So Anyways, These Curious Looking Things Caught My Attention And I Think I May Have Stumbled Upon A New Adventure!

[Sunshine&Butterflies5]

I have always loved Lake Michigan! I can remember walking along the beach with my dad when I was a 3 and 4 years old. We would hunt for small hidden treasures along the shoreline. He introduced me to crinoids! Since then, whenever I go to Lake Michigan, I ALWAYS come home with a few "hidden treasures". However, this summer I have lost myself on the shores of Lake Michigan for several hours, fascinated by ROCKS and FOSSILS. My family (5 children and husband) think I've truly lost it...lol. I have come home with great anticipation of sharing my finds with them in hopes that they would be just as excited. (Not so much!) Perhaps they would be more interested if I knew what the heck I was showing them! I have researched a bit and think I know what some of the pics are and apologize for the quality. Work in progress...thanks for your help.

[trilobiteruss]

They are all fossil corals, nice find. The coral in photo two is a colonial coral often found along the lake shores, has a popular name called "Petoskey Stone"

Petoskey stone

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Unpolished Petoskey stone with cmscale.

A Petoskey stone is a rock and a fossil, often pebble-shaped, that is composed of a fossilized coral, Hexagonaria percarinata.^[1] The stones were formed as a result of glaciation, in which sheets of ice plucked stones from the bedrock, grinding off their rough edges and depositing them in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and the northwestern (and some in the northeastern) portion of Michigan's lower peninsula. In some areas of Michigan, complete fossilized coral colony heads can be found.

Petoskey stones are found in the Gravel Point Formation of the Traverse Group. They are fragments of a coral reef that was originally deposited during the Devonian period. ^[1] When dry, the stone resembles ordinary limestone but when wet or polished using lapidary techniques, the distinctive mottled pattern of the six-sided coral fossils emerges. It is sometimes made into decorative objects. Other forms of fossilized coral are also found in the same location.

In 1965, it was named the state stone of Michigan.

Etymology

A polished Petoskey stone

The name comes from an Ottawa Indian Chief, Chief Pet-O-Sega. The city of Petoskey, Michigan, is also named after him, and is the center of the area where the stones are found. The stones are commonly found on beaches and in sand dunes.

According to legend, Petosegay was the child of a descendant of French nobleman and fur trader, Antoine Carre and an Ottawa princess. Petosegay, meaning "rising sun", "rays of dawn" or "sunbeams of promise", was named after the rays of sun that fell upon his newborn face. In keeping with his promising name, Petosegay was a wealthy fur trader who gained much land and acclaim for himself and his tribe. He was remarked upon to have a striking and appealing appearance, and spoke English very well. He married another Ottawa, and together they had two daughters and eight sons. In the summer of 1873, a few years before the chief's passing, a city began on his land along Little Traverse Bay. The settlers christened the newborn city Petoskey, an anglicized form of Petosegay.^[2]

[edit]Locations

Petoskey stones can be found on various beaches and inland locations in Michigan with many of the most popular being those surrounding Petoskey and Charlevoix. The movement of the frozen lake ice acting on the shore during the winters is thought to turn over stones at the shore of Lake Michigan exposing new Petoskey stones at the water's edge each spring.^[3]

Similar fossil corals occur in a variety of locations, however the name Petoskey stone should only be applied to those from Michigan.

[Fossildude19]

Hello, and welcome to the Forum.

Many of us can sympathize with you on the uninterested family members.

That's why we come to this Forum.

We will always be excited to see what you find here.

The bulk of what you have looks to be corals. Looks like Russ beat me to it.

#3 and #4 look like solitary Rugose or Horn corals.

Welcome again.

Regards,

[Auspex]

Let slip that these corals are about 350 million years old (twice as old as the oldest dinosaurs), and see whether there is a rise in interest

Welcome to the Forum

[Trevor]

Awesome corals I would have never of thought they would be that old. It's amazing what changes in the Earth they have gone through...and now you have found something that has never been seen before...

[Sunshine&Butterflies5]

WOW - Thanks guys! I appreciate your help. 350 MILLION years old...that is AWESOME! I shared that with my daughter and husband...it definitely heightened interest! I am also excited to know that I may have Petoskey Stone, someone said that they are not often found in my area of Lake Michigan. Was at it again today! I think I may post a couple of my new treasures tomorrow. You guys are great! Thanks again. ~Peace~