Sylvannia Fossil Park

[Herb]

Went to Toledo this weekend to do some fishing in the Maumee River, (river was at near flood stage) Oh, well. Since we couldn't fish we went to the Fossil Park off Centennial Road in Sylvania, OH. 2 for 2 in the bad luck area. You can not use ANY type of digging tools except your hands and maybe a rock you find laying around. If you are familiar with the Silica formation the clay pretty much turns to rock or becomes so sticky you can't dig it. Plenty of piles of clay but no real way to work them. I found a couple of brachs but nothing else. I don't recommend the park for collecting unless you can find out when they deliver new material and get there that day.

[Acryzona]

I've been there a few times over the years, while I agree with Herb's assessment of the macrofossils, the microfossils are a different story. I would scoop the mud out of the bottom of the wash barrels and take it home to process through sieves. 10 minutes of collecting = hundreds of well-preserved ostracods and juvenile brachiopods with the occasionally scolecodont.

[hrguy54]

In late spring I spoke to someone at the Sylvania quarry office where the material comes from (also located on Centennial Rd.) Found out that there will be no more field trips allowed to the quarry and that the quarry may be closing in the near future. Will be interesting to see what becomes of Fossil Park.

This is the just another addition to a growing list of quarries in this region that are either halting field trips or flat out shutting down. An alarming and disappointing trend on several levels.

[Acryzona]

If the quarry closes, that could spell the Park's extinction...

[Herb]

Acryzona is correct, there are lots of interesting micro fauna in the material, if you are interested in micros.