This is Throwback Thursday #282. 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 send them to esconi.info@gmail.com. Thanks! email:esconi.info@gmail.com.

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I found this old Field Museum postcard at the recent ESCONI Rock Swap. It’s a photo of the coal forest in the Evolving Planet exhibit. This exhibit was originally in the Ernest R. Graham Hall in the Field Museum. The postcard is from the middle 20th century.

The coal forest hasn’t changed much over the years. Here’s a photo from the book “A Forest of the Coal Age” (see Mazon Monday #255) along with the book’s description.

DETAIL OF THE CARBONIFEROUS FOREST RESTORATION IN FIELD MUSEUM

The large tree in the center background is a tree-like clubmoss, Sigillaria, partly hidden by the trunks of a Lepidophloios and a tree-fern with large leafscars on the stem and concealed above by fronds of this fern (Psaronius) and foliage of Lepidodendron. Ascending the Lepidophloios trunk is a seed-fern (Lyginopteris) with delicate forking fronds, one of which is shown bearing seed (Lagenostoma). The strap-shaped foliage in the upper left corner is that of the gymnosperm Cordaites and below on the left are two seed-ferns {Neuropteris decipiens above, N. heterophylla below) each presenting a seed-bearing frond. The small plant at the bottom center and right is Sphenophyllum. The large fallen trunk is a Sigillaria with a small herbaceous clubmoss, Selaginellites, spreading over its surface. The slender log on the ground is a Lepidodendron with rhombic leaf cushions. On this trunk is seen one of the large roaches of the period and beyond is one of the four-legged inhabitants of the swamp forests, a Carboniferous amphibian.

Here’s a photo of the modern display.