SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 29
(By Senators Prezioso and Edgell)
Designating Megalonyx Jeffersonii as the official state fossil.
Whereas, No fossil has been designated as the official state
fossil for the State of West Virginia; and
Whereas, Interest in fossils and paleontology has become
increasingly widespread throughout the citizenry of this state.
There are currently fossil, rock and gem clubs already organized in
the counties of Cabell, Harrison, Kanawha and Wood; and
Whereas, In 1797, President Thomas Jefferson obtained and
described fossil bones from a limestone cave in what is now Monroe
County; and
Whereas, These bones were again described by Casper Wistar in
1799 as the bones of a giant extinct ground sloth; and
Whereas, Wistar named the bones as a new species, Megalonyx
Jeffersonii, in honor of President Jefferson; and
Whereas, The bones are from the Ice Age, or Pleistocene Epoch,
which lasted from 10,000 to 1.8 million years ago, and afford an
opportunity for special studies in American, state and natural
history for the students of the state; and
Whereas, The designation of a state fossil would aid in the promotion of interest in geology, paleontology and history; and
Whereas, Thirty-nine of the 50 states have an official state
fossil; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That Megalonyx Jeffersonii be designated as the official state
fossil; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby
directed to forward copies of this resolution to the schools in the
state.