This is Throwback Thursday #290. 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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25 Years Ago – November 2000

• The General Meeting featured Wendy Taylor, Collection Manager, Fossil Invertebrates at the Field Museum speaking about “Echinoderms – Past and Present”
• The Mineralogy Study Group was discussing Durango, Mexico – a famous mineral locality. It’s known for adamite, aragonite, aurichalcite, chalophanite, collophanite, heminorphite, memetite, and wulfenite.
• Chris Cozart did a presentation on crinoids for the Paleontology Study Group.
• Karen’s Komments had stories about Chinese fossils, Dinofest 2000, and Paleofest 2021.
• The IDNR announced changes for collecting in Pit 11 for 2001. One change was a periodic discing operation some areas. They also limited collection to (1) 5 gallon bucket for each visit.

50 Years Ago – November 1975

• The silent auction in October 1975 was a huge success.
• The General Meeting presentation was about “Thunder Eggs – Those Fascinating Nodules”. It was a Lizzadro Museum slide-lecture presented by ESCONI members Doris and Russ Kemp.
• The Lapidary Group was carving soapstone. The leader of the session was Geraldine Palmer, who won an award for an amazing rose.
• Archaeology was learning about Turkey… the country not the bird. Linn Buss led the presentation.
• There was a field trip to Funk’s Museum in Shirley, Illinois. You can still visit this museum in Funk’s Grove, Illinois.
• The Micro-Mount of the Month was Cerussite.

70 Years Ago – November 1955

• Dr. Wilbur L. Hoff, a founding member of ESCONI, spoke on Radioactivity at the General Meeting.
• The Archaeology Study Group held their first meeting in a series on Native American pottery.
• The Chicago Lapidary Club extended an invitation to their annual auction to all ESCONI members.
• The Paleontology Group held an indoor field trip to the University of Chicago to see the Fern and Cycad House and the excellent animal fossils in the Walker Museum. Those animal fossils now reside at the Field Museum.