STATEHOUSE NEWS

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(Columbus, OH)—The Ohio Statehouse will celebrate National Fossil Day, October 11, 2023 by offering a FREE fossil tour on Capitol Square. The special tour will take place Wednesday, Oct. 11 from noon until 1:30 p.m. Expert geologists will explore the limestone walls, stairs and columns that support the Ohio Statehouse. Visitors will discover fossils of ancient sea creatures.

The tour will start in the Worthington Center, located on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse. The tour will be conducted by Dale M. Gnidovec, Curator of the OSU Orton Geological Museum and Mark Peter, Paleontologist at ODNR Division of Geological Survey. While the event is free, participants are asked to RSVP to Katie Montgomery by Tuesday, Oct. 10 at kmontgomery@ohiostatehouse.org or 614-728-3726.

Each visitor will receive a free copy of the booklet, Statehouse Fossils: A Guide to Fossils of the Ohio Capitol, by Mark E. Peter. An informative poster of Fossils of the Columbus Limestone is for sale at the Statehouse Museum Shop.

National Fossil Day is an annual celebration of geology. It occurs during Earth Science Week every year. These celebrations encourage young people to explore careers in earth science, and engage everyone in the importance of our resources and environment.

This tour is one of many activities during Earth Science Week in Ohio. The website for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources lists more fun activities and events for families and friends. https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-odnr/geologic-survey/educational-resources/earth-science-week-ohio.

Photos are available on the Ohio Statehouse website. http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/galleries/geology-fossil-tour

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