By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
It was a rockin’ good time Saturday at Lowe-Volk Park as the Crawford Park District, in conjunction with the Richland Lithic and Lapidary Society, celebrated Rock N’ Fossil Day.
The event was an opportunity for visitors young and old to see different displays of fossils, gems, geodes, and fluorescing minerals that are found in and around Ohio as well as other parts of the globe.
Tom Kottyan, who gave a speech on how fossils are formed at the event, explained.
“We want to show people that trees and grass and things like that aren’t the only things that is important in nature; that there is all sorts of neat things out there. And of course Ohio has a rich history of fossils. We have some of the best fossils in the world.”
Kottyan, who taught earth science at Bucyrus for 30 years, spoke to a gathered crowd at noon on the different types of fossils, and how they are formed. After Kottyan’s presentation, those in attendance were allowed to select a Cnidaria (Colonial Coral) and Pelecypod (clam) fossils which were estimated to be 425 million years old, and found in Clay Center, Ohio.
Liam Horst, who attended the event with his grandfather Dave McQuown, said, “I liked the polished rocks. They were very, well, nice.”
Display booths were set up so collectors could show their collections, and vendors could sell their stones was also on hand at the show. Dick Casto, who is a member of the Archaeological Society of Ohio Knox County chapter, was displaying fossils he had found in Morrow County.
“I have been coming here for four years to these shows. I’ll be back again here in a few weeks for arrowhead day,” Casto said.
Dan Everly, who also comes out to the show annually, displayed his meteorite collection which included a fragment of the meteorite that exploded over Russia in February of last year. Everly explained that his collection was compromised mainly of pieces bought off collectors.
“I have only found two,” Everly said. “One was found at where I work and the other one I found in Morrow County.”
Hayden Hodges who attended the event with his grandmother said, “I‘ve been interested I have been getting things I didn’t know about minerals.”
The Rock and Fossil day is just one of many programs hosted by the Crawford Park District. For a list of upcoming events one can check out their website at www.crawfordparkdistrict.org, or call the Park District Office at (419)-683-9000.