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AURORA FOSSIL FESTIVAL-2008
 
 

This year's 15th Annual Aurora Fossil Festival was bigger and better than ever. Our museum's efforts, along with those of our very supportive Friends of the Museum organization, help determine the success of this yearly event.

The Museum's "Around Town" Activities

Museum coordinated activities at the Aurora Community Center featured fossil, mineral and shell displays by the North Carolina Fossil Club, American Fossil Federation, Catawba Valley Gem and Mineral Society, The Schiele Museum, Aurora Fossil Club, North Carolina Museum of Natural Science as well as displays by various individuals. Scientists from the Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC) and Virginia Museum of Natural History (Martinsville, VA) were available to assist the public with fossil identification.

The Science Education Tent featured displays by the National Aquarium of Washington, DC, North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, Calvert Marine Museum, dinosaur expert Patti Kane-Vanni of Paleo Presentations/Delaware Valley Paleontologial Society and others The always popular gem mining sluice from the Schiele Museum was available for young rockhounds to search for their own gems and minerals.

At the Museum

Lectures of interest to fossil lovers were held in the Museum Video Room. One very popular repeat speaker and two newcomers joined our lecture series for Festival-2008. Dr. Lauck Ward returned by popular demand. A recent resurgence of interest in whale evolution prompted our invitations to Dave Bohaska and Dr.Alton "Butch" Dooley.

  • Dr. Lauck Ward--"Geologic Units and Index Fossils at Lee Creek, Aurora"

    Dr. Ward is a Cenozoic Mollusk Specialist and is the Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology at the Virginia Museum of Natural History (Martinsville, Va.). He is an accomplished author having produced numerous papers and books including the Smithsonian Publication, "Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene Mollusca From the James City and Chowan River Formations at the Lee Creek Mine" in "Geology and Paleontology of the Lee Creek Mine, II" and more recently co-authored with Tex Gilmore (of PCS Phosphate), "Lee Creek Mine-History, Mining Operations, Geology, Stratigraphy, and Paleontology-A Synthesis.

  • Dave Bohaska--"The Evolution of Whales"

    Mr. Bohaska, of the Smithsonian Institution, is a well respected authority on fossil vertebrates and a long time visitor to Aurora. He recently co-authored "Toothed Whale Limb Bones of the Lee Creek Mine" in Geology and Paleontology of the Lee Creek Mine, North Carolina,IV., Virginia Museum of Natural History Publications-2008

  • Dr. Alton Dooley--"Squalodons-Extinct Toothed Whales"

    Dr. Dooley is Assistant Curator of Paleontology at the Virginia Museum of Natural History. His research interests include the evolution and distribution of whales since the early Miocene. He is the author of several publications on whales and Squalodons. Although known for over a hundred years, Squalodons are still a little known group of extinct whales. Dr. Dooley has spent many years studying these hard to find fossils and is considered one of the top experts in the world.

    The Annual Fossil Auction

    Friends of the Museum worked tirelessly to insure this year's event would be the best ever. By donating fossils, archeological artifacts, science publications and other paleo-related items (some neat dinosaur sculptures) as well as donating many hours of hard work, Friends participation insured the best auction ever. We commend the Auction Team for their dedication and hard work to insure the success of this nearly five hour event each year.

    BJ Blake and Jay Goldberg pose before beginning the ardous task of organizing the large number of auction items.

    Dylan has attended the festival every year since his birth. In 2006, he got to help show off the huge Raffle tooth.

    Dylan was back in 2007, again helping to raffle the huge C. megalodon tooth. His bright smile proved irrestible to most. Thanks Dylan!

    Dylan is beginning to be recognized on the streets of Aurora. In 2008, as our "Official Raffle Boy", he was again helping Miss Anne sell tickets for the big raffle tooth. His efforts are appreciated.

     
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    2008 Auction Gallery
     
     
  • 2008 Raffle Megalodon tooth
  • Auriculatus tooth
  • Brittlestar
  • Carcharoides catticus
  • Carcharocles chubutensis
  • Crinoid slab
  • Cosmopolitodus hastalis
  • Hexanchus sp.
  • Parotodus benedini
  • Stingray toothplate
  • Squalodon sp.
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