Louisiana & Earth Science
In “Louisiana & earth science”at
http://lists.drizzle.com/pipermail/rockhounds_lists.drizzle.com/2013-January/000392.html
Johan Mineral wrote:
"Planning vacation for Louisiana New Orleans –
Baton Rouge area. What are your suggestions for
earth science related activities: museums, digs, ..."
The best summary of the type of information that exists
for which you are looking is found in "Rockhounding
Louisiana" at
http://www.gatorgirlrocks.com/state-by-state/louisiana.html
Of the books that she lists, the one that a person visiting
Louisiana definitely should get is Darwin Spearing's
“Roadside Geology of Louisiana,” which was published
by Mountain Press.
http://geology.com/store/roadside-geology-louisiana.shtml
An article about fossil hunting in Louisiana is "Fossil
Hunting in Louisiana Gravels" at:
http://appl027.lsu.edu/MNSEducation/Saturday/Hunting%20for%20Fossils%203.pdf
PDF files of Louisiana geological maps can be found at:
http://www.lgs.lsu.edu/deploy/content/PUBLI/contentpage17.php
General PDF files about Louisiana geology can be found at:
http://www.lgs.lsu.edu/deploy/content/PUBLI/contentpage14.php
A nice fieldtrip guidebook about Katrina and New
Orleans is “Hurricane Katrina - What Happened?
A Field Trip The Geology of the Katrina Disaster in
New Orleans” by Stephen A. Nelson, Dept. Earth &
Environmental Sciences, Tulane University at
http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/Katrina/
PDF file at:
http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/Katrina/Hurricane%20Katrina%20Field%20Trip.pdf
The local museums are
1. International Petroleum Museum & Exposition
Morgan City, Louisiana
http://www.rigmuseum.com/
2. Louisiana Museum of Natural History
Louisiana State University – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
http://appl003.lsu.edu/natsci/lmnh.nsf/index
3. Lafayette Science Museum, Lafayette, Louisiana
http://www.gatorgirlrocks.com/state-by-state/louisiana.html
The best source of information for your inquiries are
local gem and mineral societies. Contact information
for them can be found in "Louisiana Gem and Mineral Clubs" at
http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/clubs/louisiana.shtml
Baton Rouge Gem & Mineral Society
40443 Sycamore Ave
Gonzales, Louisiana 70737
Meeting Place: Marriott Hotel - Baton Rouge
Meeting Time: 4th Tuesday, 7:00PM
Primary Contact: Ray Duplechain
rayduplechain[at]hotmail.com
Phone: [225] 978-0031
Gem and Mineral Society of Louisiana
P.O. Box 51527
New Orleans, Louisiana 70151
Meeting Place: University of New Orleans,
Geological Bldg., Room 1000, Lakeshore Drive, NOLA
Meeting Time: 7:30 pm - Second Monday of each Month, except July
Primary Contact: Levette Carlos
E-Mail: ljcarlos[at]gmail.com
Phone: [985] 643-6610
Secondary Contact: Mary Lou Shannon-Fuerst
E-Mail: jerseydevil1974[at]yahoo.com
Phone: [504] 285-2950
Some Informative Web Pages
Louisiana Gravel Fossils and Agates
http://la-gravel-fossils.blogspot.com/
Also, a person can search the "Fossil Forum" for posts
about Louisiana fossils at http://www.thefossilforum.com/ .
Finally, there is the "Louisiana Fossil Page" at:
http://web.archive.org/web/20110910005442/http://members.cox.net/pyrophyllite/lafossil1.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20110711151310/http://members.cox.net/pyrophyllite/lafossil1.html
If you have any specific questions, you can contact
the geologists at the Louisiana Geological Survey at
http://www.lgs.lsu.edu/deploy/content/GINFO/contentpage5.php
Best wishes,
Yours,
Paul H.
