Nimravis Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 This morning I found a picture frame that I put together that had a couple pictures that I took and an article on Torino Hill. I believe that I got the article from The Wilmington Free Press around 1990. It is cool how they mention that Torino "was a thriving mining community", looking at it now it is hard to imagine that. I am also including a couple aerial pictures of how the Torino Hill looks now. You can still collect concretions at this location, but you need a boat to get over to it. A picture as I was on my way to Torino- On the Island- 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigred97 Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 So interesting! I absolutely love these posts you are doing. I've always been interested in the history of places and it's wonderful to see these old pictures and newspaper articles. Thank-you so much for sharing!!! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted June 28, 2019 Author Share Posted June 28, 2019 21 minutes ago, bigred97 said: So interesting! I absolutely love these posts you are doing. I've always been interested in the history of places and it's wonderful to see these old pictures and newspaper articles. Thank-you so much for sharing!!! Chris Thanks Chris, I am the same way, I also love old pictures of places and I always like to see posts on the Forum that shows the area where a person is collecting more so than the fossils that they find- especially if it is barren area, love the desert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 So the hill has a name--I'll have to try to remember that. We were out at Mazonia-Braidwood today taking advantage of a lull in the rains to poke around and try to find some concretions. It has always amazed me that this hill remains devoid of heavy vegetation. The slope doesn't seem any steeper than some of the areas that are covered with a dense layer of vegetation. It has always been an odd volcano-like beacon of potential fossil goodness that has called to me like a siren's song. It is obvious that some means of watercraft would be necessary to reach this location and apparently non-motorized conveyances are not allowed on the big lake (still would like to know the reasoning behind this). As we drove by Torino Hill on our way out of Mazonia-Braidwood today I pondered why this apparently low hanging fruit of a spot does not see more hunting pressure. Though it requires a powered boat to reach the shores of this spot it would seem to me that it would be an absolute mecca calling out to fossil hunters in the area with access to a boat. Does this spot get hunted frequently? Is it such an obvious spot to hunt for concretions that it over-hunted and most hunters go elsewhere when looking for concretions? It reminds me of a quote attributed to the baseball great Yogi Berra (possibly more famous for what he said than what he did). When asked if he wanted to go to a highly-regarded New York restaurant, Yogi is rumored to have replied, "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded." Seriously, if I lived in the area and had a boat, I'd be there as often as I could. What gives? Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted June 29, 2019 Author Share Posted June 29, 2019 2 hours ago, digit said: Does this spot get hunted frequently? I I have only been there one time, and I had pretty good luck- of course I went up and down the hill numerous times. I know that people still go there, but I do not how successful they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 Of course, the prohibition on using digging tools and only allowing concretions on the surface to be collected is probably what has kept this hill from being reduced to a level pile. Love the research and history of the mines. This is certainly a valuable addition to the ever increasing knowledge base archived here on the forum. Cheers. -Ken 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 No canoes or kayaks allowed? Seriously? Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 4 hours ago, FossilDAWG said: No canoes or kayaks allowed? Seriously? Don Nuclear reactor cooling lake. Only motorized boats allowed. A large area near the intake and outflow is closed to all boat traffic. 1 Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted June 29, 2019 Author Share Posted June 29, 2019 5 hours ago, digit said: Of course, the prohibition on using digging tools and only allowing concretions on the surface to be collected is probably what has kept this hill from being reduced to a level pile. If I was on the top, I probably would slide down using a really big rake to control my descent and most likely it would free many concretions that would love to get off of the island and into my car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stats Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 As always, great post Ralph! You are making me want to get out again soon! Last year, I made a trip a few days after the 4th of July... maybe again this year! If we can dry out and get warmer, the ticks will start to disappear. Of course, then the mosquitoes come out! Cheers, Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted June 29, 2019 Author Share Posted June 29, 2019 30 minutes ago, stats said: If we can dry out and get warmer, the ticks will start to disappear. Of course, then the mosquitoes come out! So true Rich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 18 hours ago, Nimravis said: If I was on the top, I probably would slide down using a really big rake to control my descent and most likely it would free many concretions that would love to get off of the island and into my car. I love the idea of an avalanche of concretions. If you managed to loosen that many concretions from their mini Alcatraz and tried to take them back with you, I'd probably have to say to you: Cheers. -Ken 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted June 30, 2019 Author Share Posted June 30, 2019 28 minutes ago, digit said: I love the idea of an avalanche of concretions. If you managed to loosen that many concretions from their mini Alcatraz and tried to take them back with you, I'd probably have to say to you: Cheers. -Ken LOL- that would be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 5 hours ago, digit said: I love the idea of an avalanche of concretions. If you managed to loosen that many concretions from their mini Alcatraz and tried to take them back with you, I'd probably have to say to you: Cheers. -Ken Crazy as it sounds, way back in the day that's actually the way it was. In some parts of the Francis Creek Shale the concentration of concretions can be as high as six or seven per cubic foot of matrix. Some of the spoil heaps were literally "covered" with concretions. If you Google some of the early photos you can see they were actually everywhere, so thick you couldn't take a step without stepping on one or two at a time. I'm gonna dig around to see if I can locate some of those photos. 1 Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deutscheben Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 Thanks for the pics and history. Someday I hope to get out to the islands to collect... there are always plenty of folks fishing out on the lake, maybe I could "charter" one to take me there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted June 30, 2019 Share Posted June 30, 2019 46 minutes ago, deutscheben said: Thanks for the pics and history. Someday I hope to get out to the islands to collect... there are always plenty of folks fishing out on the lake, maybe I could "charter" one to take me there... Check with the state DNR for regulations concerning fossil collecting at the lake. There are a few restrictions that are somewhat "weird". You can't just hop in a boat and go collecting. Well, you can if you don't get caught. But if you get caught you are in deep doo-doo, because you are on a nuclear reactor cooling lake. There's lots of state and federal regulations in place that you need to be aware of. Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted June 30, 2019 Author Share Posted June 30, 2019 2 hours ago, Mark Kmiecik said: I'm gonna dig around to see if I can locate some of those photos. That would be great Mark, I have some pics from friends, but most people did not carry a camera, I am glad that I took the pics that I did. As with many of the posts on the Forum, people take pictures of the fossils they find and not so many of the areas they are collecting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted June 30, 2019 Author Share Posted June 30, 2019 2 hours ago, deutscheben said: maybe I could "charter" one to take me there. I could see them leaving you too- lol. Rip a $50 bill in half and give it to them and tell them that they get the other half on the return trip. Lol 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stats Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 5 hours ago, Nimravis said: That would be great Mark, I have some pics from friends, but most people did not carry a camera, I am glad that I took the pics that I did. As with many of the posts on the Forum, people take pictures of the fossils they find and not so many of the areas they are collecting. It's easier now... many of us carry a camera wherever we go. But, you have to remember to take the pictures! My wife tells me to take pictures of people, what if I'm out in the middle of nowhere? Not many people around! Cheers, Rich 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now