Category: Mazon Creek
-
Throwback Thursday #12: George Langford Night, June 13th, 1958
This is Throwback Thursday #12. 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! June 13th, 1958 was George Langford Night. It celebrated the publication of “Fossil Flora and Fauna of the…
-
Mazon Monday #12: Tully: Monster vs Method
This is Mazon Monday post #12. This video by the Field Museum details some of the modern research methods used to study the Tully Monster fossils, and actually many of the other fossils in the FM collection. This research led to the conclusions that you have heard a few years ago… the Tully Monster is…
-
Fossil Friday #10: A Mazon Creek Scorpion!
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #10. Expect this to be a somewhat regular feature of the website. We will post any fossil pictures you send in to esconi.info@gmail.com. Please include a short description or story. Check the #FossilFriday Twitter hash tag for contributions from around the world! This beauty was contributed by Phil Anderson. …
-
Mazon Monday #11: Mazon Creek Collections Database
This is Mazon Monday post #11. The Illinois State Museum in Springfield, IL has a significant collection of Mazon Creek fossils. Most of the collection stems from a collection donated by George Langford in the 1930s. The Mazon Creek Collections Database is a digitzed resource accessible on the museum’s website. In it, you will find…
-
Fossil Friday #9: Alethopteris serlii from the Mazon River
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #9. Expect this to be a somewhat regular feature of the website. We will post any fossil pictures you send in to esconi.info@gmail.com. Please include a short description or story. Check the #FossilFriday Twitter hash tag for contributions from around the world! Here is a stunning Alethopteris serlii from…
-
Mazon Monday #10: Pennsylvanian Siderite Concretionary Fossil Sites
This is Mazon Monday post #10. Fossiliferous Pennsylvanian siderite concretions are known from multiple locations around the world. The most well documented sites are: Some of these localities were described in a paper by Baird, Sroka, and Shabica in 1985, titled “Mazon Creek-Type Fossil Assemblages in the U.S. Midcontinent Pennsylvanian”. A post on the Fossil…
-
Mazon Monday #9: Acanthodes beecheri
This is Mazon Monday post #9. Acanthodes beecheri is the subject of this Species Spotlight. Some of the material in this post was provided by David Duck. Dave has a deep appreciation and interest in the Mazon Creek fauna and flora. He has even constructed 3-D models of quite a few of the Mazon animals,…
-
Mazon Monday #8: Testajapyx thomasi
This is Mazon Monday post #8. Testajapyx thomasi is the subject of this Species Spotlight, You may recognize the name of this species. It is named for ESCONI member, Tom Testa. Tom is a prolific, some might even say legendary, Mazon Creek collector. A great part of his collection resides in the Field Museum and…
-
Fossil Friday #6: Fossils From The Mazon River
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #6. Expect this to be a somewhat regular feature of the website. We will post any fossil pictures you send in to esconi.info@gmail.com. Please include a short description or story. Check the #FossilFriday Twitter hash tag for contributions from around the world! Here are various Mazon Creek fossils from…
-
Mazon Monday #7: Ancient ‘Tully monster’ was a vertebrate, not a spineless blob, study claims
This is Mazon Monday post #7. This is about one of the favorite Mazon animals, the Tully monster. Phys.org has an article about some new research about the Tully Monster. The Tully Monster was first discovered by Francis Tully in 1955. He was fossil hunting in Pit 11 of the old Peabody Coal Company’s strip…
-
Fossil Friday #5: Esconites zelus
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #5. Expect this to be a somewhat regular feature of the website. We will post any fossil pictures you send in to esconi.info@gmail.com. Please include a short description or story. Check the #FossilFriday Twitter hash tag for contributions from around the world! For this week’s Fossil Friday, we have…
-
Mazon Monday #6: Esconites zelus
This is Mazon Monday post #6. A fellow member sent me some pictures of some recently opened Esconites zelus. Got interested in where and when it was first described, here are some highlights. Esconites zelus, Species Spotlight Esconites Temporal range: Carboniferous Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Annelida Class: Polychaeta Order: Eunicida Family: Eunicidae Genus: †Esconites…
-
Mazon Monday #5: The Mazon Creek Project
This is Mazon Monday post #5. Some of the information in this post was provided by John Liskey, former ESCONI member, who has generously donated fossil, mineral, and assorted junior material. Thanks, John! ———————————————————– The Mazon Creek Project was a program sponsored by Northeastern Illinois University. Founded in the 1960s, by the late Eugene Richardson…
-
Mazon Monday #4: Belotelson Shrimp
This is Mazon Monday post #4. These pictures are of a specimen of Belotelson magister collected by ESCONI member Rich Holm in late summer 2019 in Mazonia South Pit 11. It is a crustacean that lived about 307 mya. It was first described by Packard in 1886 from Mazon Creek material. Description: The Mazon Creek…
-
Mazon Monday #3: Mazon Creek Fossils
This is Mazon Monday post #3. The following article by Mary Fairchild first appeared here. It’s a great historical summary of collecting Mazon Creek Fossils. Additionally, the slideshows of fossils hold some amazing specimens. There’s mention of everyone from George Langford Sr. to Eugene Richardson to Jack Wittry and many other notable researchers in between. …
-
Mazon Monday #2: The Vanishing Mother Lode of Mazon Creek
The Friday, July 2nd, 2004 edition of The Reader featured an article titled “The Vanishing Mother Lode of Mazon Creek”. The full text of the article is available online. Unfortunately, it doesn’t include the pictures. This article was written by Mike Sula, no relation to long time ESCONI member Rob Sula. The article does a…
-
Throwback Thursday #1: “If I Could Turn Back Time: ESCONI Rock Club” by Mary Fairchild
Mary Fairchild wrote this article back in 2006. Her and her family were heavily involved in ESCONI in the late 1990s and 2000s. Actually, Jim served as president of ESCONI from 2006 to 2008, along with various other positions. He currently serves as auctioneer at the annual ESCONI shows. As you will read, they have…
-
Mazon Monday #1: The Tully Monster
The Tully Monster, or Tullimonstrum gregarium, has long been one of the most popular Mazon Creek fossil specimens. The reasons are unclear… maybe it’s the strange shape of the animal, or that it’s the State Fossil of Illinois, or the questions and controversy as to what type of animal it is. It is fairly rare,…
-
Mazon Creek Fossil Books!
