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George Gryc

George Gryc

Originally from Minnesota, George Gryc came to Alaska in 1943 as a geologist with the US Geological Survey's War Minerals Program. George is well known as an expert in the geology of the Brooks Range and northern Alaska, and had a long career with the US Geological Survey. In 1946, he was part of a geological mapping trip in the Brooks Range from Chandler Lake down the Chandler River to the Colville River. He was in charge of the Survey's Navy Oil Unit division, and then was the chief of the Alaska Branch of the US Geological Survey.
Date of Death:
Apr 27, 2008
George Gryc appears in the following new Jukebox projects:
George Gryc's Slideshow
Interview Title Abstract Archive #: Oral History Project Date of Interview
George Gryc, Part 1

George Gryc was interviewed in his office at the United States Geological Survey, Western Region Center in Menlo Park, California on September 21, 2004 by Karen Brewster. Although George is retired, the USGS has an emeritus program that continues to support scientists with an office, but no salary. George talked about his early days of fieldwork, especially a geological mapping trip in 1946 from Chandler Lake down the Chandler River to the Colville River, being head of the Navy Oil Unit division of USGS, being the chief of the Alaska Branch of USGS, the difference between doing fieldwork and being an administrator, and changes resulting from the establishment of the Park. To learn more about the 1946 expedition see: The Silent River: A Pastoral Elegy in the Form of a Recollection of Arctic Adventure by Charles R. Metzger (Los Angeles, Omega Books, 1983).

 2002-27-19_PT.1 Gates of the Arctic National Park Sep 21, 2004
George Gryc, Part 2

This is a continuation of the interview with George Gryc on September 21, 2004 with Karen Brewster in Menlo Park, California. This is part two of tape number Oral History 2002-27-19. The interview continues in part three and four of tape number Oral History 2002-27-19. In this part of the interview, George talks about oil exploration in the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska, interacting with the Nunamiut people at Chandler Lake, and challenges of doing remote geological fieldwork.

 2002-27-19_PT.2 Gates of the Arctic National Park Sep 21, 2004
George Gryc, Part 3

This is a continuation of the interview with George Gryc on September 21, 2004 with Karen Brewster in Menlo Park, California. This is part three of tape number Oral History 2002-27-19. The interview continues in part four of tape number Oral History 2002-27-19. The interview began in parts one and two of tape number Oral History 2002-27-19. In this part of the interview, George talks about the 1945 Chandler River field expedition, the challenges of doing remote geological fieldwork, the relationships with the local Native community, the early days of oil exploration and industry relations with the USGS, and his favorite places in the Brooks Range.

 2002-27-19_PT.3 Gates of the Arctic National Park Sep 21, 2004
George Gryc, Part 4

This is a continuation of the interview with George Gryc on September 21, 2004 with Karen Brewster in Menlo Park, California. This is part four of tape number Oral History 2002-27-19. The interview began in tape number Oral History 2002-27-19, Parts 1-3. In this part of the interview, George talks about his contributions to geologic understanding of the Brooks Range and northern Alaska, and what work he sees still needs to be done.

 2002-27-19_PT.4 Gates of the Arctic National Park Sep 21, 2004