Blue Rapids in Marshall County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Oldest Rocks in Kansas
The Monument to the Ice Age
— Blue Rapids, Kansas —
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 1, 2014
1. Oldest Rocks in Kansas Marker
The oldest rocks in Kansas can be found right here in Blue Rapids. They are called Sioux Quartzite, a metamorphosed red sandstone originally deposited as sand in riverbeds, buried, and made extremely hard by heat and pressure. This quartzite was formed over 1.5 billion years ago in what is now southern Minnesota. In Kansas, only meteorites are older.
Glaciers picked up pieces of Sioux Quartzite near Pipestone, Minnesota and brought them nearly 300 miles to northeastern Kansas.
Sioux Quartzite boulders were used by Blue Rapids residents for building materials and decorative hardscaping.
The rock called pipestone was once river mud. It was part of the same river system that had the sand that became the Sioux Quartzite. Pipestone is now the special claystone from which Native Americans carved pipe bowls.
Can you imagine something that is 1.5 billion years old?
Erected 2012 by George Callison and Concerned Blue Rapids Citizens and Organizations.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Paleontology.
Location. 39° 40.895′ N, 96° 39.569′ W. Marker is in Blue Rapids, Kansas, in Marshall County. Marker is at the intersection
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Gigantic Glaciers (here, next to this marker); Ice Age (here, next to this marker); War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Historic Holm Cabin (within shouting distance of this marker); Blue Rapids Public Library (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Blue Rapids Station Bell (about 600 feet away); Oldest Roundabout in Kansas (about 600 feet away); Historical Baseball Game (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Blue Rapids.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.
Also see . . .
1. Blue Rapids revives Ice Age Monument. Topeka Capitol-Journal website entry (Submitted on November 16, 2014, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. Ice Age Monument dedicated. The Blue Rapids Historical Society website entry (Submitted on November 16, 2014, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. About Sioux Quartzite. Sioux Quartzite Heritage Trail website entry (Submitted on November 16, 2014, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 1, 2014
2. Geological Timescale
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr.
3. The Monument to the Ice Age
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 1, 2014
4. Sioux Quartzite Boulder on Display
Credits. This page was last revised on July 4, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 16, 2014, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 892 times since then and 96 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 16, 2014, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
