Fossil Fish - east of Celina
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In 1930 a giant fossil fish was discovered near here on Haw Branch by Homer Lafayette Merritt of Celina Texas. With the help of a trained technician, this fish was carefully excavated and is now on display in the basement of the Texas Memorial Museum, University of Texas, Austin, Texas.
This giant fossil fish from the Cretaceous Period of Texas, measures 12 feet, 10 inches in length. 65,000,000 years ago, when this fish was living, large areas of Texas were covered by warm seas containing a great many kinds of strange plants, fish, clams and reptiles. Initially covered by soft, limy deposits at the bottom of the sea, through time agents of erosion exposed many of these fossils. This particular fish is a relative of present day tarpon, salmon, herring and trout.
Taken from A History of Collin County, Texas by J. Lee Stambaugh and Lillian J. Stambaugh
Collin County Historical Marker 2010
This giant fossil fish from the Cretaceous Period of Texas, measures 12 feet, 10 inches in length. 65,000,000 years ago, when this fish was living, large areas of Texas were covered by warm seas containing a great many kinds of strange plants, fish, clams and reptiles. Initially covered by soft, limy deposits at the bottom of the sea, through time agents of erosion exposed many of these fossils. This particular fish is a relative of present day tarpon, salmon, herring and trout.
Taken from A History of Collin County, Texas by J. Lee Stambaugh and Lillian J. Stambaugh
Collin County Historical Marker 2010
