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Mazon Monday #336: 1980’s Pit 11 Collecting

This is Mazon Monday post #336.  What’s your favorite Mazon Creek fossil?  Tell us at esconi.info@gmail.com.


Keeping with the history theme, here’s a photo from a field trip to Pit 11 most likely from the 1980’s. You can see Braidwood Station in the background. Construction on August 1st, 1975 and completed in 1988.

I see a bunch of Mazon Creek old-timers. Mary Smith and her husband are on the left edge of the photo. Bob Ulaszek is in the back row next to them, followed by Walter Leitz, Tom Testa, and Steve Sroka. Any Hay is 4th from the right in the back row. Unfortunately, I don’t recognize the others. In the next row, there’s Dorothy Auler, Rita Leitz, and Don Auler. In front on the right is Karlene Ramsdell.

If anyone can help fill in the missing ids, please send them along and we’ll update the post.

5 responses to “Mazon Monday #336: 1980’s Pit 11 Collecting”

  1. Merry Jo Montgomery Avatar
    Merry Jo Montgomery

    Walt and Rita Lietz were friends of my parents! Walt gave my dad the fossil bug. Our family has strip mine land that they searched as well as other areas. I’ve been finding fossils there since my early childhood. Walt’s spider was found on our property. So sweet to see him and Rita’s photos!

    1. ESCONI Avatar

      Did you see this one?
      https://esconi.org/2024/03/mazon-monday-209-walters-spider-fossils-paleontology-mazoncreek-mazonmonday-spider-history-pennsylva/

      Walter and Rita have appeared in a handful of our posts. Unfortunately, I never met them, but some of my collector friends did. What was your father’s name? Do you know if he was an ESCONI member? Or, a Mazon Creek Project member?

      Thanks!

  2. Merry Jo Montgomery Avatar
    Merry Jo Montgomery

    Thanks for the article! So interesting. My father’s name was Wilbur “Wib”
    Lewis. I believe he was a Mazon Creek Project member as I have his t-shirt. Not sure about ESCONI. I know he went on many events at Northeastern with Walt.
    Thanks again.

    1. ESCONI Avatar

      I have heard of your father. My friend Ralph was good friends with Walter and he has mentioned his name.

      I think your father was known for mounting fossils on wood. There are fossils of his at the Grundy County Historical Society.

      Do you have photos of him collecting? or any of his fossils? I’d love to do a historical post about him and Walter collecting. I can always use an interesting story for Mazon Monday or Fossil Friday.

      Thanks!

      1. ESCONI Avatar

        My friend Ralph sent me photos of your father. I’ll email them to you tomorrow.

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