This is Mazon Monday post #297.  What’s your favorite Mazon Creek fossil?  Tell us at email:esconi.info@gmail.com.

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We often focus on the beautiful fossils found in the Mazon Creek deposit, but sometimes overlook the rich history that surrounds them. Coal mining played a central role in shaping the Wilmington, Braidwood, and Coal City area, from the deep shaft mines of the mid-1800s to the massive strip mining operations of the 20th century. Coal truly touched the lives of everyone in the region.

Recently, ESCONI member Jake Fill, who’s always finding something interesting, shared some photos on Facebook of a coal mining artifact he found in Pit 11 in 2024. It’s a heavy metal “tooth” from one of the giant draglines that the Peabody Coal Company used to extract coal from the ground. It’s a neat reminder that the same machines that uncovered the fossils we love also left their own marks on the landscape.

The “tooth” weighs about 92 pounds… imagine carrying that out of Pit 11 in the heat of the summer.

Jake cleaned it with a wire brush and applied Paraloid B-72 to preserve it.

Very cool find, Jake! Thanks for sharing!