Mazon Creek Fossil Beds
About this property
The Mazon Creek fossil beds are a conservation lagerstätte found near Morris, in Grundy County, Illinois. The fossils are preserved in ironstone concretions, formed approximately 309 million years ago in the mid-Pennsylvanian epoch of the Carboniferous period. These concretions frequently preserve both hard and soft tissues of animal and plant materials, as well as many soft-bodied organisms that do not normally fossilize. The quality, quantity and diversity of fossils in the area, known since the mid-nineteenth century, make the Mazon Creek lagerstätte important to paleontologists attempting to reconstruct the paleoecology of the sites. The locality was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1997.
Location
Federal Designation
The National Register of Historic Places, administered by the National Park Service, is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical, architectural, archaeological, engineering, or cultural significance. Listing on the National Register recognizes a property's importance to American history but does not place restrictions on private owners; it does, however, make properties eligible for federal historic preservation tax incentives and enables consideration in federal planning decisions. National Historic Landmark designation, the highest level of federal recognition, is reserved for properties that possess exceptional national significance in the history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture of the United States. This property is recorded in the National Register under reference number 97001272. It was listed on September 24, 1997.
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Questions about this property
When was Mazon Creek Fossil Beds listed on the National Register?
Mazon Creek Fossil Beds was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 24, 1997.
What type of historic resource is Mazon Creek Fossil Beds?
Mazon Creek Fossil Beds is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Mazon Creek Fossil Beds a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Mazon Creek Fossil Beds has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Mazon Creek Fossil Beds?
The period of significance for Mazon Creek Fossil Beds is recorded as the listed era.
Can I research the history near Mazon Creek Fossil Beds?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Mazon Creek Fossil Beds will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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