The Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville, Virginia, has a wonderful exhibit currently titled "Uncovering Virginia."

If you do not live near Chippokes State Park and have never walked along the shore of the James to see the many fossils, you now have a chance to see them in Southside Virginia, in Martinsville!

Chesapecten jeffersonius found in abundance at Chippokes State Park

River view at Chippokes State Park

Part of this Exhibit has a cut out of the river bank chock-full of Chesapecten jeffersonius (the state fossil of Virginia). When you visit the state park, you will see these by the hundreds to thousands. Another fun find at Chippokes State Park (which has been on my own scavenger hunt list) is the giant shark teeth of the Megalodon. These huge fossilized teeth can be found at Chippokes State Park and Carmel Church. The question is, why did these big sharks disappear? Were they victims of disease or some other factor?

Sharks teeth found on the beach at Westmoreland State Park 

I find it interesting that while there are tracks and other evidence of Dinosaurs in Virginia, we have yet to find any bones. Carmel Church and Chippokes State Park seem to be ocean graveyards. Fossils are also found at other Virginia State Parks, like York River State Park and Westmoreland State Park.

I highly recommend visiting The Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville. Bring the whole family out to this fantastic museum! While there, you may see the scientists at work behind a glass wall and observe them carefully cleaning and inspecting specimens for archeology, geology, invertebrate paleontology, mammalogy, marine biology, recent invertebrates, and vertebrate paleontology. At another part of the Exhibit, you will learn about Saltville, Virginia, when the muskox roamed Virginia. Click here for directions and museum hours. 

If you can visit Chippokes State Park, I hope you can participate in a Fossil Walk led by the park interpreter. School groups are also welcome, call the park to learn more (757) 294-3625.

Chippokes State Park is one of the oldest working farms in the United States. Chippokes is a living historical exhibit located in a rural agricultural area along the James River in Surry County. In addition, the park has a wide variety of traditional park offerings, including a visitor center, picnic facilities, and hiking and biking trails. The plantation has kept its original boundaries since the 1600s and has a variety of cultivated gardens and native woodland. The formal gardens surrounding the Chippokes Mansion are accented by azaleas, crepe myrtle, boxwood and seasonal flowers. The plantation grounds are also home to the Chippokes Farm and Forestry Museum.

Drive Time: Northern Virginia: 2 - 3 hours; Richmond: 1.5 hours; Tidewater/Norfolk/Virginia Beach: 1.5 hours; Roanoke: 4 hours. Click here for a Google map. Address: 695 Chippokes Park Rd., Surry, VA 23883; Phone: (757) 294-3625