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Cambridge Illinois has a new museum... the Cambridge Natural History Museum. It opened up August 10th, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Cambridge Natural History Museum will hold a grand opening celebration Saturday, August 10th, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Located at 132 W Center Street, Cambridge, IL, the museum will showcase a captivating collection of fossils, minerals, and Native American artifacts, all curated by a remarkable young paleontologist. Guests will even have a chance to touch a real dinosaur fossil.
Anderson Taylor, a 9 year-old Cambridge resident, is very excited to see his dream of opening a museum come true. “I want to teach other kids, as well as adults who aren’t able to go to museums in larger cities, about natural history and prehistoric life”, he says.
The idea to open a museum has been on Anderson’s mind for about two years. “Visiting the Staffin Dinosaur Museum in Scotland really inspired me to open my own museum. The owner of that museum started it when he was a teenager. It isn’t big or fancy like what most people think of when they think of inspiring museums, but it contains many important and exciting fossils and I really enjoyed talking to and learning from the owner, who discovered all of the pieces I was looking at”, says Anderson.
Anderson is a lifelong student of paleontology and has been collecting and studying fossils for as long as he can remember. His study of fossils has brought him around the world. He has traveled to observe evidence of ancient life as far as the Isle of Skye in Scotland and the Morrison Formation in Colorado. For a school project he portrayed Barnum Brown, the paleontologist who discovered the Tyrannosaurus Rex, and he has hosted several public presentations on prehistoric life in Illinois and beyond. Anderson and his brother, Miles, also host a podcast on local history, called “Tot Cast”.
This is the "Fossil Friday" post #225. Expect this to be a somewhat regular feature of the website. We will post any fossil pictures you send in to [email protected]. Please include a short description or story. Check the #FossilFriday Twitter hash tag for contributions from around the world!
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Today, we have a very colorful Annularia inflata from the Mazon River. Annularia is some of the foliage from Calamites. It was described by Leo Lesquereux in 1870. For more information, see Mazon Monday #60.
This beautiful specimen was collected from the Mazon River by Jeremy Zimmerman. Thanks for sharing, Jeremy!
This is Throwback Thursday #226. In these, we look back into the past at ESCONI specifically and Earth Science in general. If you have any contributions, (science, pictures, stories, etc ...), please sent them to [email protected]. Thanks!
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The author of the poem below was Winifred Reutter (1909 - 1998) of White River, South Dakota. She is a noted on the South Dakota Hall of Fame as an author of books and poems. One of her books is "Prairie Poetry".
Winifred Reutter, of White River, SD, is one of the outstanding people who helped preserve the heritage of her area in writings dating back to the 1920’s and 30’s when she was a junior editor of Sunshine Magazine published at Sioux Falls, SD.
Early Dakota Days was one of Winifred’s awards winning County History Books. It was published in 1962. The previous year, her Mellette County Memories was published.
Reutter wrote a column titled “Cowbelle Notes” for the Hereford Journal, published out of St. Louis, MO. For 20 years, she wrote a monthly column for the Gem and Mineral Bulletin. She also contributed many stories to Dakota West and Dakota Farmer.
Prairie Poetry is a book written by Winifred Reutter. She also had her poetry published by Pasque Petals in 5 of their 8 publications. She is listed in Who’s Who under Bennette County Literature.
Winifred was a correspondent for the Associated Press and 10 years with the United Press International for the Argus Leader and the Rapid City Journal.
Winifred Reutter received the Dakota State College Award for Distinguished Contribution to South Dakota History.
The poem was dedicated to the Zeitner Museum, which refers to June Culp Zeitner. She is known for her "significant collection of gems and minerals", a portion of which is in the Smithsonian. She was the author of 9 books about gems and minerals, including -
June won many awards and founded many Gem and Mineral clubs. Interesting note from "Dakota Matrix Minerals" - Assembled probably the largest mineralogical field trip ever in Murdo, SD in 1970 in which 2000 collectors participated. More information about June can be found here.
