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Ohio Geological Survey

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Ohio Geological Survey

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The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological Survey increases awareness of Ohio’s geology and provides geologic information and services needed for responsible management of Ohio's natural resources.

09/06/2026

Hey Ohio! We know you have LOVED our 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘈𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘖𝘩𝘪𝘰 trading cards series released over the last three years. We thought it would be fun to see your favorite from each of Ohio’s geologic time periods. First up: the Late Ordovician, ~450 million years ago.

𝗖𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁:
👍𝘐𝘴𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘶𝘴
❤️𝘔𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘴
😆 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘬𝘪𝘢

👍 𝘐𝘴𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘴 (Series 1), Ohio’s State Invertebrate Fossil; this sea-dwelling arthropod could roll into a ball for protection and grew up to ~20 inches long.
❤️ 𝘔𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘩𝘪𝘰𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴 (Series 2), a eurypterid that could grow up to ~30 inches long with sensory body hairs and grasping appendages.
😆 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘬𝘪𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴 (Series 3), a stinging, tentacled coral polyp that left behind horn-shaped skeletons and grew taller to stay above the seafloor mud.

Come back tomorrow to vote for your favorite Silurian card!

09/04/2026

As America marks its 250th year, we’re spotlighting one of the earliest maps to showcase Ohio’s economic geology: the 1789 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘈𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦 𝘭’𝘖𝘩𝘪𝘰 𝘦𝘵 𝘥𝘶 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘵𝘰, a promotional map prepared to entice French settlers to southeast Ohio.

A closer look reveals features labeled “𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘮𝘣” (lead mines), “𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦” (cut stone), “𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘦” (coal), and “𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴” (salt works), which were essential for building, heating, preserving food, and earning a living. Large tracts of land are also described as “𝘥𝘦́𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘦́𝘦 𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘦́𝘦” (cleared and inhabited), suggesting development-ready land for prospective colonists.

Viewed through a geological and historical lens, several claims don’t hold up. Brine springs were known in the Ohio country by the 1740s but calling them fully developed “salt works” likely overstated readiness. Ohio is rich in sedimentary bedrock for building stone, yet no commercial quarries were operating here in 1789. Marietta was founded in 1788 and was fortified during the ongoing Northwest Indian War, so painting vast areas as “cleared and inhabited” was misleading. Most notably, Ohio contains no lead ore deposits; “lead mines” marked on the map were simply incorrect.

Historical context helps explain the sales pitch. In the wake of the storming of the Bastille in July 1789, upper-class French citizens sought stability abroad. About 500 purchasers were persuaded via a Scioto Company office in Paris to buy deeds and sail for the United States in early 1790. When they reached Virginia, no company agents met them, and they learned the Scioto Company never owned the land. Some returned to France, while others continued to Ohio and found uncleared ground and frontier hardships instead of the promised improvements.

Ultimately, the U.S. government intervened, granting tracts that led to the founding of Gallipolis, Greek for “city of the French,” on the Ohio River. Today, this map is a reminder to verify resource claims and understand the geology on (and under) the ground before making decisions—advice as timely now as it was in 1789.

Explore the high-resolution map at the Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4080.ct007579/?r=0.044,0.883,0.919,0.551,0

09/02/2026

❕Earthquake Alert🚨
On Monday, August 31, our Ohio Seismic Network recorded a minor 2.5 ML earthquake in northwest Athens County. The earthquake occurred near the Starr Fault system and was approximately 10 kilometers (~32,808 feet or 6.213 miles) deep into the subsurface. ⬇️

Felt reports, or firsthand accounts of earthquakes,👋 have been confirmed by 18 Ohioans so far. If you felt this event, please consider submitting a felt report by visiting https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/land-water/earthquakes/report-an-earthquake?=undefined.

This event marks the first recorded earthquake in Athens County this year. Historically, only 9 earthquakes have been recorded in Athens County, dating back to the late 1800s.

You can learn more about earthquakes in Ohio by visiting ohioseis.ohiodnr.gov.

09/01/2026

Kudos to all of our staff who are celebrating service milestones this year! ODNR Director Mertz and Division Chief D. Mark Jones recently recognized Andy Nash, and Michael Solis for 10 years of service, and Maria Scaccia (not pictured) and Alexis Lanier for 5 years of service to the State of Ohio.

08/31/2026

Join us at our final Earth Science Summer event on September 12! ⛏️🌼

The ODNR Division of Geological Survey and Ohio History Connection are hosting an Open House event at Flint Ridge Ancient Quarries & Nature Preserve. Visitors will engage in hands-on activities at the pavilion and get a chance to visit the museum free of charge. Throughout the day, accessible guided tours co-led by a geologist and a historian will take participants through the preserve to see ancient pits left by American Indians who came from the surrounding area to quarry flint.

Participants should dress appropriately for this outdoor event and are encouraged to wear sturdy closed-toe shoes and have plenty of water, snacks, sunscreen, and bug spray.

The event is free and open to all ages. No registration is required.

08/20/2026

Our staff had an amazing time with our friends from Outdoor Sylvania Community Parks yesterday for Earth Science Summer: Guided Fossil Collecting – Sylvania Fossil Park!

Don’t worry if you couldn’t make it, Fossil Park is open daily 8 AM to dark. Be sure to check out the park’s website for official information and rules.

To learn more about fossil collecting in Ohio visit ohiodnr.gov/fossils.

08/16/2026

☀️We’ve had an amazing time hosting Earth Science Summer in honor of America 250 and the Collaborative Summer Reading Program’s theme “Unearth a Story.”🦣📚

There is still time to join in on the fun at our remaining two events in partnership with Outdoor Sylvania Community Parks and Ohio History Connection!

No registration is required! Find out more information at ohiodnr.gov/earthsciencesummer.

08/11/2026

Woooweee! We had a blast during this year’s Ohio State Fair! 🎪
If you know us, you know we love numbers. Here’s our State Fair stats for 2026:
💚14,882 Free Publications Given Out
💙9,710 Interactions with Ohioans of all ages
🧡35 Dedicated Employee
🩷12 Fun-filled Days
🩵7 Brand New Life in Ancient Ohio Trading Cards
🤎1 Incredible Ohio State Fair!
Thanks to all of our staff and most importantly YOU for making this year’s fair one to remember!

08/10/2026

Join us for our next Earth Science Summer Event!

In collaboration with Outdoor Sylvania Community Parks, join ODNR geologists Molly E. Hunt, Tyler Norris, and Mindy Thomas to “Unearth a Story” of Ohio’s Devonian fossil record. After a short talk on the geology of the area, our geologists will guide participants in collecting and identifying Silica Shale fossils. Participants should meet at the parking lot.

An adult must accompany all children under 12. Participants should dress appropriately for this outdoor event and are encouraged to wear sturdy hiking boots and have plenty of water, snacks, sunscreen, and bug spray.

Tools are not allowed at Sylvania Fossil Park. Participants are encouraged to bring bags or boxes to store their finds.

The event is free and recommended for ages 5 and up.

08/07/2026

Join us for our next Earth Science Summer event! We hope to see you there! ☀️

No registration required. Find the full details on our website at ohiodnr.gov/earthsciencesummer.

Address

2045 Morse Road
Columbus, OH
43229

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+16142656576

Website

http://geology.ohiodnr.gov/

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