Finding Your Inner Rockhound

Editor’s Note: The following guest column comes from Phil Gotsch, education director for the Minnesota Mineral Club.

I'm convinced that all kids are born rockhounds. At a very early age, we all
noticed that some pebbles are shiny, colorful and pretty—not just like
all the other rocks. So we picked them up and brought them home. If we were
lucky, mom and dad let us keep them. Maybe our folks remembered their own
childhood fascination and helped us try to figure out what made those special rocks so especially wonderful.

When I was about 8 years old, growing up in Crystal, they put in water and sewer lines in front of our house on Douglas Drive. On a big pile of dirt I found my first ever agate. It was beautiful, about the size of a golf ball, and it had concentric bands of red and blue. I've been collecting agates ever since that day, for now more than fifty years. Some of us kids never quite grew up. I think that's a good thing.

All kids of all ages who still enjoy pretty rocks are invited to feast their eyes at a literally world-class agate weekend at the Lindbergh Center. The "Celebration of Agates" is sponsored by the Minnesota Mineral Club on July 26 to 29. The Minnesota Mineral Club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to earth science education and promotion of the lapidary arts.

On Thursday the 26th, there will be seminar presentations given by experts from the USA and overseas, from Germany and India. Pre-registration is required for that day. 

Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be a show open to the general public—featuring dozens of displays of agates from all over the world and dealers selling rocks, gems, minerals, fossils and jewelry.

Authors of books about agates will be present to sell and autograph their books, and there will be daily multi-media presentations.

For more information, or to register for the Thursday seminars, go to: minnesotamineralclub.org.

Or you can call this still-young rockhound at 763.717.1641.