It was the inexorable onslaught of erosion that ultimately exposed these rocks at the surface. The rocks now seen at Backbone lay buried beneath younger rocks and sediments for untold millions of years. The fossils seen at Backbone provide a glimpse of ancient life that once inhabited the tropical sea bottom. Geologists have termed these shell-rich layers the “Pentamerus Beds,” named after the characteristic brachiopod fossil. The upper strata are crowded with molds of clam-like brachiopod shells, many oriented as they would have appeared in life. The lower strata display an abundance of corals and sponge-like stromatoporoids, all fossils of long-extinct forms. Solutional openings, fractures, caves, and active springs provide evidence of water movement through these strata at Backbone.įossils are preserved in the rocks at Backbone as natural molds or as silica (quartz) replacements. The Silurian rocks at Backbone belong to the Hopkinton Formation, an interval of dolomite strata that forms a productive part of the Silurian aquifer across much of eastern Iowa. These sediments were chemically altered to form rock composed of dolomite, a magnesium and calcium carbonate mineral, with scattered nodules of chert. The rocks so wonderfully displayed in Backbone State Park were originally deposited as lime sediments in a shallow tropical sea that covered the Iowa area about 430 million years ago, a time geologists term the Silurian Period. The preservation of unique or dramatic geologic features has been a significant goal in the establishment of many of Iowa’s state parks, and an understanding of the geology of these park lands can enhance our appreciation of Iowa’s natural heritage. We owe a debt of gratitude to the foresight and wisdom shown by the Iowa leaders who established our state parks as lasting treasures for all the people. As we mark the 100th anniversary of Iowa’s state park system, we are mindful of the important role our public parks play in providing recreation, education, and inspiration for both young and old alike. Backbone State Park was dedicated in 1920 to preserve the natural beauty of this special area for the enjoyment of future generations. This ridge provided both the inspiration and namesake for Iowa’s first state park, which now encompasses a region of river bottoms, wooded slopes, and dramatic rocky cliffs. Photo courtesy of the University of Iowa Libraries Calvin Collection The Farm at Prophetstown is a non-profit organization that rents approximately 125 acres (51 ha) from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to show farming life as it was in the 1920s.Ledges and crevices in weathered Silurian-age dolomite form the backdrop for this family outing in the late 1890s at Backbone State Park. Construction of the aquatic park began in October 2012 and was completed in 2013 after lobbying by local officials to drive more visitors to the park and Tippecanoe County. The campground opened the following year and was a partnership with Lafayette as part of the Lafayette Inn tax proceeds. Indiana Governor Joe Kernan formally dedicated the park in 2004. Land acquisition continued through 1999 when the legislature funded $3.7 million to create the park. The park was first proposed in 1989 but did not receive funding from the Indiana legislature until 1994. The state park was established in 2004 and receives about 335,000 visitors annually. Battle Ground, Indiana, is a village about a mile east of the site of the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811, a crucial battle in Tecumseh's War which ultimately led to the demise of Prophetstown. The park features an open-air museum at Prophetstown, with living history exhibits including a Shawnee village and a 1920s-era farmstead. Prophetstown State Park commemorates a Native American village founded in 1808 by Shawnee leaders Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa north of present-day Lafayette, Indiana, which grew into a large, multi-tribal community. Prophetstown State Park (the United States) Show map of the United States
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