Gastropod Fossils at Boston Public Library McKim Building

 

When I visited the Boston Public Library's McKim Building in August 2022, I found it to be an artistic and geological wonder. So many gastropod fossils embedded in the polished limestone floor tiles. The complex is known as the Central Library in Copley Square of Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The building completed in 1895 with the chief architect being Charles Follen McKim (1847-1909).

When visiting The Abbey Room, after viewing artist Edwin Austin Abbey's (1852-1911) depiction of Sir Galahad's Quest for the Holy Grail composed of 15 panels, look at the checkerboard pattern on the floor. It consists of Istrian limestone (Croatia) and red Verona marble (Italy).

Learn more about the stone used in the McKim Building at this web site: 

https://quarriesandbeyond.org/states/ia/ia-structures.html

 

 While at the library check out the 1881 portrait of American journalist/lecturer Kate Field (1838-1896) painted by Francis Davis Millet (1846-1912). Millet died on April 15, 1912 when the RMS Titanic sank in the north Atlantic ocean.

Yellow Ammonite Fossils in Boston

 

When I was in Boston during August 2022 and second opportunity arose to visit The Boston Public Library's McKim Building. So here are some more pictures of the yellow ammonite fossils embedded in the marble (limestone) floor tiles. The complex is known as the Central Library in Copley Square of Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Charles Follen McKim (1847-1909) was the chief architect for this 1895 building 

The floor contains Jurassic Period yellow Siena marble (limestone) from Italy. When visiting the library look at the floor for sections of yellow marble and see the whorled remains of these cephalopods.

This last images shows a Louis St. Gaudens (1854-1913) Siena marble statue of a lion commissioned by American Civil War veterans to commemorate their fallen comrades of the Massachusetts Second and Twentieth volunteer infantries. The panels in the background are part of eight panels created by the French muralist Pierre Puvis de Chavannes (1824-1898). The panels represent the disciplines visitors could study at the library: Astronomy, Chemistry, Dramatic Poetry, Epic Poetry, History, Pastoral Poetry, Philosophy, and Physics.
 

Yellow Ammonoid Fossils at Central Boston Public Library

 

The Boston Public Library's McKim Building is an artistic and geological wonder. So many ammonite fossils embedded in the marble floor tiles. The complex is known as the Central Library in Copley Square of Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The building completed in 1895 at cost of 2.2 million dollars. Charles Follen McKim (1847-1909) was the chief architect for this building.

The floor contains Jurassic Period Siena marble (limestone) from Italy. When visiting the library look at the floor for sections of yellow marble and see the whorled remains of these cephalopods.

Once up the staircase the hallway leads to The Abbey Room and Bates Hall. The circular yellow section in the floor contains two prominent yellow ammonite fossils.

 

Other postings about Boston Public Library fossils:
https://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2022/08/red-ammonoid-fossils-at-central-boston.html
https://louisvillefossils.blogspot.com/2022/08/red-belemnite-fossil-at-boston-public.html

Red Belemnite Fossil at Boston Public Library's Abbey Room

 Yesterday I introduced the Boston's Central Public Library building (McKim) and the ammonoid fossils found there. Today I will introduce another type of fossil I have not seen in the red Verona marble before.

On the second floor of the McKim Building is the Abbey Room (originally the Book Delivery Room where books were picked up by patrons). The walls of the room have fifteen panels depicting Sir Galahad's Quest for the Holy Grail painted by Edwin Austin Abbey (1852-1911). He used Alfred, Lord  Tennyson's story Idylls of the King for the basis of these paintings. The checkerboard pattern of tiles on the floor are white Istrian limestone and red Verona marble (limestone aka Rosso Verona).

While looking at the flooring tiles I spotted the familiar shape of a belemnite (part of extinct squid-like cephalopod). This creature existed in the Upper Jurassic Period (Oxfordian Stage). Tile was probably quarried from the Rosso Ammonitico Formation of Verona Province of Venetia Region of Italy.

Red Ammonoid Fossils at Central Boston Public Library

The biggest surprise for me when I visited Boston last week was the Boston Public Library's McKim Building. It is an artistic and geological wonder. So many ammonite fossils embedded in the marble floor tiles. The complex is known as the Central Library in Copley Square of Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The City of Boston chartered their public library system in 1848. Decades later having outgrown previous locations they awarded a contract in 1887 to the firm of McKim, Mead, and White to build what is now known as the McKim Building. The cornerstone was placed in 1888 in which Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote in his dedication poem, "This palace is the people's own" (origin of it's later name "Palace of the People"). The building completed in 1895 at cost of 2.2 million dollars. Charles Follen McKim (1847-1909) was the chief architect for this building.

On the second floor of the McKim Building is the Abbey Room (originally the Book Delivery Room where books were picked up by patrons). The walls of the room have fifteen panels depicting Sir Galahad's Quest for the Holy Grail painted by Edwin Austin Abbey (1852-1911). He used Alfred, Lord  Tennyson's story Idylls of the King for the basis of these paintings. The checkerboard pattern of tiles on the floor are white Istrian limestone and red Verona marble (limestone aka Rosso Verona). Some of these reddish-pink tiles contain coiled ammonoids similar to what I found in Italy at Rome's St. Ignazio Church and Vatican City's St. Peter's Basilica.

Elwell, Newton W. "Delivery room." Photograph. Boston, Mass.: Geo. H. Polley & Co., 1896. Digital Commonwealth, https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/6h440w43c (accessed August 21, 2022).

 

 

 

It is amazing that these tiles have been in place for over 100 years. These ammonoids date to the Upper Jurassic Period of the Rosso Ammonitico Formation, Oxfordian Stage, Verona Province, Venetia Region of Italy.

Further reading:

https://quarriesandbeyond.org/states/ia/ia-structures.htm

https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:ms35tx11f

https://slownomads.phoosh.net/fossil-hunting-in-verona/

 https://www.marmirossi.com/en/news/focus-materials/the-historical-bond-between-marble-and-verona

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/14802172801