Art by Francis
The Surprising Geology of Wisconsin’s State Parks
By: Isiah Chrouser
Within the state of Wisconsin, there are 50 state parks, each with different geology. Three parks in particular offer easy public access into earth’s earlier history.
In Amnicon State Park, the Amnicon river runs along the Douglas fault, cutting through newer sandstone to the 1.1-billion-year-old basalt from volcanic eruptions to the north. The waterfalls, especially when dry, reveal otherwise concealed fault lines, two plates of stone with a softer layer called a breccia in between. Along with the river, fault lines, and waterfalls, Amnicon also contains glacial debris.
Pattison State Park is located near Amnicon, and thus is very similar. Both with rivers running along the Douglas fault, volcanic bedrock, and glacial debris. Pattison is much bigger however, containing more waterfalls and wildlife. It also is very important site for native people.
The last park is Devil’s Lake state park. The lake itself lies in a valley carved by glaciers into 1.7-billion-year-old quartzite (Metamorphosed sand deposits). After forming, the quartzite rose to the surface, forming two islands in an ancient sea. Much later, around 300 million years ago, the last sea to cover the area receded. After several periods of intense erosion, rivers formed in the area, signs of which can still be found. Then the glaciers began to move in. About 2.6 million years later, after thousands of periods of freeze-thaw cycles, we come to today, with the talus fields surrounding the beautiful lake.
These parks are only a small sample of the diverse geology of the small landmass that is Wisconsin. Even in suburban backyards, clues can be found to earth’s history. The best way to learn is to grab a guide from the library, such as Wisconsin Rocks! by Scott Spoolman, and find these clues for yourself.
School Break is Coming Up…Save Yourself from BOREDOM with Library Activities!
A guest post by: Andria Rice, Teen Librarian
The Eau Claire Area School District has a nice break coming up, November 25-29. Don’t get bored, get to the library! Attend one (or all!) of these free teen events.
We have a Teen Late Night on Friday, November 22, 7-10 p.m., which is after hours in the library. 20 teens, 2 librarians, and a bunch of fun. We’ll have snacks, silly challenges, and free time, during which you’ll have lots of activity options.
On Tuesday, November 26, 6:30 p.m., we have our first Teen Dungeons & Dragons Meet-Up. You can check out resources to jumpstart your adventuring, find out about game basics, and meet other teens interested in playing D&D. (Plus, snacks!)
Lastly, we will be making (and eating!) cake pops on Wednesday, November 27, 1:00 p.m. No experience necessary. Cake + frosting + stick = the best sweet treat combo.
All of these events require registration, so head over to ecpubliclibrary.info/teens and click on the Events tab to find out more and get registered.
Art by Francis
Art by Francis
The Teen Advisory Board of the Library is made up of a variety of teens aged 12-18 that meet once a month to discuss all things library. They develop events and curate different displays for the teen lounge. To learn more about TAB information and an application form can be found on the Library website. Visit the Teen Advisory Board application page.
