Been working No. Virginia and nearby Maryland (Calvert Cliffs area - Scientist Cliffs, Governor’s Run, etc) since the mid-1960’s. Miocene through Ordovician (Route 81, western northern Virginia, and visited the Culpepper Stone Quarry which had hundreds of Triassic Redbed dinosaur footprints).
Started out as a Student Assistant in the Geology Dept. in college, so we got to go a number of field trips in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Found great fossils from Conodonts (500M Cambrian) to Cretaceous and some periods in-between.
Then worked with the Maryland Academy of Sciences Archaeological Society along Indianhead Highway in nearby Maryland on Indian colonial era sites as well as Archaic sites, sitting on top of Paleocene layers of giant Cullculaeas, sharks teeth, and Ostrea/Graphea shells.
Later took my kids to the Largo Maryland sites of the same Paleocene formations, which we worked for years. Then discovered that an acquaintance had found another part of that same Paleocene layer down the road, which surprisingly had the Upper Cretaceous intrusion (dinosaur bone, alligator bones & skuts, turtle shells and only one species of shark (teeth)).
A number of our organizations did salvage work on the site for months to get whatever was available in piles of dug out dirt, while my kids and I worked it for almost a year. That is how we found the dinosaur bone (certified by the Smithsonian) and the Bellemnitella internal fossil, the only one we know of found at that site (aka the Hechinger headquarter’s site right next to the old Capital Center/now FedEx Field).
That Paleocene formation extended down the right side of the DC Beltway from Largo (where it was exposed, as well as on the opposite side of the beltway road at Central Avenue at the old Horse riding academy) down to near Andrews Air Force Base before the formation dipped underground.
I still have over a dozen or two of the giant clam molds (Culculaea Gigantis), plus oyster shells of several species, sharks teeth, etc.
Donated some to my kids’ schools and will continue to do so to my granddaughter’s schools. Kids love fossils, period, and at my age, I’m now qualifying as an old fossil so they love me too.
It is fascinating to learn about the world right under our feet, as well as about the natural wildlife and flora. We have raccoons, one mean possum, rabbits, a fox, and ocassionally deer in our immediate neighborhood (and once had a beaver stay in the creek for about 3 months). Had a few milk snakes too, chipmunks, squirrels and possibly a wild turtle. A great environment for teaching children about their world.
And we have butterfly bushes (Buddleias) which bring in a great variety of winged life *Butterflies, moths, dragon flies, and in the past, Praying Mantis (had enough to start a church when an egg-sack hatched), etc.
Sometimes you just have to stop and smell the flowers.
PS: I got my BA in Anthropology/Archaeology with a minor in Geology. Ended up in completely different but satisfying fields (Internal security, international affairs, History, Law and journalism), but still enjoy Nature everyday of my life).
I really enjoyed your post here! You obviously loved your work/avocation.