Usage:
Golden Spike Formation of Montana Group (MT*)
Golden Spike Formation (MT*)
Geologic age:
Late Cretaceous*
Type section, locality, area and/or origin of name:
Type section: extends 2.5 mi west-southwestward from sides of northeast-projecting meander neck along Clark Fork River (in NE/4 SE/4 sec. 15, T. 9 N., R. 10 W.) to alluviated valley of Independence Creek (in NE/4 SE/4 sec. 20, T. 9 N., R. 10 W.), [Garrison 15-min quadrangle (1958), Powell Co., MT]. Name taken from locality in NE/4 NW/4 sec. 9, T. 9 N., R. 10 W., where sections of Northern Pacific RR and Pacific Northwest RR were joined; union was commemorated by driving of "golden spike" at point on southside of Clark Fork River (Gwinn and Mutch, 1965).
AAPG geologic province:
Montana folded belt*
For more information, please contact Nancy Stamm, Geologic Names Committee Secretary.
Asterisk (*) indicates published by U.S. Geological Survey authors.
"No current usage" (†) implies that a name has been abandoned or has fallen into disuse. Former usage and, if known, replacement name given in parentheses ( ).
Slash (/) indicates name conflicts with nomenclatural guidelines (CSN, 1933; ACSN, 1961, 1970; NACSN, 1983, 2005, 2021). May be explained within brackets ([ ]).