The Gem of the West passed away on October 11, 2009 at 93 years old. We lost a friend and mentor to us all. June Culp Zeitner passed away peacefully at home surrounded by loved ones. Up until her last days, June would sit comfortably in her chair, with a pile of mineral books aside her and a twinkle in her eye. That twinkle was always there. She was always thinking. You see, she had a few more books to write. Holy cow, she just co-authored a book called “Geodes” at 91 years old. She told me her next (yes, next) book was going to be a compilation of the national “State’s Stones” program, which she pioneered. To my amazement, she had a good start on that one but never quite finished it. Even at 93, June didn’t procrastinate.
June at 91, after publishing her last book "Geodes"
The Zeitners owned a hardware store in Mission and also the Zeitner Geological Museum. In the museum was a wonderful collection of petrified wood, fossils, artifacts, and rocks of all types. June volunteered to research and label the collection—a maneuver she thought might attract Albert's attention. It did, and soon he began inviting June on one-day collecting trips to the badlands. After spending a great deal of time together working on labeling and expanding the collection, Al and June were married.
It was in 1949 that the couple decided that work was getting in the way of what they really wanted to do: go field collecting. So June quit her job, and Al sold the hardware store, and they purchased a 31-foot travel trailer. The plan was to take a year off and travel the United States in search of minerals, fossils, and rocks. The year went by, but the two were not yet ready to settle down. They were having the time of their lives.
Winifred's poem "Rockitis" appeared in the September 1964 edition of the ESCONI newsletter.
ROCKITIS
Dedicated to Zeitner Museum and all other rockhounds!
by Winifred Reutter, White River, S. D.
If ever the rock-bug bites you,
You'll never be the same.
For the rock fever lasts forever
An exciting backbreaking game.You'll start some sunny morning,
Travel happy and weary miles.
Sunburn your nose and crick your back,
Looking over old rock piles.Your legs will ache from walking,
Also your head and every joint,
But you'll forget that all the minute
You find a Folsom point.You forget to eat your dinner,
While gathering fossil bones,
And thrill with great victory
Finding Fairburn agates and other stones.You'll pace across the burning sands,
Far from traveled highways,
To locate old camp sites
Used in olden days.Thru cacti and Badland wastes,
(Perhaps by rattlers terrified),
You'll search for fossil skeletons,
And woods long petrified.Out for a great adventure,
Foretting to eat or drink
You might make the "Great Discovery"
On this safari, you think.Stones and bones and artifacts,
Scientists and collectors treasures.
The fact you picked it up yourself
Multiplies the value beyond measure.Searching and studying rocks
Hard work but what a lark,
Always open season in every state
And fun from dawn to dark!Reading history backwards,
Reconstructing yesteryears,
By footprints and formations,
Made when dinosaurs were peersThere are gems of all colors and textures,
In natures treasure chest,
From hard obsidian to frail sand crystals,
Phosphorescents and all the restIn classifying and comparing specimen
Pleasant evening hours are spent.
(And the bottle passed around,
Is one of liniment!)You wonder how I know so well
A rockhounds pedigree?
Alas, I'm one myself, because,
The rock-bug once bit me!
Braceville Field Trip Rules
Sept 2024
The ESCONI field trips to Braceville for Mazon Creek fossils are set for Sept 7 and 8, 2024 from 9 AM to 3 PM. You can attend one or the other, but not both days. There is an attendance limit of 50 people each day.
You must register to go on this trip. See rule 6 below for instructions. This is the only way to register.
If you are sick, have any symptoms of Covid-19 or have recently tested positive, DO NOT COME.
Families are welcome, but the minimum age is 5 years old. Children must be supervised at all times by their parent or guardian. Registration ends at midnight Sept 3rd.
