Tag: pit11
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Mazon Monday #337: Carbohymen testai
I had a chance to catch up with Jack Wittry at the Field Museum this weekend. He mentioned that he had tracked down the insect whose name we first encountered at Tom Testa Day at the Carbon Hill School Museum back in June. At the time, Jack wasn’t sure whether Carbohymen testai was actually a…
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Mazon Monday #336: 1980’s Pit 11 Collecting
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.
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Mazon Monday #335: Richardson Collecting at Pit 11 in 1974
A few years ago, Charlie Shabica donated a collection of historical documents to ESCONI, and these photographs were among the materials. They document a Mazon Creek field trip in July 1974 led by Eugene Richardson Jr., Curator of Fossil Invertebrates at the Field Museum.
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Fossil Friday #329: Pit 11 Roachoid!
This beautiful roachoid comes from ESCONI President Chris Berg. He collected it from the Pit 11. It opened up recently via the freeze/thaw method. Thanks for sharing, Chris!
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Fossil Friday #320: Tully Monster Repeat!
For this week’s Fossil Friday, we’re featuring our first-ever repeat fossil. It was special before and you’ll see why it’s even more special now. This remarkable Tully Monster specimen comes from longtime ESCONI member Jeremy Zimmerman. You could even say that this particular fossil is getting its third chance at fame.
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2026 ESCONI Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show – Preview #28: Coelocanth Scale from Pit 11
Here’s beautiful example of a Coelocanth scale Mazon Creek’s Pit 11 locality. Look closely, the preservation is very detailed. Did we mention the tomorrow is the show… see you there!
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Fossil Friday #307: Euphoberia sp. From Pit 11
For today, we have a very nice Mazon Creek millipede. Euphoberia is an extinct genus of millipede found in both Europe and North America. The genus was erected by  Fielding Bradford Meek and Amos Henry Worthen when they described Euphoberia armigera as a centipede in 1868.
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Mazon Monday #297: Pit 11 Coal Mining Artifact
This is Mazon Monday post #297. What’s your favorite Mazon Creek fossil? Tell us at email:esconi.info@gmail.com. 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…
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Mazon Monday #296: Jim Turnbull in Pit 11
Jim Turnbull, namesake for Anthracomedusa turnbulli (see Mazon Monday #278), worked for Abbott Labs for many years. Abbott has/had an internal newsletter called “AbbotTopics”. In the October 8th, 1965 edition, Jim is the subject of an article titled “Prehistoric Insect Discovery May Bear Abbott Man’s Name”.
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Mazon Monday #254: Pit 11 Concretions
In less than a month, fossil collecting season will begin at the IDNR Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish and Wildlife Area. Many of you are likely eager to get out there before the vegetation returns and obscures the concretions scattered on the ground. Spring is the prime season for fossil hunting at Pit 11, the original name…
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Fossil Friday #245: Tullymonstrum gregarium
This week’s fossil is a Tully Monster, which are always popular fossils. Tullymonster gregarium come in all shapes and sizes. It got both its common and scientific names from Eugene Richardson, Jr., who was the Curator of Fossil Invertebrates at the Field Museum for many years. Legend has it that Francis Tully brought in some…
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Fossil Friday #229: Tullymonstrum gregarium
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #229. 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! A beautifully preserved Tullymonstrum gregarium is our…
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Mazon Monday #232: Braidwood Field Trip – September 1959
This is Mazon Monday post #232. What’s your favorite Mazon Creek fossil? Tell us at email:esconi.info@gmail.com. On September 27th, 1959, ESCONI sponsored the Annual Autumn Braidwood Field Trip. These trips were held each year many times with the different Chicago clubs rotating as hosts. John and Lucy McLuckie were on hand every year. Sometimes, the…
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Fossil Friday #226: Acanthotelson stimpsoni from Pit 11
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #226. 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 installment of Fossil Friday,…
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Mazon Monday #229: Pit 11 Field Trip in September 1976
This is Mazon Monday post #229. What’s your favorite Mazon Creek fossil? Tell us at email:esconi.info@gmail.com. —————————————————– The hills of Pit 11 have changed quite a bit over the years. Pit 11 was and active mine until 1974, so these photos are from just two years afterwards. Notice the lack of vegetation! If you’ve been…
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Fossil Friday #223: Acanthotelson stimpsoni
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #223. 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 week, we have a nice little…
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Throwback Thursday #220: Collecting Poem from November 1950
This is Throwback Thursday #220. 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! Peggy Allaway wrote an untitled poem for the November 1950 edition of the ESCONI newsletter. Peggy was the…
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Fossil Friday #173: Elonichthys hypsilepus from Mazon Creek
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #173. 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! —————————————————– Today, we have a gorgeous Mazon…
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Throwback Thursday #173: Chiton Hill in Pit 11
Earlier this week, we posted Mazon Monday #172 Glaphurochiton. In that post, it was mentioned that chitons tended to be found in larger assemblages. In fact, a few ridges in Pit 11 were referred to as “Chiton Hills”.
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Mazon Monday #154: Collecting Mazon Creek Fossils At Pit 11: Amateur Perspective
This is Mazon Monday post #154. What’s your favorite Mazon Creek fossil? Tell us at email:esconi.info@gmail.com. In honor of Pit 11 Opening Day on March 1st, here is a historical article from the Lizzadro Museum’s newsletter in 2006. There’s an advertisement of the Mazon Creek Open House held on November 11th, 2006. The article is…
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Fossil Friday #149: Rhaphidiophorus hystrix
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #149. 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! We have a gorgeous Mazon Creek worm…
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Fossil Friday #146: Kottixerxes gloriosus
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #146. 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! As stated back in Mazon Monday #141,…
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Fossil Friday #138: Mamayocaris jaskoskii
This is “Fossil Friday” post #138. 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, we have a very nice…
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Fossil Friday #135: It’s Got Belotelson Eyes…
This is “Fossil Friday” post #135. 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! Who’s old enough to remember the Kim Carnes…
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Fossil Friday #117: Lobatelson mclaughlinae
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #117. 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! Today, we have a very nice Pit…
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Fossil Friday #112: Coprinoscolex elliogimus!
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #112. 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! After a long week, it’s time for…
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Fossil Friday #111: Rhabdoderma exiguum
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #111. 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…
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Fossil Friday #99: Tully Monster!
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #99. 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! Our first Mazon Monday was about the…
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Fossil Friday #96: Mazon Creek Insect Nymph
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #96. 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! We have another Mazon Creek insect this…
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Fossil Friday #95: Mazon Creek Winged Insect – Diaphanopterodea
This is the “Fossil Friday” post #95. 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 absolutely stunning Mazon Creek insect comes…
