June 17, 2022
Camp Minnesota
It was December 9, 1960, when nine geologists returned to the Eights Coast area of Antarctica to carry out geological investigations funded by the National Science Foundation.
Under the direction of Professor Campbell Craddock, nine geologists were flown into the Eights Coast in a twin-engine R4D Skytrain and two four-engine C-130 Hercules, with the help of the United States Navy's Air Development Squadron Six. It was the longest logistics flight ever taken to the Antarctic at that time (1).
It was there that a semi-permanent site was set up near the Jones Mountain range and they named it Camp Minnesota (1).
- Part of Camp Minnesota and Jones Mountain, 1960. Polaroid of the camp site created by the nine geologists as a part of the expedition, Box 10, Department of Earth Sciences, ua01314, University Archives.
While there, the geologists mapped the region, collected specimen, measured snow accumulations and recorded meteorological data (1).
- Correspondence from Campbell Craddock to George A, Thiel, January 6, 1961, Box 10, Department of Earth Sciences, ua01314, University Archives.
Correspondence between Craddock and Chairman of the department, George A. Theil, notes of their arrival to Camp Minnesota and the inclement weather.
Craddock speaks of the geological and botanical discoveries made on site and even notes that one of the geologists is living in an igloo he built and that a penguin visited their camp for about 12 hours (1).
- Penguin, 1960. Polaroid of a penguin who visited Camp Minnesota, Box 10, Department of Earth Sciences, ua01314, University Archives.
This expedition continued with various treks on foot and ended with their departure to New Zealand and the United States by the beginning of March, 1961 (1).
- Department of Earth Sciences records, ua01314, University Archives, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities