Fossil Hunting
Our sixth day will be spent at Coon Creek Science Center. Coon Creek is situated on 232 acres of land in northeastern McNairy County, Tennessee and is about 100 miles from Memphis. Coon Creek, a world renowned Cretaceous Period fossil deposit, provides a unique field trip opportunity. Coon Creek is owned and operated by the Pink Palace Museum in Memphis and many of the most important specimens are on display at the museum. Some of the Coon Creek fossils are pictured and described on the Pink Palace Museum webpage on this field trip. Coon Creek is open for educational tour groups by appointment only. The cost varies depending on the type of program a group chooses. We will participate in a four hour program entitled "Field Paleontology", which will cost $6 per person. Our contact person for the field trip is Vicky Goodrum, educational director. After our program, we will drive back to Memphis.
We will begin our program with a short introduction period in the main education building. During this time, our guide will discuss Coon Creek and the history of the area. She will summarize the theory of ancient marine organisms that lived in the area and will talk about the kind of fossils that can be found at Coon Creek. Finally, she will discuss what participants will be doing during the dig portion of the program. To learn more about the Cretaceous Period and the history of the Coon Creek fossils, follow this link to Coon Creek Fossils.
We will begin our program with a short introduction period in the main education building. During this time, our guide will discuss Coon Creek and the history of the area. She will summarize the theory of ancient marine organisms that lived in the area and will talk about the kind of fossils that can be found at Coon Creek. Finally, she will discuss what participants will be doing during the dig portion of the program. To learn more about the Cretaceous Period and the history of the Coon Creek fossils, follow this link to Coon Creek Fossils.
Creek Bed Hunting
We will then move down to the quarry dig site. Because Coon Creek is such an important research site, participants are restricted to a particular area for digging. Prior to our arrival, caretakers of the facility have unearthed a large mound of matrix material which will be the site of our dig. Small individual mounds of matrix will be set aside for student fossil collection. Students will collect fossils from this area by digging and separating the fragile fossils from the soil. Fossils that are collected during this time will be taken back to the visitors area to be identified and cleaned. Participants will also be allowed to walk the creek bed to hunt for surface fossils. Any time there is rain in the area, new fossils are uncovered and can be found laying on the surface of the creek bed.
After the collection sessions, participants will meet back at the picnic area to identify and clean their fossils. Our guide will demonstrate and help students with a special technique needed to clean these fragile fossils. Students will be given a Coon Creek fossil identification guide to help with identification. Participants will be allowed to keep all fossil specimens they find unless deemed beneficial to paleontological research.
After the collection sessions, participants will meet back at the picnic area to identify and clean their fossils. Our guide will demonstrate and help students with a special technique needed to clean these fragile fossils. Students will be given a Coon Creek fossil identification guide to help with identification. Participants will be allowed to keep all fossil specimens they find unless deemed beneficial to paleontological research.