Kneel Before Sod!

When most people think of geology and architecture they think of sculpted stones and the like.  But we can't forget the wonders of dirt!  Here's a great Sod House we found at the Dallas Arboretum:

Marking Time #30 - Harrison County

If you are traveling eastbound on I-20, Marshall, TX is the last of the "biggish" cities you're going to see before you hit Louisiana.  I think of it as the third entry of the "I-20 Trinity" that includes Tyler and Lonview (sorry Kilgore).  They've put a lot of work into their historic downtown area but their pride and joy is the Old Harrison County Courthouse.

And with good reason.   Even if you're not a "courthouse groupie" you can't help but give it a good long stare if and when you find yourself in downtown Marshall.  It no longer holds court but serves as a museum and town centerpiece as well as being the building that pops up in most East Texas travel literature.

Outside stands a Confederate soldier as a monument to the large amount Confederate history the town has:

Also outside are the Historical Markers.  Instead of being posted on a pole or to the building itself, they are both mounted to stone tablets.  I can't decide if this puts more or less emphasis on them:

The marker for Marshall reads:

     Two years after Harrison County was created by the Republic of Texas Congress in 1839, landowner Peter Whetstone offered property for a courthouse, a church, and a school in an effort to persuade county officials to locate the seat of government in the new town formed on his land. Isaac Van Zandt, the local representative to the Republic Congress, named the new community Marshall in honor of U. S. Chief Justice John Marshall. By 1850 it had become one of the wealthiest towns in East Texas, with a population of about 2,000 and a number of cultural, religious, and civic organizations. 
     An important Confederate stronghold during the Civil War, Marshall was home to the wartime capital of Missouri and the postal headquarters of the South's Trans-Mississippi Department. Following the war, it was the site of an office of the Freedmen's Bureau. 
     After the Texas and Pacific Railway located its division point, shops, and offices here in the 1870s, Marshall became a major regional marketing and educational center. Colleges located here included Marshall University, Marshall Masonic Female Institute, Wiley College, Bishop College, and East Texas Baptist College (later East Texas Baptist University).

The marker for Harrison County reads:

     The original inhabitants of this area were the Caddo Indians. Anglo settlers, mostly from the southern U. S., began arriving in the 1830s. Many obtained Mexican land grants in 1835, and population increased following Texas independence in 1836. The Republic of Texas Congress created Harrison County in 1839 and named it for Texas revolutionary leader Jonas Harrison (1777-1836). Marshall became the county seat in 1842. 
     Harrison County was predominantly rural and agricultural, with cotton as the main crop. By 1850, it was the most populous, as well as one of the richest counties in antebellum Texas. A strong heritage of slavery prior to the Civil War and the influx of many former slaves after the war resulted in a large black population, as well. 
      The Southern Pacific Railroad, which built a line into Marshall before the Civil War, became part of the Texas and Pacific Railway system in the 1870s, connecting Harrison County with communities to the east, west, and north. The railroad located its main shops and offices in Marshall, which soon became a major transportation center. The economic base of the county diversified by the 1940s and was no longer primarily agricultural.

The Courthouse is right next to Telegraph Park which has this sweet statue:

The park is the site of the first telegraph office in Texas and these two stand vigilant tapping out welcome greetings to visitors.

The Big Inch Pipeline

A quick look at the role of the East Texas Oil Field in World War II:

Geology Candy Part 4

Geology Candy Part 1 - - Geology Candy Part 2 - - Geology Candy Part 3

 If you've ever wanted to have meteorites for dessert then today is your lucky day.  However you have to special order these from Japan so you'll have to be patient while waiting for them to arrive:

Next up is a big lump of coal that was Christmas themed but we prefer to think of it as Geology themed:

Next up is a unique one...Petrified Dino Slime in Min Chocolate Chip flavor:

And finally we've got the old standby: candy rocks!  This time they are in chocolate coal flavor:

On Location #37 - TNT's Dallas Episodes 10 & 11

Episode #1 - - Episode #2 - - Episodes 3 & 4 - - Episodes 5 & 6  - - Episode #7 - - Episode 8 & 9

 We've clearly fallen a little behind when it comes to tracking down Dallas filming locations.  But we press on with the season finale of season one and the season premiere of season two.  Our first stop is a bit of a disappointment.

The "Motel Couple $19" has been a roadside icon in south Dallas along I-35 mainly because of its eye catching sign:

We've seen it before in at episode of the short lived Fox series "The Good Guys."  The producers of Dallas also fell in love with the place when they needed a location for a seedy motel:

But when I went back there to take pictures I learned, much to my shock, that they had replaced the iconic sign:

Another piece of roadside cultural has died.  Let us have a moment of piece.  Ok, that was long enough.  For you hardcore trivia buffs, the roof they inspected was 108:

I didn't check it out any further because, let's face it, I was afraid to leave my car.  The "sleazy motel vibe" wasn't something that the producers and set decorators added.  It's for real.

Fast forward to the season two premiere and we have Bobby and Christopher about to enter the lions den...the Dallas offices of Barnes Global, home to their longtime rival Cliff Barnes:

Behind them you can see The Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe and the rotunda at the Chase Tower (also know as the building with the hole in it).  Both of which are, of course, in downtown Dallas.

You may remember the rotunda being featured in the 2002 film Serving Sara.  Barnes Global is housed in the Chase Tower in this episode:

In the real world, of course, it's not:

Such is the nature of Hollywood magic!

Geology Sighting

We took a trip to the Fort Worth Zoo recently and were happy to find a few geology exhibits.  In the "Texas Wild!" portion of the zoo you'll find some information about some local soil and some of the layers underneath:

A little further down you can make your own sand.  Inside the "roller thing" you'll find rocks and shells.  As you spin it and they crash against each other, small pieces break off and sand is born:

And as a non-geologic bonus, here's a great big rattlesnake:

Ancient Vikings in Oklahoma? (Heavener Runestone)

Did ancient Vikings visit Oklahoma?!? Probably not. But Devin investigated anyway...