Jacksboro Fossils displayed in Mckinney Texas

[BobWill]

The Heard Museum in McKinney may not be the first place you think of for viewing fossils but they have a growing collection of locally found specimens including an Oligocece tortoise with an unusual view of the inside and a mosasaur left partly in the matrix to show how it was found. A couple of years ago they also started a program especially for amateur collectors. It's called "Collect it Yourself" and shows visitors what is possible for anyone with an interest in fossils to accomplish.

 

Every six months a new collector brings enough material to fill the two display cases they set aside for this program and this time they are showing some of my collection from the famous Lost Creek dam site at Jacksboro Texas. The Finis Shale is a member of the Graham Formation in the Late Pennsylvanian Sub-period and is known for it's fossils with excellent perservation and an incredible level of diversity. I got lots of help with identification from Dr. Benjamin Neuman of Texas A&M University at Texarkana and other members of our Finis Shale Study Group hosted by Dr. Merlynd Nestell of U.T. Arlington.

 

Lynne Hubner is the head of displays at the museum and did  great job of arranging the 100+ fossils and making labels. All of them fit into one case except for one very large clam that filled another smaller case. The display will be there until some time in April. If you find yourself in the area this is a great place for a family stop. They also have hiking trails and many programs for all ages. here are the first two images of the display.

 

 

 

 

[BobWill]

 

[BobWill]

[DPS Ammonite]

Good job Bob. Now if our local museums would have similar displays of Arizona fossils. You have inspired me; I am going to try to put together a collection of Arizona fossil from friends to display at a local museum.

[Wrangellian]

That's an amazing orthocone! Much larger than anything I've seen from that area (which isn't saying much, but...)

[BobWill]

40 minutes ago, DPS Ammonite said:

Good job Bob. Now if our local museums would have similar displays of Arizona fossils. You have inspired me; I am going to try to put together a collection of Arizona fossil from friends to display at a local museum.

Great idea John. I'll bet the Heard Museum would be happy to answer any questions they might have for implementing the program.  Even if the public isn't as enthused as the contributors at least it gives some of us an idea of what goes into museum displays.

[BobWill]

3 minutes ago, Wrangellian said:

That's an amazing orthocone! Much larger than anything I've seen from that area (which isn't saying much, but...)

If you mean the last photo that's a clam! I thought the same thing as you when I first saw it peaking out from under the matrix but I soon recognized the growth pattern from the usual, much smaller versions we find there. We are having some disagreement over whether it is Aviculopinna peracuta or Meekopinna americana but at 18 inches it is much longer than the usual 7 inch ones we find here.

[KimTexan]

Wow! That clam is Carboniferous? That’s amazing. I don’t have a fondness for clams, but I can certainly appreciate the rarity of such a specimen and be impressed by it. 

[Wrangellian]

1 hour ago, BobWill said:

If you mean the last photo that's a clam! I thought the same thing as you when I first saw it peaking out from under the matrix but I soon recognized the growth pattern from the usual, much smaller versions we find there. We are having some disagreement over whether it is Aviculopinna peracuta or Meekopinna americana but at 18 inches it is much longer than the usual 7 inch ones we find here.

Ha! I didn't look at the label closely, otherwise I might have caught that. Never seen a clam that long and straight. Bizarre... Still an amazing specimen.

Nice collection and display, btw.

[Ludwigia]

11 minutes ago, Wrangellian said:

Ha! I didn't look at the label closely, otherwise I might have caught that. Never seen a clam that long and straight. Bizarre... Still an amazing specimen.

You can find modern day versions scattered all over the beaches in Holland, but of course they're not quite as large as the Mediterranean ones                                

[Wrangellian]

I'm familiar with Pinna but that thing looked so different I did not recognize it.

[Fossildude19]

Bob,

Thanks for the interesting post, and for loaning your fossils for the display.  

This kind of Public Outreach is a great way to get people interested in this hobby. 

 

[RJB]

A most interesting clam!   Thanks for sharing.

 

RB

[Jeffrey P]

Thanks Bob for sharing your display with us. It's great that the public is getting to see and appreciate the amazing diversity and preservation of Jacksboro's Carboniferous marine fossils. I'm in the process of organizing and IDing my Jacksboro specimens for my new cabinet and can probably use a little ID help on a few.  

[BobWill]

3 hours ago, Jeffrey P said:

Thanks Bob for sharing your display with us. It's great that the public is getting to see and appreciate the amazing diversity and preservation of Jacksboro's Carboniferous marine fossils. I'm in the process of organizing and IDing my Jacksboro specimens for my new cabinet and can probably use a little ID help on a few.  

That's great Jeff. The best help I can offer is that pictorial guide I messaged you a link to but feel free to ask away if that doesn't help. DPSAmminite sent some corrections to the display labels that cropped up from the museum staff so these photos have some minor mistakes.