You and everyone in your party must be members of ESCONI. No membership dues will be accepted at the field trip site. Have your membership status resolved before the trip, no later than September 3rd. You can pay dues by mailing a check, or with a credit card using the PayPal link on the ESCONI website.
You will be required to check-in at the collecting site. By attending, you agree to follow the ESCONI Code of Ethics and Conduct (available on the ESCONI website) and agree to the conditions set forth in the ESCONI Accident Waiver and Release of Liability Form (sent by email to those that register). You don’t need to print it out, just know what you’re agreeing to.
You’re going to be digging in clay and rocks – dress accordingly! Boots and gloves are strongly recommended. No open-toed shoes or soft climbing shoes. Hard hats are not required. You may want to bring a shovel, pickaxe, trowel, or hammer. Use only a rock hammer, not a claw hammer or roofing hammer. If you decide to hammer on something, use eye protection. There may also be insects and poison ivy. Bring a bucket to carry your fossils in. The collecting site is an old spoil pile on private property. There may be old rusty tools or other iron pieces embedded in the pile. Sliding down the hill could be very painful.
The top of the pile is unstable and not safe to stand on. Do not go above the flags/caution tape markers. Anyone found above the markers will be asked to leave and may not be allowed to sign up for future field trips.
Sign up for the trip by sending me (Dave) an email with the names of all members in your group, and the day you are attending. I will acknowledge by return email within 24 hours. If you don’t hear from me in that time, send it again! I will be out of town Aug 9 and 10 so my response may be delayed. My email is [email protected]
If the trip is full I will keep a waiting list in case there are cancellations. If you are signed up and can’t make it, please let me know.
Meet at 9 AM at the entrance to the collecting site on S Berta Road, just east of the intersection with Division St (Braceville IL). A nearby landmark for driving directions is the Braceville Gardner Cemetery, 7295 East Braceville Road, Braceville. I can send a small map to anyone that needs it.
ESCONI will be holding the 2024 Mazon Creek Fossil Day on October 12th, 2024 from 10 AM to 3 PM at the Coal City Public Library. Please come out and bring your Mazon Creek fossils. There will displays of Mazon Creek fossils and knowledgeable people who can identify your fossils.
Coal City Public Library
85 N. Garfield St.
Coal City, IL
Main Meeting RoomLecture on Mazon Creek Fossils 1 PM
Come on out for another great and informative day!
This is Mazon Monday post #228. What's your favorite Mazon Creek fossil? Tell us at email:[email protected].
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Eubleptus danielsi, reconstruction by Carpenter (1983). Scale bar = 10 mm. Abbreviations: a, antenna; ab, abdo- men; c, cerci; f, foreleg; fw, forewing; h, head; hw, hind wing; p, prothorax.
Eubleptus danielsi belongs to the Palaeodictyoptera an extinct order of medium-sized to very large, primitive Palaeozoic paleopterous insects. Palaeodictyoptera give many clues to the evolution of wings in insects. E. danielsi was described by Anton Handlirsch in 1906. Handlirsch (1865 - 1935) was an Austrian entomologist, who worked extensively on many insect orders. He did significant work studying of fossil insects. Handlirsch described E. danielsi in "Revision of American Paleozoic insects. Proceedings of the United States National Museum".
E. danielsi was named for L.E. Daniels a significant collecting from Mazon, IL in the late 1800s (see Mazon Monday #184). Daniels has six Mazon Creek animals named for him, including a spider, a scorpion, and four insects. Fossilworks has references to some of the specimens he contributed to UMMP and USNM.
In 1911, Handlirsch described Athymodictya parva in "New Paleozoic insects from the vicinity of Mazon Creek, Illinois, American Journal of Science, Series 4 31, 297-326", which was later classified as a synonym of E. danielsi by Frank M. Carpenter in 1983.
Anton Handlirsch
Eubleptus danielsi appears on the cover of Jack Wittry's "The Mazon Creek Fossil Fauna". Unfortunately, there is no discussion of the animal. However, it is mentioned on pages 187 and 188 of the "Richardson's Guide to the Fossil Fauna of Mazon Creek".
