Finding fossils in the Miami Valley

GERMANTOWN, Ohio (WDTN) - From a distance the rock face along the Germantown Dam may look like any other shale formation.  However if you get a little closer you may stumble upon a piece of the past. 

There's a sea of fossils waiting to be found below the dam at the Germantown Metropark .  The fossils are sea creatures from 450 to 500 million years ago when most of the United States was under water.  The shale and limestone bedding are perfect to create a mold. 

Naturalist Emily Chilcoat says, "When an organism dies other materials and sediments pile up on top pieces of that organism start to deteriorate minerals from the shale will come in and build that spot making a rock impression of it."

Sometimes a large rock can show many imprints of one or more fossils.  Many fossils are in plain sight but to find others you may have to get your hands dirty. 

There are different shapes and sizes such as Brachiopods which look like clam shells.  Bryozoans were tiny animals joined together and looked like twigs.  Click here to find out other fossils you can find in the Miami Valley.

No matter the size each of these fossils tell a story of what Ohio was like millions of years ago.  You can take a piece of history home with you however if you are going to take a few fossils there are a few rules.  Only three per day can be taken and if you are taking a large rock it cannot be bigger than the palm of your hand.  This way there are plenty of fossils for everyone to enjoy.