Fossil Finds
STATE FOSSILS OF AMERICA
BY JOSEPH “PALEOJOE” KCHODL
AdobeStock photo
Ohio state fossil Isotelus maximus trilobite from the Kchodl Collection photo
States across America have long been designating various items as their “State” item. In January 1974, the first state to adopt a fossil was California — the saber-toothed cat, Smilodon californicus. In the 1980s, states began in earnest to add fossils to their list of designated symbols. In many cases, it was school teachers and students who suggested the fossils. These fossils are not necessarily the most common finds in the state, but they are ostensibly the most famous or well-known.
According to the National Park Service, here is a list of the official fossils by state. A good list to keep on hand!
ALABAMA -In 1984, Alabama designated Basilosaurus cetoides, a prehistoric whale of the Eocene.
ALASKA -In 1986, Alaska designated Mammuthus primigenius, the Pleistocene woolly mammoth.
ARIZONA -In 1988, Arizona designated Araucarioxylon arizonicum, a petrified wood of the Triassic.