The family Eubleptidae, known only from Mazon Creek beds, includes a single species at present, Eubleptus danielsi Handlirsch (1906). This is one of the smallest members of the order Palaeodictyoptera, with a wing length of only 12.7 mm (0.5 in.) (Figures 14A.11, 14A.12). It is also one of the best known members of the Mazon Creek insect fauna, being represented by 17 specimens, of which all but two are from Pit 11 Carpenter (1983). The antennae and cerci are very long and slender. The fore and hind wings have a distinct line of four maculations along the anterior margins.
Specimens
FMNH PE 40223 (Paul Harris specimen from Pit 11)
FMNH PE 39355
ESCONI member from the Mazon River
Athymodictya parva is a synonym of Eubleptus danielsi as determined by Frank M. Carpenter in 1983 (YPM IP 000018). Collected by Samuel Strong in the mid 1800s.
A giant T. rex emerges from the shadows of a forest. Mark Witton © Mark Witton.
Science Daily has a post from the Canadian Museum of Nature that looks at the maximum size of dinosaurs. New research published in the journal Ecology and Evolution found that Tyrannosaurs rex might have been 70% heavier than currently accepted.
A new study published today in the scientific journal Ecology and Evoiution looks at the maximum possible sizes of dinosaurs, using the carnivore, Tyrannosaurus rex, as an example. Using computer modelling, Dr. Jordan Mallon of the Canadian Museum of Nature and Dr. David Hone of Queen Mary University of London, produced estimates that T. Rex might have been 70% heavier than what the fossil evidence suggests.
The researchers assert that the huge sizes attained by many dinosaurs make them a source of endless fascination, raising the question as to how these animals evolved to be so big. There are perennial claims and counter-claims about which dinosaur species was the largest of its group or even the largest ever.
Most dinosaur species are known from only one or a handful of specimens, so it's extraordinarily unlikely that their size ranges will include the largest individuals that ever existed. The question remains: how big were the largest individuals, and are we likely to find them?
This is the "Fossil Friday" post #224. Expect this to be a somewhat regular feature of the website. We will post any fossil pictures you send in to [email protected]. Please include a short description or story. Check the #FossilFriday Twitter hash tag for contributions from around the world!
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Alethopteris serlii is always a favorite. They are usually distinctive fossils, quite often preserved in 3-D. A. serlii was a seed fern from the Carboniferous Period. It is fairly common found in the Mazon Creek fossil deposits. It was named by Alexandre Brongniart (1770 - 1847) in 1836. For more information see Mazon Monday #57.
This particular specimen was collected in Pit 11 quite a few years ago.
This is Throwback Thursday #225. In these, we look back into the past at ESCONI specifically and Earth Science in general. If you have any contributions, (science, pictures, stories, etc ...), please sent them to [email protected]. Thanks!
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The June 1951 edition of the newsletter had a couple pages of charming artwork that detailed Wilbur and Donnafred Hoff's plans during the summer of 1951. We've posted previously on the Hoff's, with a favorite being "Mid-century Mazon Creek" in Mazon Monday #104. In that post, we discover just how cheap and plentiful Mazon Creek fossils were back in the day.
The following photo shows Wilbur and Donnafred in 1958. They were both very active in ESCONI.
Many ESCONI members talked of their vacations in the past newsletters, both before and after they went. This piece by the Hoff's has an alphabet theme and details everything they planned to do on their trip into the American west during the summer of 1951.
I think my favorite is "Wrestling Writhing Wrattlesnakes", but "Tracking Terrible Triceratops", "Arduously Acquiring Agates", "Justifiably Jubilant over Jade and Jasper", and "Industriously Ignoring Insatiable Insects" are very good, too. Actually, they are all good and imaginative.
Enjoy, and we hope you have some "Variously Vivacious Vacations" this summer!
