Museums Archives - Page 12 of 19

February 13, 2018

Gilsum Rock Swap and Mineral Show 2018

Gilsum Rock Swap and Mineral Show, sponsored by the Gilsum Recreation Committee, attracts thousands of rock and mineral enthusiasts from across the country each year. The event, known for its scenic location and small-town hospitality, will take place on the weekend of June 23-24, 2018 at the Gilsum Elementary School & Community Center, 640 Route 10 in Gilsum, NH. All monies raised by this event go to community recreation programs. Admission is free, although we do accept donations.

This year’s event includes a special presentation by mineral hunter and geologist Nancy Swing. Don’t miss “Rock-Hounding in New England,” Saturday at 1:00 PM in the auditorium, when she will share her own experiences rock hunting at key sites in the Northeast. Swing is the owner of Natures. She began collecting at the age of three, and is a regular speaker at rock and gem shows. This presentation is free.

Other events include our annual ham and bean dinner with homemade pies, a chicken barbecue, and panning for minerals for the kids.
Show Schedule: Saturday
8 AM Exhibits open

8 AM – Noon: Wholesome Foods Breakfast
10 AM – 2PM: Library books sale at the Library

1 PM: SPECIAL PRESENTATION: Speaker to be determined.

4:45 PM: Annual Ham & Bean Dinner with homemade beans and pies! Three seatings beginning at 4:45, 5:45 and 6:45 PM at Gilsum Congregational Church. Tickets on sale at the Rock Swap Central information booth all day and at the church at meal time.
6 PM: Dealer exhibits close

Sunday
8 AM: Exhibits open
8 AM – Noon: Wholesome Foods Breakfast
Noon – 2 PM: Chicken Barbecue
10 AM – 2 PM: Library book sale 10:00 – 2:00 at the Library
4:00 PM: Show closes – See you next year!
Visit us on Facebook at GilsumRockSwap, where you will find photos from last year’s show, announcements for this year’s event and more!

November 19, 2017November 19, 2017

Carbondale Fern Fossil Site – CLOSED

Carbondale had an area, site of former strip mining, that still had piles and heaps of shale and slate that contained fern fossils. American Geode has the good fortune of discovering this site back in 2015 and recovered many fern fossils for our clients in academia, for our collector clients and for donation to the gem, mineral and fossil societies to which American Geode belongs.

American Geode are very sad to report that this fern fossil site is now CLOSED and OFF-LIMITS. We returned to the site and saw a large sign declaring that this was a Pennsylvania State Mine Reclamation Project, and as we walked around, we saw no more hills, no pilings, no mounds. Everything was razed. The site was closed, off limits, we could see the tracks from heavy equipment that bull-dozed over the pilings and fossil mounds; this fern fossil site is gone. We took some photos of the now desolate and closed Carbondale fern fossil site, and American Geode still has some of these fossils in our inventory available for studying or purchase:
Name: Fern Fossils and Tree Branches
Fern Species: Alethopteris
Location: Carbondale, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Time: Pennsylvanian Sub-period, 320-290 million years old
Llewellyn Formation
https://www.ebay.com/usr/americangeode

November 19, 2017August 14, 2018

Hyner View State Park

American Geode visited Hyner View State Park during the American Geode rockhounding and fossil hunting trip to Renovo, Pennsylvania and the world famous fossil locale of Red Hill. We were told that Hyner View State Park had the best sunset in the area, so we raced up a very winding road to the top of the mountain to witness one of the great sunsets. The photos speak for themselves, but we need to explain what the platform is that is visible in some of the photos. Due to the freedom of Pennsylvania laws governing outdoors activity, and the self-responsibility that the PA law requires, people go hang gliding off that platform. Per Pennsylvania law, unless you have been invited on to someone’s property, you are liable for yourself. Unless you are under the invitation of a property owner, even if you trespass on someone’s property, and get hurt, the owner of the property is not liable; you are liable. As a result of this, there is much more freedom allowed in Pennsylvania on public lands, as the state is not liable, and you are fully responsible for your safety and well-being. This brings many hang gliders to Hyner View State Park for hang gliding. We were told that someone goes up there with their hang glide, and then they have a friend drive down to meet and rendez-vous with them when they land at the bottom.

The laws of personal responsibility apply to rockhounding as well. One can rockhound along a state road outcrop. As long as the outcrop is not private property, you can rockhound. You are not allowed to rockhound or pull over along national highways however. This is a very important distinction to make because I-80 and I-81 are full of large outcrops, but they are off-limits since the highway is national. This is why American Geode was able to fossil hunt along old Route 15, along the outcrop that is Red Hill and in infamous ghost town Centralia.
http://www.americangeode.com/blog/red-hill-fossil-discovery-part/
http://www.americangeode.com/blog/fern-fossils-discovery-centralia-pennsylvania/
American Geode recommends each rockhound to plan their excursions in advance, exercise safety with goggles and protective clothing and gear, and to ensure that you do not trespass on private property. American Geode can provide guidelines from our rockhounding and fossil hunting trips, but American Geode are not legal experts.

