Southeast Kansas museum offers in-depth geology lesson

FRANKLIN, Kan. — A local museum offered an in-depth geology lesson.

The Miners Hall Museum presented “The Geology of Coal Mining” hosted by Andy Connolly, Larry Spahn, and David Jenkins.

This was the third and final show of the Little Balkans Coal Camp West Mineral exhibit.

The presentation explains the different types of rocks found in Kansas and goes in detail of how they got there.

Connolly also brought samples of rocks, minerals, and fossils from Kansas for the audience to pass around and inspect.

“You don’t need a fancy degree to be a scientist, you can go out in the field and find and identify rocks, minerals, and fossils. You can observe the natural way, the natural world, and really think about how the world has changed over millions of years. You don’t need a degree, you just need curiosity and a love for the outdoors,” said Andy Connolly, Kansas Geological Survey science communication specialist.

Connolly went on to talk about the three major influences on the geology of Kansas — ancient oceans that used to cover the land, the Rocky Mountains, and ice ages.