Thomas Chrowder Chamberlin (TCC) was one of the most influential research geologists of the 19th century, publishing over 250 papers on subjects as diverse as Paleozoic stratigraphy, glacial geology, science philosophy and cosmology, to name only a few. During his career, TCC founded the Geology Department at the University of Chicago, and served as President of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, head of the Wisconsin Geological Survey, Professor at Beloit College and director of the Glacial Division of the U. S. Geological Survey. TCC's tenure at all of these institutions is well documented in several lengthy biographies, but his very first professional position as Professor of Natural Sciences at the Whitewater Normal School (today, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater), from 1869 to 1873, is only briefly mentioned, if at all. During the course of a building renovation on the UWW campus, over one hundred fossil specimens with handwritten labels by TCC were re-discovered. The curation of these invaluable specimens, coupled with new data from several archival sources sheds light on this previously under-appreciated time of TCC's career. During his four years at Whitewater Normal School, TCC published his first professional papers on education, geology and paleontology; co-founded the Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts and Letters; was active in the Wisconsin State Teacher's Association; taught several students that went on to their own professional fame; and, of course, began the teaching collection of fossil specimens currently being curated at UW-Whitewater.