Arc of the Escarpment: A Narrative of Place

The rocks of the Niagara Escarpment were formed in the middle of the Silurian Period (c. 443 to c. 412 million years ago) and were exposed during periods of glaciation that prevented and removed subsequent geologic depositions as recently as 11,000 years ago in the northern Midwest. The Arc of the Escarpment invites us to discover nearly hidden evidence of the Escarpment, ascend to cliff tops, descend to the base of cliffs, crawl into sinkhole-formed caverns, walk the woodlands that surround the cliffs, learn the changes that industry and commerce made to the landscape, and discover the sites that ecologists and conservationists have explored and preserved. With great detail and a sincere dedication to place, Robert Root encourages us to pay attention to the land beneath our feet, appreciate its changes, and value its preservation as we travel back through time and appreciate the scale of the history of the landscape around us.