area. Geopress, 174 p. The guidebook for non-geologists begins with a general discussion of rocks, faults, plate tectonics, and earthquakes. Field trip areas include Fort Point, Angel Island, Devil's Slide, the Marin Headlands, and Point Reyes.
Monterey Bay Aquarium. 1997. Natural History of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, 259 p. Chapter 3 discusses geology, including geologic history and features of the sanctuary. Written for non-scientists.
Stanley, Richard G. 1982. "Rocks and Landforms." In Warrick, Sheridan F., editor. The Natural History of the U.C. Santa Cruz Campus. Publication No. 11, Environmental Field Program, University of California, Santa Cruz, pp. 35-104. This excellent introduction to local geology focuses on the campus, but much of the information applies to other areas too.
Warhaftig, Clyde. 1984. A Streetcar to Subduction and Other Plate Tectonic Trips by Public Transport in San Francisco. American Geophysical Union, 72 p. An entertaining and authoritative guidebook to geologic features of San Francisco and environs.
Weber, Gerald E. "Physical Environment." In Le Boeuf, Burney J., and Kaza, Stephanie, editors. The Natural History of Aņo Nuevo. The Boxwood Press, pp. 61-121. This chapter includes sections on bedrock geology, marine terraces, faults, and coastal processes.
Harbaugh, John W. 1975. Field Guide Northern California. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., 123 p. Chapter 2 is a field trip guide along Highway 1 from Montara Mountain to Santa Cruz.
Hyndman, Donald W. and Alt, David D. 2000. Roadside Geology of Northern and Central California. Mountain Press Publishing Co., 369 p. This is a revised and expanded edition of the authors' 1975 book, Roadside Geology of Northern California and one of a series of popular roadside geology books by the publisher. The new edition includes a trip along Highway 1 from San Francisco to Big Sur. Numerous diagrams and photos accompany the road logs, explaining a variety of geologic features.
Harden, Deborah. 1998. California Geology. Prentice-Hall, 479 p. An introductory college-level textbook with chapters on different regions. Very readable and highly recommended.
Hill, Mary. 1984. California Landscape--Origin and Evolution. University of California Press, 262 p. A general introduction to California geology intended for a general audience. Chapters cover such topics as earthquakes, volcanoes, water, glaciers, coastal erosion, etc.
McPhee, John. 1994. Assembling California. The Noonday Press, 304 p. New Yorker writer John McPhee explores Californiašs geology with U.C. Davis Professor Eldridge Moores in this entertaining best-seller.
Norris, Robert M. and Webb, Robert W. 1976. Geology of California. John Wiley & Sons, 365 p. A college-level textbook introduction to the geology of the state. Each chapter covers a different region.
Schoenherr, Allan A. 1992. A Natural History of California. University of California Press, 772 p. Both the introduction and regional chapters include brief sections on geology.
Brabb, Earl E. 1989. Geologic Map of Santa Cruz County, California. U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series, Map I-1905 (1:62,500). This colored geologic map is the most up-to-date for the entire county. Includes references.
Clark, J.C., Dupré, W.R., and Rosenberg, L.I. 1997. Geologic Map of the Monterey and Seaside 7.5 Minute Quadrangles, Monterey County, California, a Digital Database. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 97-30. This map is available online, or a printout can be purchased from private vendors. Contact the U.S. Geological Survey for details.
Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa
Cruz, CA 95062. Phone: (831) 420-6115. No admission charge, but
donation appreciated. Website. 
The museum includes a small room
devoted to Santa Cruz County geology and fossils. There are displays
about fossil marine mammals, sharks, sea cows, and other topics.
Highlights include a mastodon skull from Aptos and a cast of a sea cow
skeleton from Zayante. Outside behind the Museum are Pliocene whale
bones (two skulls, a rib cage, and a flipper) in sandstone boulders. A
loan kit with local fossils is available to school teachers.
California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA
94118. Phone: (415) 750-7145 Website.
This is northern California's oldest and largest science museum and
includes the Steinhart Aquarium, Morrison Planetarium, and research
departments. The "Life Through Time" exhibit follows the history of
life using fossils, living animals, and a variety of media from
interactive computers to holograms. From time to time the Academy also
sponsors special exhibits, field trips, and lectures on fossils and
related topics.
Visitor Center, Seacliff State Beach, State Park Drive, Aptos, CA
95003. Phone: (831) 685-6444. Website. There is a small display of
fossils at the visitor center and thick beds of Pliocene marine mollusks
in the cliffs opposite the campground. Docents periodically lead public
tours of the fossil beds on weekends. School group tours are by
appointment. Call for details.
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, 165 Forest Avenue, Pacific
Grove, CA 93950. Phone: (831) 648-5716. Website. Exhibits upstairs in
the mezzanine include several displays about Monterey County fossils and
geology.
Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA
94025. Phone: (650) 926-2204. Website.
The visitor center features a mounted skeleton of an extinct marine
mammal called Paleoparadoxia. The 14 million-year-old fossil was
discovered in 1964 during excavations for construction on the site. The
visitor center is open 8-5 Monday through Friday.
