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In 1929, investigators from the Carnegie Institute of Washington, D. C. sank a drill hole into the earth at Norris Geyser Basin to gather information about changes in the rocks in a geothermal system and to learn more about the subsurface temperatures.

A pile of rocks surrounds the drill cap at the boring site. Today, this type of invasive research would not be permitted.

By the time the hole was 265 feet (81 m) deep, the steam pressure was so great that the researchers were afraid it would blow up the drilling rig. The temperature at this point was 401°F (205°C).

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