Among the thousands of maps, reports, and other publications produced by the ODNR Division of Geological Survey are some of our most popular items for both professional geoscientists and amateur rock and fossil hounds. Listed here are some of our best-sellers. Publications and other products, such as posters, may be ordered by contacting the Geologic Records Center. Shipping and tax will be added to all orders.

A selection of our publications is now available to purchase at the ODNR Online Store.

Visit the ODNR Online Store

Featured Publications

Statehouse Fossils: A Guide to Fossils of the Ohio Capitol
by Mark E. Peter
38 p.
2021

This new, full-color booklet highlights the diversity of fossils found in Ohio’s capitol building and grounds. Written by paleontologist Mark Peter, the booklet describes many of the fossils found in the Statehouse walls, floors, and steps. It features numerous color photos and living reconstructions of extinct organisms, beautifully crafted by artist Madison Perry, whose illustrations were used to create the Fossils of the Columbus Limestone poster (see below). The booklet also includes a section for readers to use for a self-guided tour of the Statehouse fossils, as well as tools for documenting the fossils they observe. Statehouse Fossils is available as a free download here (pdf). Printed copies are free and will be made available to visitors at the Ohio Statehouse gift shop. They also can be ordered by contacting the Geologic Records Center. Shipping will be added to all orders.

Fossils of the Columbus Limestone
Illustrated by Madison Perry

This gorgeous poster features meticulously detailed hand illustrations of fossils found in the Columbus Limestone—a prominent rock unit used to build the Ohio Statehouse. Many of the fossils are represented as both actual specimens and as living reconstructions, depicting what the organisms would have looked like about 400 million years ago, during the Devonian Period. Sized at 22 x 28 inches, the poster is printed on high-quality paper with a matte finish.

Price: $10 (plus tax & shipping; includes a mailing tube)

Ohio Rocks! Activity Book

Designed for young learners, the 24-page book provides information and activities on the geology of Ohio from the Ordovician Period through the Ice Age. Activities include mazes, word searches, fill-in-the-blanks, connect-the-dots, and scenes for coloring. Topics include rocks and minerals, crystals, fossils, energy resources, and the tools geologists use to study them. Teachers and students will find the exercises helpful in meeting and reinforcing educational standards for Earth Science. The activity book is available for purchase and also is available for free download here.

Price: $2.50 (plus tax & shipping)

Other Popular Publications

Fossils of Ohio

Fossils of Ohio (Bulletin 70)
edited by Rodney M. Feldmann and Merrianne Hackathorn
Paperback, 577 p., 220 figures, 12 tables, glossary
1996 (reprinted with minor revisions in 2005)

Fossils of Ohio covers all major groups and some minor groups of Ohio fossils and is written for both the beginner and the professional. The bulletin overviews the state’s geology and fossils—where to find them and how to collect, prepare, and identify them. Twenty-three expert paleontolo­gists describe in detail the invertebrate, vertebrate, plant, and trace fossils of Ohio; and numerous photographic plates depict well-preserved examples of fossils commonly found in Ohio rocks and sediments. Identification keys, a comprehensive reference list, a glossary of terms, and indexes of generic and specific names are included.

Price: $30.00 (plus tax & shipping)  

Minerals of Ohio

Minerals of Ohio (Bulletin 69, 2nd Ed.)
by Ernest H. Carlson
Hard cover, 290 p., 102 figures, 12 tables, 4 appendices, index
2015

Minerals of Ohio is designed for a wide audience, from rock hounds to experienced mineralogists. The bulletin examines 55 mineral species found throughout the state. The hard cover features a beautiful fluorite specimen, while the interior is adorned with full-color, high-resolution photographs and detailed maps and illustrations. Beginners will greatly benefit from chapters on identifying and describing minerals and on key field trip sites, while experienced collectors and mineralogists will value an extensive catalog describing mineral occurrences at more than 600 locations in 79 Ohio counties.

Price: $30.00 (plus tax & shipping)

History of the Coal Mining Industry in Ohio

History of the Coal-Mining Industry in Ohio (Bulletin 72)
by Douglas L. Crowell
Paperback, 204 p., 220 figures, 6 tables, appendix
1995

Bulletin 72 traces the development of Ohio’s coal-mining industry from the knowledge of coal by Ohio’s earliest settlers to the impact of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and clean-coal technology. Over 200 historic photographs, drawings, and maps, spanning a period of more than 130 years, complement the descriptions of miners, mines and mine buildings, mine animals, min­ing equipment, modes of transportation, and the perils of mining. An appendix lists annual Ohio coal production by county for the years 1800–1993.

