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William Patton

Bill Patton, Jr.

Born in Vancouver, Canada, Bill Patton came to Alaska in 1948 as a geologist working for the US Geological Survey in the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska. Bill has done geologic exploration and mapping throughout Alaska for the US Geological Survey, but has particular expertise in the Brooks Range and the North Slope. In 1951, he was part of a geological mapping expedition that traversed the Brooks Range by tracked vehicle, and he continued to do remote fieldwork in the region for many years.
Date of Death:
Jun 2, 2009
William Patton appears in the following new Jukebox projects:
Bill Patton's Slideshow
Interview Title Abstract Archive #: Oral History Project Date of Interview
Bill Patton Jr., Part 1

Bill Patton was interviewed in his office at the United States Geological Survey, Western Region Center in Menlo Park, California on September 22, 2004 by Karen Brewster. Although, Bill is retired, the USGS has an emeritus program that continues to support scientists with an office, but no salary. In this interview, Bill talked about traversing the Brooks Range by tracked vehicle in 1951 to map the geology, the geologic history of the area, conducting field parties throughout the Brooks Range, and changes in methods and transportation between the early and later work.

 2002-27-20_PT.1 Gates of the Arctic National Park Sep 22, 2004
Bill Patton, Jr., Part 2

This is a continuation of the interview with Bill Patton by Karen Brewster on September 22, 2004 in his office at the United States Geological Survey, Western Region Center in Menlo Park, California. This is a part two of tape number Oral History 2002-27-20. In this part of the interview, Bill talks about the geology of Alaska, Russia and Canada, doing geological fieldwork and how it has changed through the years, working with Native people, his thoughts about the establishment of Gates of the Arctic National Park, impacts from oil exploration, and the purpose of geological research and mapping.

 2002-27-20_PT.2 Gates of the Arctic National Park Sep 22, 2004