a walk back in time

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Last Saturday, the 2018 class of TN Naturalist@Ijams took a walk with me back in time. We passed over the four layers of bedrock or formations that underlie the nature center. Starting with the Ottosee shale under the Visitor Center, we then moved on to Chapman Ridge sandstone, Holston crystalline limestone (the rock that was quarried and sold as Tennessee Marble) and finally brushed past the Lenoir formation of silty, crumbly limestone.

These four layers were deposited—one on top of the other—during the Ordovician geologic period between 443.8 and 485.4 million years ago. That's deep time. And our tour ended up deep in the ground at the Keyhole and Rock Bridge. The first of three pits found in the now abandoned Ross Marble quarry site.

Thanks to all who braved the awful heat.

Anytime I walk back in time at the nature center, I tip my hat to retired geologist and fellow UT Press author Harry Moore who was the first to lead me on such a journey.

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