University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg in Forrest County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)
Petrified Log State Rock of Mississippi
Photographed by Cajun Scrambler, June 14, 2023
1. Petrified Log State Rock of Mississippi Marker
Made up of siliceous minerals, the 11-million-year-old southern miss petrified log was found intact rather than in fragments. According to Dr. Bobby Irby, then chairperson of the USM Science Education Department and coordinator of the acquisition, it was believed that the petrified artifact was covered in its location by a stream after having fallen into an ancient river, where it became waterlogged, buried in a channel and fossilized." Dr. Irby noted the log to be 65 feet long, weighing over 30 tons. Biological examinations of the fossil wood indicated the log was a walnut- like hardwood. The petrified log/tree, more commonly known as the State Rock of Mississippi, was believed to be one of the largest Mississippi petrified logs at the time of its discovery in December 1986 by landowner William Thomas Johnson of Ovett, Mississippi. Dedication of the unusual artifact occurred on October 4, 1987.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Paleontology • Science & Medicine. A significant historical date for this entry is October 4, 1987.
Location. 31° 19.672′ N, 89° 19.953′ W. Marker is in Hattiesburg,
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Mississippi’s Pine Belt. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Piney Woods. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Hub Where Buffett Met "Fingers" (within shouting distance of this marker); A Remarkable Woman and a Legacy Beyond Compare (within shouting distance of this marker); Clyde Kennard (within shouting distance of this marker); Roberts Schoolhouse (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lloyd Green (approx.
Photographed by Cajun Scrambler, June 14, 2023
2. Petrified Log State Rock of Mississippi Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on June 17, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 17, 2023, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 876 times since then and 65 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 17, 2023, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana.
