In the 1890’s, the huge, majestic cliffs in New York State and New Jersey, known as the Palisades, were being dismantled and turned into railroad ballast.  Ballast is the stones that form the trackbed around and underneath railroad ties. These great cliffs, made millions of years ago, were considered disposable, to be sacrificed on the altar of modern industrialization. Through the efforts and generous donations of individuals and groups who worked to have the land turned into a park, finally in 1947, the Palisades Interstate Parkway was established, and the Palisades were saved.

On August 22, 2012, History Channel Two aired an episode of  “How the Earth Was Made” featuring the geology of the Palisades and the New York City area.

The natural history of the Palisades and the whole region is a remarkable tale.

The Palisades run for forty miles along the Hudson River. During the last Ice Age…