Almost a century after the founding of Petoskey, Get to Know the on June 28, 1965, Governor George Romney signed a bill that made the Petoskey Stone Michigan's official State Stone. The legislation is Great Lakes very general. The bill simply states that the State… Petoskey Stone is the State Stone. WHAT IS A PETOSKEY STONE? The Petoskey stone State Stone: Petoskey Stone is fossilized pre-historic coral fossilized rugose coral, (Hexagonaria percarinata.) Distinguishable by its unique exoskeleton structure, a Petoskey stone consists of tightly packed, six-sided corallites, which are the skeletons of the once-living coral polyps. The center of each polyp was the mouth and contained tentacles that reached out for food. The hexagon shape of each cell and thin lines radiating out from the dark “eye” in the center are distinguishing features unique to this fossil. HISTORY OF THE STONE: The name Petoskey Stone likely came about because it was found and sold as a souvenir from the Petoskey area. The name Petoskey appears to have originated late in the 18th century. Its roots stem from an Ottawa Indian legend. WHERE TO FIND A PETOSKEY STONE: Charlevoix: Mt. McSauba, Lake Michigan Beach, Beaver Island, Fisherman’s TIPS FOR FINDING PETOSKEY STONES: Island State Park, North 1. Find a stretch of Lake Michigan beach that is uncrowded and somewhat rocky. Point Nature Preserve 2. Be patient. Petoskey: Petoskey State 3. Know the rules- according to the Michigan DNR, you are allowed to remove 25lbs of stones Park per visit. Frankfort: Pt. Betsie 4. Know when to go- the spring is generally the best time of year to find Petoskey stones Lighthouse because wave action and winter’s ice have brought new stones to the shores. Leelanau County: Empire Beach, Leelanau State Park, ALL INFORMATION TAKEN FROM THE STATE OF MICHIGAN Sleeping Bear Dines National https://www.michigan.org/article/trip-idea/where-find-petoskey-stones-michigan Lakeshore https://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/ogs-gimdl-GGPS_263213_7.pdf Manistee: Orchard Beach State Park