STATEHOUSE NEWS

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(Columbus, OH)—The Ohio Statehouse will celebrate Earth Day by offering a FREE fossil tour on Capitol Square on Saturday, April 23 from noon until 1 p.m. During this special tour, visitors will see fossil specimens from the collection of Orton Geological Museum, and then find similar fossils in the limestone structure of the Ohio Statehouse.

The tour will start in the Governor Thomas Worthington Center 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.

This special tour is free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but individuals or organizations that want to schedule a group to attend the tour, should contact Katie Montgomery at 614-728-3726 or kmontgomery@ohiostatehouse.org.

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.

Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to encourage global conservation efforts and environmental protection. These events encourage young learners to explore the natural world, and engage the public in efforts to care for our planet.

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

While exploring the Ohio Statehouse, take a look at the Dunkleosteus terrelli fossil replica exhibit on loan from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Dunkleosteus terrelli became the official State Fossil Fish in March of 2021.

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