Hyner View State Park was full of trails, and a a great place for cooking out. A family could bring a picnic, tools, charcoal, burgers and dogs for grilling out and take advantage of the permanent grills up there at the top of the mountain.

When rockhounding near Renovo, or fossil hunting at world famous Red Hill, American Geodes recommends a drive to Hyner View State Park for one of the world’s great sunsets, and maybe some hang gliders!

November 15, 2017August 14, 2018

Fern Fossils Discovery in Centralia, Pennsylvania

American Geode returned to the abandoned ghost town of Centralia, Pennsylvania to trace the source of rumors and stories about fern fossils that had supposedly been discovered in this dangerous, forgotten town in the heart of coal country. October 2017, returning from a successful trip in Renovo, PA, making a Red Hill fossil discovery, the team decided to stray a little off of I-80 and revisit Centralia. Centralia, PA is an old coal town that had been abandoned, demolished and condemned in the 1990s due to an underground coal mine fire raging since the early 1960s. Centralia can still be discovered on a map, and it is like walking into a set for “The Walking Dead,” or a show set after the Apocalypse.

There are many articles written about Centralia that contain more history and background than American Geode can share. We were there because people were telling us that they found fern fossils.

We parked the car past the second cemetery in town, walked about 300 meters, and found a hillside that was in fact covered with slate and shale. This was somewhat treacherous and American Geode would classify this site as “intermediate.” Wear boots with soles made for rocky and slick surfaces, wear gloves, long sleeves in case you stumble, and bring water and food because you are in an abandoned town after all. We were reluctant at first to start digging, but to paraphrase Walt Disney it was time for us to stop talking and “just get to work.”

We were very excited when we started finding branches, and some ferns. American Geode believes that this is the site of a swamp or marsh where trees fell and died. We found many more branches and logs than we did fern fossils. The fern fossils are the most dramatic however and most highly sought after. Following is background on the fern fossils one can find in Centralia, photos of our adventure and a video. We are selling many of the fern fossils we discovered this trip. Please contact American Geode for details or visit us on ebay: https://www.ebay.com/usr/americangeode

From the American Geode eBay shop:

Fern fossils, tree branches from Centralia, Pennsylvania, from an abandoned off-limits site. This is the first time they have come to market.

Discovered by American Geode in October 2017.

Excellent set of 17 fern and plant fossils, museum quality. Academics, curators, collectors and interior design professionals have called our plant fossil collection some of the finest ever assembled. These fossils are becoming increasingly rare. The mineral Pyrophyllite is what gives the fern and vegetation impressions their unique white color. The unusual gold tint is rare and is caused by iron ore that was present during the fossil formation.

Name: Fern Fossils and Tree Branches
Fern Species: Alethopteris
Location: Centralia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Time: Pennsylvanian Sub-period, 320-290 million years old
Llewellyn Formation

November 8, 2017August 14, 2018

Red Hill Fossil Discovery Part I

Red Hill is a giant outcrop in North Bend, Pennsylvania that is site of one of the world’s most famous fossil discoveries. Red Hill is the location that helped establish a time-line, and proof of the earliest tetrapods to walk on North America. Red Hill is a fossil location that American Geode would classify as “expert” or “master.” It is a very dangerous location, not only because it is along the highway, but because stones and boulders still fall from the sheer cliff. American Geode made a Red Hill discovery however, and here is the American Geode story about our recent trip to Red Hill.

We started driving around 1am on Saturday morning, so we could stop at another fossil outcrop on the way to Red Hill. Traffic is still heavy leaving New York City however. We tell everyone that just getting out of New York City can be half the time and trouble when you’re on a road trip. The game plan was to stop at an outcrop in Pennsylvania, old Route 15, which is from the same period as Red Hill.

We finally got to the location around 6:30am, and decided to take an hour’s nap as the sun had not risen yet. When we awoke an hour later, we were not alone!

Hell of a way to start a rockhound trip! After the bears ran off however, we started picking around in the rubble and found many Devonian plant life examples, and some fish scales!
Fish scales : Duncannon Member, approximately 367 my.
Devonian Plants : Duncannon Member, approximately 367 my.
Bears : Mamma and her 3 cubs

American Geode would classify this site on old Route 15 as moderately easy. While one can not scale or walk up the outcrop to get to the source material, clearly the elements cause large pieces and boulders to drop. We did not use any tools, we just wore gloves and turned over all the stones and slabs that were on the ground. This site does not have a name to our knowledge other than “old Route 15 fossil spot,” but it was a fun way to begin our trip to Red Hill.

After seeing the bears that morning, I was pretty happy with the trip. It could only get better, or only get worse!
The encounter with bears was picked up by one of the local newspapers as well:
http://s.pennlive.com/kU3Zyrc

If you would like to learn more about rockhounding, or compare notes with American Geode or learn more about places to search for fossils, or to join forces, please contact American Geode by visiting the American Geode homepage: http://www.americangeode.com

Now for “Red Hill Fossil Discovery Part II” when we finally got to the fabled locale, for more excitement, and much, much more hard work!