The Gilboa Fossil Collection
Gilboa, NY, was formed in 1848 as a rural town that thrived off of the business created by the local cotton mill. In 1870, explosions used at the quarry uncovered fossilized tree roots called Eospermatopteris. The entire extinct plant—stump, branches, and leaves—is officially named the Wattieza. We now know that these fossilized trees can be dated back to the Devonian Period, which occurred roughly 380 million years ago.
In 1972, construction for the Gilboa power project and further exploration by Mr. Raymond Buschnagel led to new fossil discoveries. Mr. Buschnagel, a paleo phycologist – someone who studies fossil algae – was happy to find a new moss species: Leclerqia complexa. In further study of this moss, many examples of terrestrial arthropods were discovered as well. These fossil animals were apparently trapped among the Leclerqia complexa plants during a storm event. They included Mites and Centipedes.
The display of Gilboa Fossils includes four different fossilized plants and one piece of petrified wood. Here are some more photos showing the full collection.
Further excavations through the mid-2000s have revealed further fossilized plant species from this era, and scientists have even mapped a full forest floor in the area. The Gilboa Forest is known as the world’s oldest forest.
To learn more about Gilboa NY and their discovery of fossils, visit the Gilboa Museum and Juried History Center website. https://www.gilboafossils.org/