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A Fossil Site 5 Minutes From My House


MarkGelbart

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While researching my book, I found an obscure geology bulletin that (much to my surprise) discussed a fossil site that's about 5 minutes from my house.

McBean creek yielded over 62 species of Eocene-age marine snails, clams, and oysters collected by a Mr. Sloane circa 1911. McBean Creek is a long one and provides the border between Richmond County and Burke County. It flows into the Savannah River. I have no idea where Mr. Sloane found the fossils along the creek. Much of the creek flows through remote land owned by timber companies. My wife is disabled and I have to take care of her 24/7, so I probably won't be able to hike along the entire creek but I would if I could.

I looked on the local tax assessor's satellite map and got the names and phone numbers of two people who own land on each side of the Highway. There is a stretch of land, maybe 15 yards, on both sides of the highway that must be owned by the county because the area's not assigned property numbers. I was thinking about prospecting for fossils on this public area which is close to a bridge.

Does anybody know about getting permission to look for fossils along public roadways? The place is on the county line, so I bet police cars almost never patrol the area. I also guess people fish here like people fish in the river all the time. There's a little dirt parking area here. There are no houses anywhere near the place.

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I suppose it could depend upon the state, but in Texas, there is typically no problem fossiling along public roads. Just park safely out of the way. However, it is illegal to stop along Interstate highways unless it is an emergency. The cops will stop to see what you are doing.

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Only problem I have had is since Sept. 11, you'll normally get run off if you are collecting near a bridge or other structure.

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Only problem I have had is since Sept. 11, you'll normally get run off if you are collecting near a bridge or other structure.

Most States 15 feet from the rd is considered public property. You should not have any problems collecting there.

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I saw an article somewhere that said in Indiana it's illegal to collect fossils from the roadside as it's state property. Seems an obtuse rule to me. In PA they don't much mind roadside collecting, just watch out for the cars.

-Dave

__________________________________________________

Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPhee

If I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPhee

Check out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/

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probably best to rely on "official" answers from gov't, since they would be the ones you'd be dealing with on the issue. that way if you get jacked up alongside the road, you're not just telling the officer "a guy on the internet told me it was ok to do this".

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I went this morning. First thing I saw was a shed snake skin. There was a whole colony of swallows nesting under the bridge, and the frogs were peeping, but I couldn't find any fossils. Euell Gibbons would have been happy--there was a stand of Wapatoo, or duck potato (sagitarria). The creek was about 30 feet across and the water was shallow, less than two feet deep with the exception of a few muddy holes. I shoveled sediment onto the bank and didn't find anything remotely resembling a fossil. I didn't expect to find any though because I knew it probably wasn't the right place. To me (and I'm no geologist), I would think the sand washed in from recent construction upstream, and if there were any fossils in this locality, they would be buried deep under more recent sediment.

I didn't stay long. Bridges in the Augusta area are notoriously known for being hangouts for prostitutes. I saw lots of empty beer cans--the locality probably serves as a combination lovers lane and teenage pot party park.

I went back and reread the geology bulletin. The area where the fossils were found is known as Sloane's scarp after the man who found them. It's described as a gully 1/4 mile south of Mcbean station. That doesn't really help me find the place because Mcbean station no longer exists. I assume it's a defunct railroad station, or maybe a fire watchtower.

I might have better luck checking out Shell Bluff down the road. They named this community in Burke County after the giant oysters found along a bluff on the Savannah River. It's also close to where the famous fossil whale, Georgiacetus vogtlensis was discovered.

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[i went back and reread the geology bulletin. The area where the fossils were found is known as Sloane's scarp after the man who found them. It's described as a gully 1/4 mile south of Mcbean station. That doesn't really help me find the place because Mcbean station no longer exists. I assume it's a defunct railroad station, or maybe a fire watchtower.

Check out your local library and reference Mcbean Station.There might also be some old newspapers on microfische there that mention where the old Mcbean Station was located.Good luck!

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McBean Station is the old railroad station in McBean (Google). As for locating the spot you are looking for, go HERE and download a free topographic map (the TIFF file) for the McBean quad. It should help you in trying to pin down the location you are looking for.

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Now you get to do the fun part of fossil collecting... the research to find an old site! The reward will be the fossils you find. :)

-Dave

__________________________________________________

Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPhee

If I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPhee

Check out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/

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Thanks everyone.

I found out yesterday that Shell Bluff is privately owned. I might be allowed to take a picture of the thick oyster deposit but collecting fossils there is probably out.

William Bartram described the site in 1776. He said people burned the fossils for quicklime. Just hink of all that fossil material being destroyed.

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Find an OLD topo map for that quad, maybe through your local geological survey.......It will have all the old names, old schools, old rail stations, and old roads thast no longer exist. You are probably looking for one from the 1940's or 1950's. Alot of times the names will carry over onto the newer topo maps, don't know how they decide to drop them.

Spent alot of time doing what you are doing

Brent Ashcraft

ashcraft, brent allen

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