The Intelligencer, Wheeling News Register: Fossils ‘Older Than Dinosaurs’ on Display
Area residents will have the opportunity to see and purchase fossils that are "older than dinosaur bones" during the Wheeling Area Rock, Mineral, Gem, Jewelry & Fossil Show scheduled for May 14-15 at the St. Alphonsus Parish Center in Centre Wheeling.
Robert Strong, co-owner of Smart Centre Market, said the inaugural event, which is being hosted by the Near Earth Object Foundation and sponsored by the Smart Centre Market and Prehistoric Planet of Barrackville, W.Va., will be a showcase for fossils, rocks and minerals that will "just blow you away."
"So if you're interested in rocks, minerals, fossils, gemstones, that kind of thing, this would be the perfect place to come in and look at them," Strong added. He said there will be educational opportunities for children and adults at the show.
Along with eight or nine vendors there will be a "sluice-type" wash where participants can try their luck at finding minerals and gems.
"Up to six tables will be covered with some of the coolest fossils that you've ever seen," said Strong.
He said many of these fascinating fossils are hundreds of millions of years old, and will include actual fossils like trilobites and ammonites. The term trilobite refers to an extinct class of arthropods. These marine invertebrates first appeared approximately 570 million years ago and were the earliest animals known to possess vision. It is also the state fossil of Ohio. Ammonites refers to an extinct group of mollusks. These spiral shelled squid-like creatures died out around the same time dinosaurs did approximately 65 million years ago.
Strong said after attending a rock, mineral, and fossil show in Morgantown for about the past 12 years now, he thought it was time to create a similar show for the Wheeling area. Strong is hopeful the show will create additional buzz in the historic Centre Market section of Wheeling. He is also hopeful the show will become an annual event that will become the "springboard" for other similar events in Centre Wheeling.
"We've got thousands of people that need to have a reason to come into Wheeling ... They know Wheeling is here, they just need an extra reason to come to Wheeling," he said.
"If we can get people to come down to Centre Market and understand how wonderful and fabulous Centre Market is ... and we can get folks not just from Wheeling, but from the surrounding towns to come to Wheeling and do something special that they can't do in their town ... then we will probably get families that will come in and say, 'Hey, lets go and spend the weekend in Wheeling," Strong added.
The event is free and is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, May 14, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, May 15. Light food, snacks and drinks will be available and music will be provided by Cabin Fever String Band.
For additional information about the show, call 304-233-4667.
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