Re: Mesozoic fossils in Southern Minnesota?

[Danvarner@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/4/01 7:19:58 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
theclaw10@home.com writes:

<< Anyone know of any good spots in southern Minnesota for finding Mesozoic
 fossils...? >>
    
    This will make me homesick again...A great deal of Minnesota has 
Cretaceous bedrock. Unfornuately, it's almost all blanketed by glacial 
deposits. Leaves from the Dakota Fm can be found along some exposures along 
the Minnesota River valley in SW Minnesota. Along the South Dakota/MN border 
there are some fissure fillings of Turonian age from the Carlile Fm that 
contain fish and marine reptiles. Remember those great old Burian and 
Heilmann restorations of craggy islands rising from the Western Interior 
Seaway? This was that place. Occasional shark teeth are found along the river 
lakes bordering the states. See Barry Kazmer's excellent webpage about his 
research here at: http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hall/1189?
    An odd place for Cretaceous fossils is found up in the north country in 
the old iron range. I'm not sure of the spelling, but the Colerane formation 
has yielded more marine specimens (Turonian?) including a marine croc. The 
fossils are found in spoil piles from material stripped off the iron bearing 
rocks.
    I've heard of a dinosaur tooth popping up someplace. I finally wised up, 
however and took the field course at SD Tech and found myself in heaven.
    _Minnesota Underfoot_ by Sansome and Sansome is a good field guide. Most 
if not all of these places are on private land, however. Dan Varner.