Published 9:00 AM EDT Oct 18, 2019For Veronica Woods, rock collecting is a family tradition.' I was born into a family who loves rocks, and it's always been a part of my life,' Woods said. 'Ever since I could walk, I've been rock hounding.' Woods' father, Eugene Mueller, founded The Gem Shop in Cedarburg in 1981. When Mueller was an art teacher at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the 1970s, he realized that art students didn't have enough polished stones for their work. He began collecting and cutting agates and jaspers (two types of quartz).
The Gem Shop now specializes in those types of rocks of rocks, among its inventory of more than 100,000 pounds of rough rock.Woods, who is now president of the company, and her father work together going to trade shows, mining in their own claims in Oregon and running the Cedarburg store. The Gem ShopWoods also will take kids (with parental supervision) to the basement. The shop sells geodes, which you could take home to smash open with a hammer. But if you want the geode professionally opened, Woods or one of her employees will take you downstairs to cut it with a diamond saw.Just like in the backyard, the basement has tons of rocks organized by type, all laid out on tables.As you approach the diamond saw room, you'll have to stand back and not touch anything, but you can watch as Woods uses a diamond saw (which cuts with friction rather than force) to slice through the geode. She won't open it, though, until the grand reveal.' This took over a million years to form,' Woods tells her visitors. 'And now you'll be the first person to see what's inside.'
Then she opens it up. The Gem ShopWoods suggests kids explore their own backyards to search for rocks and fossils, and take a trip to the Milwaukee Public Museum, where there are more than 100,000 fossils and about 35,000 specimens of rocks, minerals and meteorites. Woods also recommends searching along Lake Michigan beaches.' We're very fossil-rich in southeast Wisconsin,' she said. 'Just as long as you keep your head down, you will see geology.'
Crystal And Stone Shops Near Me
Cave of the MoundsAnother worthwhile excursion for budding geologists is Cave of the Mounds, a national natural landmark about 25 miles west of Madison.The centerpiece of a visit is a tour of the cave, which was discovered in 1939 when workers who were mining for limestone blasted into a quarry and found a massive underground cavern. Cave of the MoundsThe cave was formed millions of years ago, when rainwater and melted snow combined with carbon dioxide to dissolve the limestone, creating cavities and cracks in the rock. The caverns, rooms of the cave and geologic formations formed along a major crack in the stone.During the hourlong tour of the cave, you'll learn all about the history and geology of the cave. Better yet, you'll get to walk throughout the underground cave, seeing crystals, stalactites, stalagmites and fossils, including a 6-foot fossil of a giant cephalopod, a relative of the squid. Cave of the MoundsKids can dump their mining rough into a mining sluice outside the cave entrance and discover their treasures.Kids can also dig through sand in three dig sites, where rock, gem, mineral and fossil specimens are buried.Although the experiences are simulated, the specimens are real, and there are rock and fossil identification charts so kids can catalog their discoveries. Other things to do in CedarburgThe Gem Shop is at W64-N723 Washington Ave., a perfect location for a stroll to visit other shops in downtown Cedarburg. Here are a few family-friendly highlights:The Cedar Creek Settlement is a renovated woolen mill with several specialty shops inside, including the Cedar Creek Trading Post, where kids will love looking at candy and toys.There's also the Cedarburg Toy Company, which is locally owned and operated and sells both old-fashioned toys and more trendy toys like Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty.
Kids can try out a lot of the toys in the store.The Rivoli Theater is an old-fashioned movie theater that originally opened in 1936. There's only one screen, but the theater often shows family-friendly movies, and the annual holiday film festival is popular, with holiday classics like 'Elf,' 'Rudolph' and 'White Christmas.'
Check the theater's Facebook page for up-to-date showings. Other things to do near Cave of the MoundsCave of the Mounds is at 2975 Cave of the Mounds Road, Blue Mounds, in Dane County.House on the Rock is only 30 minutes away. The famously quirky museum has fun exhibitions and displays, including the world's largest indoor carousel and an infinity room made of glass over a scenic valley.Mount Horeb is less than five miles east of Cave of the Mounds.
There you can find the Trollway — a street lined with specialty shops, art galleries and antique stores, with plenty of carved trolls along the way. Pick up a troll map from the Chamber of Commerce at 300 E. To make sure you don't miss any.Contact Amy Schwabe at (262) 875-9488 or amy.schwabe@jrn.com.
Follow her on Twitter at @WisFamilyJS, Instagram at @wisfamilyjs or Facebook at WisconsinFamily.
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