Mississippian Collecting at Anna and Vienna, Illinois Road Cuts

[Nimravis 4,977]

As I was heading home from Georgia, I made two quick stops in the pouring rain to collect some Mississippian fossils at Anna and Vienna, Illinois.

 

I must state that these are not destination sites, the area are okay to stop at if you are passing by these areas.

 

First up was a stop at Vienna, Illinois ( I-24 and Rt. 146 Exit 16).

 

 

I picked up every fossil so you can see what is available.

 

Blastoids

 

 

Brachiopods

 

 

Archimedes screw

 

 

Crinoid Stems

 

 

 

Horn Coral

 

 

Fenestella Bryozoan 

 

 

Hash plate with Archimedes screw and Fenestella Bryozoan.

 

 

About 15 minutes away is the road cut in Anna, Illinois. ( I-57 and Rt 146).

 

 

Crinoid basal plates

 

 

Blastoids-

 

 

Archimedes screw

 

 

Horn coral-

 

 

Fenestella bryozoan-

 

 

Crinoid stems

 

 

Hash Plate-

 

 

 

 

 

[sTamprockcoin 135]

Cool screw & blastoid fossils. Lots of crinoidal stuff near me but I've never found a calyx, blastoid, or starfish! Isn't it fun to be able to just stop and look.

[Darktooth 2,666]

Great finds! Thanks for sharing these sites with us.

[Archie 745]

Awesome finds, love the blastoids!

[Ludwigia 4,323]

Great selection for li'l ol' road stops I'd sure step on the brakes if I was passing thru.

[Nimravis 4,977]

5 hours ago, Ludwigia said:

Great selection for li'l ol' road stops I'd sure step on the brakes if I was passing thru.

It is fun to stop and check it out. I am never disappointed if I find some Blastoids, not that I collect them, but that is what the area is none for.

[Monica 2,694]

I, too, love the blastoids!  Thanks for showing us your finds, Ralph!

[Nimravis 4,977]

1 hour ago, Monica said:

I, too, love the blastoids!  Thanks for showing us your finds, Ralph!

That are something diff tabs easy to spot if exposed, I have never found one yet in matrix.

[ynot 7,084]

Nice way to break up the drive.

Looks like some nice pieces at both sites.

[FranzBernhard 1,334]

I am happy with the fossil sites around me, but I would be even more happy having sites with such wonderfull nature-preped palaeozoic fossils nearby.

Like especially the archimedes-bryozoa-combo.

Thanks for sharing!
Franz Bernhard

 

[Fossildude19 10,391]

Great report and finds, Ralph!

Thanks for posting.  

[Nimravis 4,977]

10 minutes ago, FranzBernhard said:

I am happy with the fossil sites around me, but I would be even more happy having sites with such wonderfull nature-preped palaeozoic fossils nearby.

Like especially the archimedes-bryozoa-combo.

Thanks for sharing!
Franz Bernhard

 

Franz,

 

I agree with you, I love to find “hash plates” rather than loose fossils. I like looking at the story that they tell and I wish I had exposures closer to me that had Archimedes, I think they are really nice looking and add to the other fossils found in association with them.

[Nimravis 4,977]

1 hour ago, ynot said:

Nice way to break up the drive.

Looks like some nice pieces at both sites.

Thanks Tony- I know that other people stop at these sites all of the time and I am always amazed that I still find blastoids when I stop and collect.

[JimB88 176]

I love me some roadcuts! And Blastoids too! good stuff!

8 hours ago, Nimravis said:

Thanks Tony- I know that other people stop at these sites all of the time and I am always amazed that I still find blastoids when I stop and collect.

Thats the great thing about erosion! Its like a refresh button for fossil sites! 

[caldigger 6,182]

Archimedes always remind me of Paleozoic pasta. .  "Pass the Parmesan!"

[KimTexan 1,718]

Thanks for sharing the post. 

I started on the recent activity page and clicked on someone’s comment and worked my way to the top and thought “Hum, it looks like someone is copying Ralph’s post style with sat map images. . .” Then  I saw the fossils and knew it was you.

 

The 2 types of blastoids look so different. They are lovely finds.

 

I have never been collecting in a local where they are present. I am an avid admirer of any echinoderm class. I would be thrilled to find even one.

My echinoderm are almost exclusively 

echinodea class or urchins.

 

 

It looks like a nice green green and lush place to hunt. The ground cover I’m sure hides eroded out stuff which has fallen to the ground.

Looks like a fun place to stop. Hopefully you had a poncho to keep the rain off you to some degree.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[goatinformationist 246]

Lots of my two favorite things: quality and quantity.