12/1/15 A Meeting At The Tennessee Division Of Geology With The State Geologist In Nashville.

[Tennessees Pride]

There I was pulling up to this building Tuesday morning, about to have a meeting with the State Geologist Ronald Zurawski. Traveling there, all I used to go off of was the address, so you can imagine my surprise when I find out I'm parking in Beside the Tennessee Supreme Court, and this huge building is the place that I have a meeting in...then I find out it's on the 12 floor or course. There I am pulling up with a wooden crate full of material, and 2 extra large specimens. I know I had 100 pd. Anyway... After two breaks, I made it through the front door where the security guard helped me place it on the desk. There I meet Ron for the first time, what a outstanding person. I was impressed with his charisma. A wheelchair being there, it was used for a makeshift transport to the top. Ended up using a dolly to bring the material back down and to the car. There on the 12 th floor in the only empty office I saw, I began submitting a large part of my collection for viewing. The meeting began with Ron and Vince Antonacci, the Geologist for West Tennessee, by about the 3rd bone to come out of the box, they were already leaving the room and calling others to come view this material. Many were available, some weren't. Rounding it up, I spent the next 6 hours there. Talking, answering questions, and asking questions of my own. I stood the entire time. I met more Geologists than I've ever seen under one roof that day. At the end of the day when the material had been viewed very closely, I still had at least 3 specimens that defy identification. No one has ever saw anything like them before and they have certainly become very problematic to me. At some point, one of them returned with 2 publications in hand. One was a classic publication by Ernest Russell that I tried to buy on the spot, I was later given a free copy autographed by the State Geologist. The other was an actual 1926 edition of Bruce Wade's report on the Coon Creek....I could hardly believe my eyes! Met a lot of wonderful people, and was even taken to the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation's office for an introduction,but he wasn't in.( He answers to the Governor.) I did however meet the Deputy Commissioner. (!) I'm even now preparing to write some things with Vince, the Geologist in charge of West Tennessee, which is a truly wonderful opportunity, I feel so blessed. HalleluYAH. I presented bones, teeth, a few minerals, Large Amber specimens, Amber with inclusions, other paleobotanical, and unidentified material. The topics were varied and fascinating, but what really won the day in the Division of Geology was the Cretaceous bone material. Thinking back on it now, I'm not sure the meeting could have actually went any better! Feeling blessed.

Edited December 4, 2015 by Tennessees Pride

[Tennessees Pride]

Photos from the meeting.

[Tennessees Pride]

A couple more photos from the meeting...

[Tennessees Pride]

A view of some of the material presented.

[Tennessees Pride]

The Capitol building.

[JohnJ]

Sounds like everyone gained something from this meeting.

[Fossildude19]

Great write up!
What an exciting time for the geologists and you!.

Glad you had the opportunity to meet with them.

Very interested to see what comes from this meeting in the future.

Congratulations, Sir.

Regards,

[Tennessees Pride]

Sounds like everyone gained something from this meeting.

It was over the top John! I was told the bone material seemed to be diagnostic. And what it really amounts to is The University of Tennessee at Knoxville has half of the dinosaur bones that have been found in Tennessee..... I have the other half.

[Tennessees Pride]

Great write up!

What an exciting time for the geologists and you!.

Glad you had the opportunity to meet with them.

Very interested to see what comes from this meeting in the future.

Congratulations, Sir.

Regards,

Thank you very much Tim, I pray this is where it begins.

[snolly50]

I am very much enjoying your accounts of the recent developments surrounding the material you have found. I recall your report from a while back about the large amber you had located. It's great to see your exciting discoveries receiving some "official" attention. Good luck with future progress and please post any developments, because it's very interesting.

[Tennessees Pride]

I am very much enjoying your accounts of the recent developments surrounding the material you have found. I recall your report from a while back about the large amber you had located. It's great to see your exciting discoveries receiving some "official" attention. Good luck with future progress and please post any developments, because it's very interesting.

I certainly will sir, and thank you so much for the encouragement, it's such a great motivator. Edited December 4, 2015 by Tennessees Pride

[amour 25]

What is that thing with all the sharp looking things sticking out of it?

6 th pic on the left top.

Thanks

[Tennessees Pride]

Jeff, that is the branch of a remarkable paleobotanical!

[ZiggieCie]

[Tennessees Pride]

[squali]

http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/0331c/report.pdf

Joshua, I really enjoy your posts. As you may know the Coffee sands of Tennessee and Mississippi,

Can be correlated to the Merchantville formation of New Jersey. I believe other formations in New Jersey are also very similar. The attached link deals with Gastropods and Pelecypods

Found in the coffee sands.

Jeff

Edited January 2, 2016 by squali

[Tennessees Pride]

squali, forgive me sir, i've overlooked this post of yours and am now just seeing it. I knew there were similar type formations in New Jersey, but didn't know which ones were of same general time period. Thank you very much for that, interesting, and i'll look into it. It's also great hearing from you.