These pages are devoted to the Paleozoic geology of Nebraska. Though well-preserved, Paleozoic rocks are in the subsurface over most of the state and exist in layers that dip very gently toward the west. Fortunately, in eastern Nebraska within the vicinity of the Missouri River, Pennsylvanian and Permian rocks are exposed, allowing us to learn about rocks in the subsurface without having to drill deep wells. Even still, only the youngest Paleozoic rocks crop out to the surface. Rocks from the Cambrian - early Carboniferous (Mississippian) only occur underground in Nebraska.
Click on the links below to learn more about Nebraska's Paleozoic history!
Geologic Timescale and Paleogeography
Nebraska during the Pennsylvanian - Permian
**This picture depicts the important life forms during the Paleozoic. It comes from Pabian, R.K., 1987, Record in Rock: a handbook of the invertebrate fossils of Nebraska, Educational Circular No.1, University of Nebraska-Conservation and Survey Division, 99p.