Visitors “Dig” the Southern Great Plains Site

Published: 1 July 2011

On Saturday, June 11, the Ponca City Presbyterian Church’s Youth group toured the ARM Southern Great Plains (SGP) site. In addition to the site tour and a video overview about the ARM Facility, the students, grades 7-10, also got a view of an ”archeological dig” as the Enid Gem and Mineral society were at the site as well that day.

The Gem and Mineral Society have been to the site before and were looking for fossils, petrified wood, azurite, and malachite, as well as early man-made tools and weapons, which they found on site during previous digs. The treasures they recovered include: a shark tooth fossil, mineralized wood with an unusual iron content, and coal, all believed to be from the Permian Age (286 to 245 million years ago). They theorize that a beach may have existed about 250 million years ago where the SGP central cluster is currently located. This theory is further supported by beach materials discovered at the ARM site near Norman, Oklahoma. Additional findings included a drill point and an arrowhead – evidence that a camp settlement most likely existed in the area about 700 years ago.

With all of this research occurring before their very eyes, it could have been difficult to pinpoint the highlight of the youth group’s day – had it not been for an appearance by some sociable Mountain Boomers, the state reptile of Oklahoma. The Mountain Boomers, or collared lizards, are known for their ability to run on their hind legs. Based on the kids’ reaction, watching the small dinosaur-like species show off was definitely one of the best moments of their field trip!