As plans continue for the upcoming National Fossil Day Workshop in Ladonia, the list of subject matter experts in paleontology grows.  Van Turner was added to the list this week as an attendee and will be available to discuss his notable fossil find with those at the event.

The National Fossil Day Workshop is being held at the Fannindel School Cafeteria on Saturday, October 15, beginning at 9:00 a.m. It is being sponsored by a number of partnering organizations that include the City of Ladonia, the Ladonia Chamber of Commerce, the National Park Service,  the Bois d’ Arc Chapter of Texas Master Naturalist, and the Dallas Paleontological Society. Topic for the workshop is “Hunting in the North Sulphur River Fossil Beds.”

North Sulphur River valley

Mr. Turner, who discovered the dallasaurus recently, an important paleo link between a land-based reptile and the sea-going mosasaur common to the North Sulphur River area will be joining a distinguished group of vertebrate paleontologists at the workshop. Dr. Louis Jacobs, director of SMU’s Shuler Museum of Paleontology and also a professor at the university, will conduct the workshop. He is author of the book, Lone Star Dinosaurs.

PK Kirkpatrick, Ladonia Mayor Pro Tem, is a veteran fossil hunter at the North Sulphur River and chair of the workshop.  She said that Dallas Paleontological Society leader David Hill, who recently with his son found a collection of giant, ancient sea turtle fossils at NSR will lead the guided exploration at the river following the workshop events.

These "chronological steps" indicate the valley began to fill with silt slightly more than 17,000 years ago.

The event is open to the public at no cost. More information may be found at website: http://cityofladonia.com/

A Corps of Engineers employee and a Fannin County Deputy examine a fossil found in the North Sulphur River watershed and estimated to be approximately 69 million years old.

photos by Allen Rich