The oldest known fossilized coral reef can be found here in Vermont 🪸 Did you know that there are remnants of the 480 million year old Chazy Fossil Reef on Isle La Motte? We knew VT had some real history, but this definitely raises the bar! The Chazy Reef stretches across Lake Champlain and includes the 20-acre Fisk Quarry Preserve and the 83-acre Goodsell Ridge Preserve. We visited Fisk Quarry on a sunny weekend afternoon and were shocked to see no one else around. After walking the short interpretive trail, we found 25+ fossils hiding in plain sight, though there are dozens more to discover. We even saw a family of foxes playing on the rocks of the quarry! Here are some fun facts for your adventure: 🐚 The site is recognized as the oldest known fossil reef that contains substantial biological diversity from what was once a tropical marine environment. 🐚 The Chazy Reef stretched 1,000 miles from Quebec to Tennessee, but only a few fossil remnants remain. 🐚 The Fisk Quarry is the oldest in Vermont (founded in 1666), but it wasn’t until Ichabod Fisk settled next to the quarry in 1788 that it was used for building stone. 🐚 Isle La Motte “Black Marble” from this quarry can be found in Radio City Music Hall, the National Gallery of Art, and the Vermont State House. 🐚 The Fisk Farm still stands next to the quarry and even hosted VP Teddy Roosevelt! He was staying here when he learned President McKinley had been shot. 🐚 The quarry was preserved in 1999 thanks to the Isle La Motte Preservation Trust and the Preservation Trust of Vermont. Please be responsible in your adventures and leave everything intact. Do not attempt to move or remove any of these fragile ruins. Respect history by leaving it where it is and allowing others to enjoy it after you! #vermontforreal #vermont #vermontbyvermonters #vermontshots #vermontlife #vermonting #igvermont #ilovermont #travelvermont #vermontfall #vermontfoliage #foliage #fossils #quarry