This is the “Fossil Friday” post #339. Expect this to be a regular feature of the website. We will post fossil pictures you send in to esconi.info@gmail.com. Please include a short description or story. Check the #FossilFriday Bluesky/Twitter hash tag for contributions from around the world!

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We saw quite a few very nice Mazon Creek fossils last week at the 2026 Mazon Creek Fossil Day. One of the most notable was the lycopod cone brought in my Merry Jo Montgomery. The fossil was found earlier this summer by her daughter, Laura Adamczyk.

Merry Jo is the daughter of Wilbur “Wib” Lewis. Wib collected for many years along side his friends, Walter and Rita Leitz. He was generous with both his time and fossils. He helped Walter and Ralph Jewell on field trips and was known to give away fossils to children he thought would enjoy them. Merry Jo said he kept a box of fossils in his car for giveaways. If you see fossils glued to a thin wooden square, there’s a good chance it was one of Wib’s. I’ve seen a few of them in the Grundy County Historical Society displays. Walter Leitz displayed them similarly, but on thick card stock.

This photo has Wib in the middle next to Keith Holm on his right and Rita and Walter Leitz on the far right. Andy Hay is on the far left.

Here is Wib on a Braidwood Library field trip to Pit 11 around 1997.

We aren’t entirely sure of the identification, but it appears to be Achlamydocarpon varius, which is very rare. These cones are believed to have been produced by the arborescent lycopsids Diaphorodendron or Synchysidendron.

This beautiful fossil was absolutely breathtaking in person. Thanks for sharing, Merry Jo!