Wilbur G. Burroughs Papers

Wilbur Greeley Burroughs was born in Shortsville, New York on December 7, 1886 to Joseph B. and Emma Greeley Burroughs.  Wilbur and his younger brother, Wallace, attended Oberlin where he received his A.B. in 1909 (Phi Beta Kappa) and A.M. in 1911. Burroughs founded the Geology department at Berea College in 1920 and went on to receive his Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1932. In 1927, Burroughs was elected president of the Kentucky Academy of Science. This collection consists of Burroughs correspondence with friends and students along with some of his scientific writings pertaining to geography, geology and archaeology.  The collection also includes a large number of photographs of the prehistoric human footprints and Moundbuilder artifacts which he discovered in Madison County, KY.  The artifacts left by the Moundbuilders were discovered in 1926 in the area of Indian Fort Mountain outside of Berea.  In 1939, Dr. Burroughs discovered the famous prehistoric footprints. It should be noted that some of Burroughs scientific claims regarding the dating of the origin of man have been disputed.  These artifacts are not included in the archival collection, but can be found in the Burroughs Geology Museum at the Hall Science Building. Dr. Burroughs was a member of many honor societies including the Royal Geographical Society of England and the Kentucky Colonels as well as various Berea College societies. Dr. Burroughs retired in 1955 as Nathaniel Southgate Shaler Professor and the chairman of the department.  In 1959, the Berea College Geology Museum was officially named in honor of Dr. and his wife Mavis Reynolds Burroughs.