Little Known Site Near Downtown Dayton (Part 2)

[hrguy54]

Recently a hill of dirt and rock has been pushed in front of the drive to keep water and washed out materials from gushing down the driveway and into the street.

This was the first time in at least several years that this had been done. My first visit to the site produced probably 30 horn corals and brachiopods strewn just across the drive all the way down to the street, pushed there by the flooding caused by rainfall. Obviously, no one had been there in quite a while.

The floor of the quarry has become “terraced” due to erosion. The terraces are at most 3 inches tall and may run up to 30-40 ft along the curved contour of the floor.

Last month I visited for the 2^nd time this year…. with the recent drought followed by several gulley-washer storms within a week’s time I had a feeling a lot of material could have washed out.

I was correct. In 3 visits (Th-S-Su) I ended up with 65 lbs of fossils. Around half being brachiopods…. Herbertella, Platystrophia, and Lepidocyclus.

(about half of the brachs found)

Along with some decent horn corals and cephalopods.

Often times a wide range of specimens would be clustered in a small area, such as in the photo below. What all do you see in the photo?

Or, there might be a cluster of the same kinds. The brachs in the next pictures, were found clustered in each of their own 1 square foot areas. As if someone set them there. Just sitting right on top of the ground rather than stuck in the rock.

At this time I don't intend to visit this site again until next spring, although I may have second thoughts if a huge storm rumbles through in the Fall.

[Herb]

Very interesting, I lived there 20 years and never discovered the site. Nice.

[Missourian]

I always love it when they scrape off at the right level.

[Archimedes]

nice spot to collect, thanks for sharing

[DSMissed]

My grandpa had loads of gravel brought into his place one time, and it was just full of worm fossils. Really cool.

[Wrangellian]

Nice haul! Must be nice to have the fossils lying there loose, most of mine are in the rock and the fossil breaks with the matrix if I'm not careful, though fossils in matrix have a certain elegance too.. but they almost always need trimming and take up more space than loose brach's etc!

[hrguy54]

Here's a close up of the "what do you see.." picture. anyone see the trilobite? About 3/4' long. That's the only one I've ever found there. Also one of a plate with a +12" cephalopod from the east side of the site.

[lordpiney]

Here's a close up of the "what do you see.." picture. anyone see the trilobite? About 3/4' long. That's the only one I've ever found there. Also one of a plate with a +12" cephalopod from the east side of the site.

oh wait...i see it! it's right next to the Brachiopod!

[michael971]

Nice. I have also collected those in Jefferson County, Mo

[hrguy54]

You seem quite generous to give one of your beloved collecting sites. I hope no one spoils that sharing feeling.

Hey, you're right! Readers....that's downtown Cincinnati, did I say Dayton? Sorry, my bad, I meant Columbus. Yeah, Columbus.

Actually, although SW Ohio has a huge supply of such marine fossils, there are ridiculously few collectors. I'll bet 95% of the native Daytonians I show a horn coral to have no idea what it is or know the area was once covered by ocean. There's only 4-5 FF members in all of Ohio.

[hrguy54]

oh wait...i see it! it's right next to the Brachiopod!

Yeah, exactly! The gray one next to the curvey thing. Just above that one rock. Good eye, lordpiney!!

[erose]

Here's a close up of the "what do you see.." picture. anyone see the trilobite? About 3/4' long. That's the only one I've ever found there. Also one of a plate with a +12" cephalopod from the east side of the site.

Yes! I couldn't be sure in the first post because the photo wouldn't zoom. Looks like a pretty complete Flexicalymene. A good find if you are as high up in the Richmond as I am guessing.

I grew up in east Dayton and collected various small pockets around where I lived and later a little more expansively around town. Based on the Hiscobeccus (=Lepidocyclus) would suggest upper Liberty or lower Whitewater Formation. I know some upper Whitewater locations in east Dayton that have a similar mix but without those fat round brachs.

I am also both saddened and not surprised by your observation about the level of scientific knowledge you encounter. But I also know there are some very serious collectors living there. You might consider going to a Dry Dredgers meeting down in Cincy one month and ask about fellow Daytonians. One of their most accomplished members, Ron Fine, lives in Dayton.

[Wrangellian]

I thought I saw some trilobits in there but couldn't tell they were anywhere near complete.

Lots of fossiling ground and few collectors? Ohio here I come! (LOL) Actually sounds like there's more collectors here on Vancouver Island and we only have ~750 000 people here.