Price: $14.00 (plus tax & shipping)  

Ohio’s Geology in Core and Outcrop

Ohio’s Geology in Core and Outcrop—A Field Guide for Citizens and Environmental and Geotechnical Investigations (Information Circular 63)
by Gregory A. Schumacher, Brian E. Mott, and Michael P. Angle
Synthetic paper, spiral bound, 191 p.
2013

Written for a wide audience—from students and amateur geologists to experienced geoscience and engineering professionals—IC 63 details the state’s surficial deposits and near-surface bedrock units. Spiral-bound and printed on waterproof paper using waterproof inks, IC 63 is designed for use both indoors and in the field. The field guide provides a succinct summary of the geology of Ohio through an introductory section and 65 fact sheets that describe 111 surficial and bedrock units. A thorough introduction explains geologic time, Ohio’s surficial and near-surface geology, the history of Ohio’s near-surface bedrock geology, and Survey map products and how to use them. Each of the 65 facts sheets describes the geologic, engineering, and hydrogeologic properties of Ohio’s rocks. The fact sheets are enhanced with full-color photographs, diagrams, and maps, providing detailed views of the diagnostic features of Ohio’s near-surface geologic units in both natural and human-made exposures, as well as in core drilled through these geologic units. The publication is available in printed format and digitally as a PDF on CD.

Price: $30.00 (plus tax & shipping)

Sample Fact Sheet Pages

Guidebooks

The Division of Geological Survey offers more than 20 field guides to geologic features in Ohio. Commonly prepared for geologic meetings and conferences, these guidebooks cover a wide range of geologic sites and features, including state parks, building stones, Lake Erie. Provided here is information on some of our most popular guidebooks. Use our Publications Catalog to search the complete series.

Geological Aspects of Key Archaeological Sites in Northern Kentucky and Southern Ohio (Guidebook 11)
by Timothy S. Dalbey
Paperback
120 p., 94 figs., 9 tables
2007
Price: $15.00 (plus tax & shipping)
 

Guide to the Serpent Mound Impact Structure, south-central Ohio (Guidebook 22)
by Keith A. Milam
Paperback, spiral bound
34 p., 34 figs., glossary
2016
Price: $12.00 (plus tax & shipping)
 

Geologic Guide to Shawnee State Park and State Forest (Guidebook 23)
by Mark E. Wolfe, Brittany D. Parrick, and J. D. Stucker
Paperback, spiral bound
41 p., 39 figs., 1 plate, glossary
2018
Price: $15.00 (plus tax & shipping)
 

Other Publications

The Division of Geological Survey sells several books released by outside publishers that explore various aspects of Ohio geology and target various audiences, from children to seasoned earth scientists.

	Little Cities of Black Diamonds  by Jeffrey T. Darbee and Nancy A. Recchie Arcadia Publishing—Images of America Series, ISBN 978-0-7385-6041-3 Paperback, 127 p., photos, illustrations 2009 Price: $21.99 (plus tax & shipping)
	Ohio Rocks!—A Guide to the Geologic Sites in the Buckeye State by Albert B. Dickas Mountain Press, ISBN: 978-0-87842-635-5 Paperback, 128 p. 2015 Price: $18.00 (plus tax & shipping)
	A Quest for Shiny Purple Crystals—Johnny and Max's Rock Hunting Adventure by Monica T. Rakovan ISBN-13: 9780986334900 Paperback, 34 p., full-color illustrations 2015 Price: $10.00 (plus tax & shipping)
	Rainbows of Rock, Tables of Stone—The Natural Arches and Pillars of Ohio  by Timothy A. Snyder McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, ISBN 0-939923-73-4 Paperback, 428 p., photos, illustrations 2009 Price: $29.95 (plus tax & shipping)
	Roadside Geology of Ohio by Mark J. Camp Mountain Press, ISBN 0-87842-524-1 Paperback, 410 p., photos, illustrations, road guide maps 2006 Price: $24.00 (plus tax & shipping)