Stonerose Interpretive Center & Eocene Fossil Site

The Interpretive Center and Fossil Site will re-open JULY 1. Please read below for all of the details.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Click here to join and/or donate

Research

Our 2019 Auction! Abundant delicious appetizers and hors d’oeuvres.

2019 Auction was held in the historic Fair Barn Dance Hall! Unfortunately, the 2020 event has been cancelled.

Greetings, Stonerose Family and Friends!

As we enter Phase 3 in our County, the Board has been developing plans to re-open Stonerose. Please read especially if you plan to come to Republic this year!

We will open temporarily in our new location, right in the center of Republic, on July 1 at 9 am. The address is 15 N. Clark.

We will start with a Wednesday-Sunday, 9-5 schedule. The fossil site will close at 4 pm, to give staff time to process your finds. We will reevaluate this schedule as time goes on, and we see how many people are actually travelling.

From July 1 until July 15 one area of the quarry will be restricted to Members Only. (There will be plenty of other areas at the site for non-members to dig!)

Since Membership Weekend was cancelled this year, we hope this plan will fulfill the benefit that members receive of having of having a fresh site for fossil hunting.

If you wish to take advantage of this and other membership benefits, become a member on our website, or when you arrive at the Center.

Good news for low-income families!

Thanks to a generous grant from Innovia Foundation, we are able to offer free admission to children (under 17) from low-income families.

We will open temporarily in our new location, in the center of Republic.

We recently signed a contract to purchase this building as a future Environmental Science and Education Center. Located at 15 Clark Avenue this temporary location will allow us to comply with health regulations this season. However, the building is unfinished…expect it to be unpolished! We continue to search for funding to remodel and construct new exciting displays. We will exhibit our most popular fossil displays and retail items.

• Registration will be at the new center and is required before going to the quarry.

CURRENTLY WE ARE NOT TAKING RESERVATIONS FOR TIMED ADMISSIONS. HOWEVER, THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY ALLOWED IN THE CENTER AT ONCE, SO YOU MANY HAVE A SHORT WAIT TO ENTER. We will try to make this as painless as possible.

• The restroom will not be available, but there is an outhouse at the fossil site, and restrooms in the Park, as well as other locations around town.

• We will have a handwashing and touchless sanitizer stations for your convenience

Our employees will be wearing masks and social distancing as required by state regulations.

WE WILL REQUIRE ALL VISITORS TO ALSO WEAR A MASK* WHILE THEY ARE IN THE CENTER and to maintain 6 foot social distancing as much as possible.

If you have a medical reason for not using a mask, staff will register you outside. Please signal until staff recognizes you.

Ferry County has been fortunate to have only one verified Covid case, and we were allowed to accelerate our opening because of this. Our priority is the health and safety of our visitors and staff. If you feel you may be carrying the virus, been exposed, or are feeling sick, please postpone your visit for everyone’s benefit. We simply cannot afford to take a chance with the health of our dedicated staff and visitors.

We recommend that you continue to wear personal protective equipment after you leave the Center to go dig for fossils. We hope that everyone will be considerate of other diggers at the fossil site and give each other space.

We usually see between 6,000-8,000 people each season. We have missed our usually busy May and June, so have only 4 more months of digging weather. Letting us know IF you plan to visit this year, and WHEN you plan to visit will help us plan our staffing needs. Anyone planning to visit can help by taking our survey!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K8JBP6Y

Please contact us with questions! Check our website or facebook page for all up to date information, including hot weather alerts.

We have missed seeing our visitors and are hopeful for a successful rest of the year.

P. S. If you wish to donate to the new center and cultivate science and education, information can be found on the website as well.

New Educational and Science Center!

To realize our mission and vision, the Friends of Stonerose saw a need to expand and improve the Stonerose operations. The current Interpretive Center, owned by the City of Republic, has reached capacity, with limited room for student groups, cramped displays, and space for fossil collections and scientific pursuits.

Last fall an amazing opportunity to purchase a building in a prime location on the Main Street of Republic became available. This much larger building will enable us to expand our educational programs, improve our museum displays, build a strong and diversified financial base that enhances independence, and continue to be an even greater economic force for our area.

Stonerose is ready to grow. And with a new building, we can create a premier environmental natural-history education center!

To make this vision a reality, we began a community support campaign, called a Hop, Skip, and a Jump. This represents approximately 200 steps from our current location to the new building. The initial fundraising goal was to raise at least $20,000 and we have almost reached that goal. The remodeling will take a tremendous amount of financial support for the next few years.

We hope to secure grants from major foundations which will be used to accomplish our dream. Those foundations need to know that we have your individual support, and that you believe in the role we play for science, education and the economy!

As painful as this time is, we know that amazing achievements can be reached by all working together. We acknowledge that you likely are giving in other ways during this crisis. If you can’t help us at this time, we understand. However, if you can donate for the building or operations fund, we would very grateful.

Thank you for your continued support of Stonerose Interpretive Center and Eocene Fossil Site. Please stay safe. If you have questions, contact us.

Katherine Mary

Katherine Meade, Director Mary Rourke, Acting President

We love to have new members! To become a member, click here.

Hop, Skip and a Jump Campaign:

Baby Steps                                  any amount

Hop over for                                 $100

Skip over for                                $250

Jump over for                               $500

Leap over for                                $1000 or more!

Online donations gratefully accepted www.stonerosefossil.org or send by mail to

P. O. Box 987, Republic, WA 99166