ESCONI has been very involved in the identification of Mazon Creek fossils for many years. From the legendary George Langford books, to the keys to identify Mazon Creek fossils, to the books of Jack Wittry, we have provided useful resources. The Mazon Creek Fossil Fauna reference book was published in 2012 and is a complete…
-
2020 ESCONI Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show March 21st and March 22nd – Preview #4, Laveiniopteris rarinervis
This is the preview post #4 for the 2020 ESCONI Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show. The show is on March 21st and March 22nd, 2020. Show details can be found here. This is an awesome specimen of Laveinopteris rarinervis from the world famous Mazon Creek fossil biota. It will be part of the live auction…
-
Lizzadro: Jack Wittry on “Sharks at Mazon Creek” – March 14th, 2020
Jack Wittry will be giving a lecture called “Sharks at Mazon Creek” at the Lizzadro Museum on March 14th, 2020 at 3:00 PM. Jack Wittry, Collections Associate at the Field Museum and author of the Mazon Creek Fossil Flora and Fauna books, presents the Mazon Creek fossil shark nurseries and discusses the controversy surrounding this…
-
The Books Are In! The Books Are In!
Jack Wittry’s new book “A Comprehensive Guide to the Fossil Flora of Mazon Creek” has been delivered. We sold the first copies last night at the general meeting. The books should be available at upcoming ESCONI events, Paleofest at the Burpee Museum, MAPS, and of course, at our show March 21st and 22nd, 2020. Jack…
-
ESCONI Flashback Friday #39: Poem from November 1950
As part of the celebration of ESCONI’s 70th Anniversary, here is Flashback Friday post #39. If you have pictures or stories to contribute, please send them over to esconi.info@gmail.com. Thanks! Here is a poem that appeared in the November 1950 edition of the ESCONI newsletter. It was written by Peggy Allaway, daughter of Bill Allaway,…
-
2020 ESCONI Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show March 21st and March 22nd – Preview #1, Mazon Creek Plant – Alethopteris sullivanti
This is the first preview post for the 2020 ESCONI Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show Live Auction. The show is on March 21st and March 22nd, 2020. All details can be found here. Here is an absolutely gorgeous Alethopteris sullivanti! We have a bunch of very nice specimens of fossils, minerals, and much, much more! …
-
ESCONI Flashback Friday #37: Andy Hay Speaks at Lizzadro on Mazon Creek Plants – March 10th, 2001
As part of the celebration of ESCONI’s 70th Anniversary, here is Flashback Friday post #37. If you have pictures or stories to contribute, please send them over to esconi.info@gmail.com. Thanks! Andy Hay was a long time ESCONI member. He joined in 1976 and was a member to the very end. He wrote the Creature Corner…
-
Mazon Creek Lecture on February 18th, 2020 – “Amazin’ Mazon Creek: Digging the Past in Illinois”
“Amazin’ Mazon Creek: Digging the Past in Illinois” Presented by Ellen F. Steinberg, Ph.D. Free PowerPoint lecture for the general public Sponsored by the Geographical Society of Chicago, in partnership with the National Geographic Society Chicago Cultural Center Renaissance Court February 18, 2020 2:00-3:30 p.m. SYNOPSIS Steinberg’s presentation will concern the Mazon Creek sedimentary fossil…
-
ESCONI Flashback Friday #35: Dresden Lakes Field Trip June 1976
As part of the celebration of ESCONI’s 70th Anniversary, here is Flashback Friday post #35. If you have pictures or stories to contribute, please send them over to esconi.info@gmail.com. Thanks! Here are pictures from a field trip to Dresden Lakes in 1976. Dresden Lakes is known for larger concretions with detailed fossils in dark colors,…
-
ESCONI Flashback Friday #33: Plant Life Through The Ages
As part of the celebration of ESCONI’s 70th Anniversary, here is Flashback Friday post #33. If you have pictures or stories to contribute, please send them over to esconi.info@gmail.com. Thanks! The “Plant Life Through The Ages” display was created by ESCONI members during the 1950s. Here is a description from Kathy Dedina, who was president…
-
ESCONI Flashback Friday #32: Collecting Mazon Creek Concretions In The 1950s and 1960s
As part of the celebration of ESCONI’s 70th Anniversary, here is Flashback Friday post #32. If you have pictures or stories to contribute, please send them over to esconi.info@gmail.com. Thanks! Enjoy some old photos of the Coal City, Braidwood, and Wilmington area spoil piles in the 1950s and 1960s. It’s too bad some of those…
-
ESCONI Flashback Friday #31: Andy Hay Memorial Scholarship
As part of the celebration of ESCONI’s 70th Anniversary, here is Flashback Friday post #31. If you have pictures or stories to contribute, please send them over to esconi.info@gmail.com. Thanks! Andy Hay was a long time ESCONI member. He joined in 1976 and was a member to the very end. He wrote the Creature Corner…
