petoskey stones on the beach2, photo by jimevans_2000.
In the summertime in northwest Michigan, almost any Lake Michigan beach will have a person or two slowly walking or wading their way along the beach, gathering Petoskey stones in a bucket.
While I don’t begrudge anyone the extra money from harvesting them or the simple pleasure of finding, I do get a little peeved that there are times when I can’t find one to show a visitor or child who has never seen one. In honor of that, I am hereby creating Throw in Petoskey Stone Day, wherein participants head to a likely beach, look for Petoskey stones and then throw them way out in the water so that folks in the months or years to come can find them. It takes place every year on the third Saturday of July – tomorrow this year and Saturday, July 17 2010 if you’re the planning ahead sort.
Wikipedia’s Petoskey stone entry says:
A Petoskey stone is a rock and a fossil, often pebble-shaped, that is composed of a fossilized coral, Hexagonaria percarinata. The stones were formed as a result of glaciation, in which sheets of ice plucked stones from the bedrock, grinding off their rough edges and depositing them in the northwestern portion of Michigan’s lower peninsula.
Petoskey stones are found in the Gravel Point Formation of the Traverse Group. They are fragments of a coral reef that was originally deposited during the Devonian period, about 350 million years ago. When dry the stone resembles ordinary limestone but when wet or polished using lapidary techniques, the distinctive mottled pattern of the fossil emerges. It is sometimes made into decorative objects. Other forms of fossilized coral are also found in the same location.
In 1965, it was named the state stone of Michigan.
You can learn more about the name of the Petoskey stone from Rose Petoskey.
Jim found these on the Lake Michigan shore near Watervale (an amazing resort). Be sure to check this photo out bigger.
Michigan in Pictures 
I like the idea of NOT taking more stones home because, though I live in the landlocked middle of Leelanau, I can find Petoskeys in my yard and woods, when Nature Girl Herself tossed them aside many thousands of years ago.
LikeLike
That begs the question, how many petoskey stones are enough? I’ve been collecting them for years on my annual vacation, always looking for the “perfect petoskey” – but do I really need to keep all of them? I’m going to seriously consider taking some with me next week and donating them back to the Lake.
LikeLike
Belated response:
Dad took thousands of Petoskey stones home, over the years. Never bothered with a bucket; just stuffed ’em in his pockets as he walked the beach. When you came to visit us, you really couldn’t avoid them. Some were polished, others were in a backyard pool, but most were unpolished in the basement family room or on the patio.
When Dad died, a family friend asked for one of the stones to remember him by. He keeps it in a prominent place in his photo studio. I like that, of course.
When we sold the house after Mom died, we kept a few apiece but most went to the new owners. Hope they appreciate them.
joel
LikeLike
Great idea. I live in Cadillac, on my daily walk down M-55, I usually find 3 or more petoskey stones in the gravel along the road side. I have also found a few in my yard.
I would love to throw a few back!
LikeLike
I like your idea.
LikeLike