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 In 2001, Cordray found her first arrowhead when they dug up a
garden at her new house. After finding this artifact, Cordray soon
became interested in looking for more.
Cordray searches lead her around Logan County usually in areas close
to Sugar Creek. She is amazed by all she finds and says you just
have to know where to look.
Many people stop and talk to her when she is walking and have
stories about finding their own rocks. Near the fields, Cordray
finds many rocks. Cordray said she will go out to look for a few
rocks, and be out there for hours.
Farmers have invited her to go through their fields that are full of
rocks. Since rocks ruin blades, the farmers are glad she helps clear
them out. Corday said no farmer has ever turned her down when she
asks to look for rocks in their fields.
Cordray said right off old Route 121, a ferry used to travel down
Sugar Creek in the county's early days, so she has found several
rocks there.
Cordray has found several rocks and fossils right off Lazy Row near
Atlanta. Cordray said when she walks these fields north towards
Bloomington, she is going where Abraham Lincoln rode his horse.
 Many fossils can also be found near the railroads.
She even found an arrowhead by Ayerco gas station.
Cordray is on the fourth layer of digging just on her landscape and
has 700 feet of five-foot-wide rock.
The various rocks and fossils help show the history of the area.
Cordray has found broken up pieces of Trilobites, which were sea
creatures from years ago and are very valuable.
Cordray has also found arrowheads, spears, axes, art rocks, and
pottery. The pottery helps date the area it is found in.
After cleaning the rocks with a brush, Cordray sometimes discovers
the gems underneath such as amethysts and rubies.
She has found Petoski stone native to Lake Michigan. When glaciers
moved through the area, they left behind many types of stones.
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At least four tribes lived in this area, so she finds fossils from thousands of
years ago. In her backyard, she has found where the Indians used to have
teepees. Has found Crinoid Stems and Thibes that date back almost 12,000 years.
These rocks and fossils tell stories of the period they are from.
She has found quartz near railroad tracks. Their "natural electricity" is why
they are used in quartz watches.
Coal is another rock she finds.
She lets kids take a sandstone rock and use it on a gourd.
Cordray has learned many ways rocks have been used over the years. For instance,
since rocks maintain heat, they were used around the coals when cooking.
Limestone in the ground was used to help refrigerate food years ago. Rock salt
was left behind by the movement of oceans and people learned to preserve meat by
using these salts.
To learn more about what she finds, Cordray starts out by Googling the rock. She
also has a book on identifying and understanding artifacts and several rock and
fossil books, and goes to gem and mineral shows.
Cordray said Dr. Dennis Campbell out at Lincoln College's Creekside
Environmental Center has been an invaluable resource for her. Cordray said the
Illinois Association for the Advancement of Archeology is another good resource.
Cordray said she likes to donate rocks and fossils to schools to help kids learn
about the past. She has a beginner's fossil kit for kids who are interested in
learning more and tells them to wear safety glasses when digging or opening
geodes.
Cordray said she has given geodes and fossils to classes, and kids are excited
about the rocks. It can lead them to learn more about science and history and
the make up of minerals.
Cordray set up a display at the Creekside Environmental Center for Earth Day to
help children learn more about taking care of the earth and about local
archeology.
Cordray displays her collection at the Railsplitter Festival to help people
learn about the history of Logan County from the recent past all the way back to
the Cambrian Age. Through the rocks and fossils, people can learn about the
tribes who lived in the area.
Cordray will be at this year's Railsplitter Festival September 17 and is excited
to continue sharing with others what rocks and fossils have taught her about
Logan County's history.
[Angela Reiners] |
