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| teacher guide
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Limestone
Legacy -- Iowa's Amateur Paleontologist
page
8
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Burnice
H. Beane: In
1874, a small "nest" of crinoid fossils was
uncovered in the Le Grand Quarry. They were so well
preserved that scientists from Iowa, Illinois, New
Mexico, Indiana, and Massachusetts visited the site and
with the cooperation of the quarry owner they excavated
the fossils over a sixteen year period. Charles
Wachsmuth and Frank Springer were two of the scientists
that visited the site They patiently answered the
questions of a young farm boy, and inspired him with
their enthusiasm |
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Burnice
Hartley Beane grew up on a farm at the edge of the Le Grand
quarry. In the quiet times, between chores and schoolwork, he
found time for his hobby -- collecting insects, bird eggs,
rocks, and finally fossils.
Beane
helped his mother manage the family farm while his father toured
the Midwest as an evangelist Quaker minister. They sold their
cash crops of strawberries, watermelon and potatoes in
Marshalltown and other nearby towns.
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Beane
to attended Penn College in Oskaloosa for a short time and then
returned to the family farm near the edge of the quarry. Here he
raised his family and continued his interest in the fossils of
Le Grand.
As
an enthusiastic youth, Burnice Beane saved the crinoids of Le
Grand from the rock crusher because of his interest in fossils
near his home. He added to his growing collection, kept records
of his finds and studied the crinoid for over fifty years.
Although a farmer by trade many recognized him as an on the
fossils of the Le Grand area. Today many other amateurs are
following Mr. Beane’s example and responcibly collect fossils
for the enjoyment and future research.
Le
Grand Quarry: In 1909 the ownership of the Le Grand quarry
passed to the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. The
quarry produced Crushed stone for road and railway ballast,
agricultural lime and building stone for the Old Iowa State
Historical Building originated from the quarry. The quarry's
most significant product however, is the small flower-like
animals, crinoids, that are preserved in the rock.
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The
worlds largest rock crusher awaits the limestone from the Le
Grand Quarry Company near the Beane farm. ca. 1900
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