The
GCC Rock Park, located at the northwestern edge 
of the campus, was begun in
the
early 1980's by Prof. Richard Little as a way to preserve the rare armored mud
ball samples that he discovered in the suspension cable foundation of a former
bridge on the banks of the Connecticut River at Unity Park, Turners Falls, MA.
The town highway department dismantled the bridge foundation allowing the
samples to be moved to the GCC campus for preservation.
Samples from other sites were added to create an outdoor display of large
specimens from the region. In 1985
the Rock Park was officially opened and dedicated to Professor Emeritus Dr.
Warren I. Johansson of Petersham, who was instrumental in developing the science
department at GCC. Over the years
new specimens were acquired, sometimes carried back by students from field trip
locations, or from local quarries. At
active quarries large specimens were often loaded on to a trailer or dump truck
with a bucket loader. Many samples
were also acquired by having several strong people with a hand-truck.
In 1996 through 1998 the Park was enlarged by adding a central and southern section and was also reorganized. Today, the Park displays armored mud balls and other sedimentary and metamorphic rocks in the Northern Section (1,300 sq ft); igneous rocks of plutonic (deep-Earth) origins in the Central Section (600 sq. ft.); and extrusive igneous rocks, mostly from the Cheapside Quarry in east Deerfield, compose the Southern Section (1,000 sq. ft.). We have 30 samples over 500 lbs and about 100 other smaller specimens, giving us a total weight of approximately 35 tons.
For more information please contact Prof. Richard Little via e-mail:
Or Richard Little Web Site:
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Last updated December 18, 2000 .