Trackway stones suit resolution announced

Idaho State University and the Idaho Museum of Natural History, the estate of Grant Loertscher, deceased, formerly of Montpelier, and the estate of Floyd E. Benton, deceased, formerly of Montpelier, announce a settlement resolving ownership and disposition of 88 sandstone “trackway stones” and related civil suit filed in Bannock County on Sept. 29, 2009.

The trackway stones preserve fossil tracks, trails and burrows of vertebrate and invertebrate animals from the Early Jurassic Period 175 to 200 million years ago, according to Martin Lockley, geology professor at the University of Colorado Denver.  

A total of 88 trackway stones were quarried during the summer of 2008 in Bear Lake County by Grant Loertscher and former personnel associated with the Idaho Museum of Natural History. The project was subsequently discontinued.

The Idaho Museum of Natural History will retain six trackway stones, which are deemed sufficient representative samples for educational, scientific and display purposes. The Loertscher estate will take possession of 38 stones. The Benton estate will take possession of 44 stones.