May 22, 2017
This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.
Today’s
story is a fish story – but it is not your usual story about the big one that
got away. This fish story made headlines
in the “Junction City Union” newspaper in May of 1870. The article told readers that during
excavations in the northern part of Geary County a portion of the remains of a
gigantic fossil fish were found. It had
been deeply embedded in the ground and was surrounded by a mass of boulders and
other debris. This indicated that there
had been water on that spot. Although
only a portion of the remains were petrified, it was estimated that the monster
fish was at least 30 feet in length with a head about a sixth of the fish’s
entire length. It had a large eye and
the body was covered with a thick skin similar to that of the catfish. The dorsal fin extended across the fish’s
length. The article concluded that there
were other fossilized fish in the area, which were yet to be examined by
experts.
We have some
fossils found in Geary County at our Museum.
Stop by and take a look and imagine what they might have looked like
when the animals or birds roved or flew in our part of Kansas. Our Museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays
from 1 until 4:00 PM and admission is free.
We hope to see you soon!!!
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