Cullen’s Rock and Mineral Dig

As part of the outside displays at the Museum we have a dig-your-own rock and mineral dig. Children are allowed to find three or four specimens that they can keep. We ask visitors to not be greedy and to leave soemthing for others.

About Cullen

Cullen Connolly was the first junior member of the Pinal Gem and Mineral Society. He had a neuromuscular disorder, but was always on the go and he loved minerals. The way he would light up when he got a new specimen would make us all happy. We had a place in the desert that we could take him for a field trip. It had minerals put there that he could collect. That area has been posted now so we decided to move the collecting area to the Museum. Cullen lost his life in a car accident when a drunk driver hit the car he was riding in.. To honor his joy of collecting we have named the Rock and Mineral Dig in his memory.

About the Dig

Marc Rodriguez of Coolidge was looking for a public service project to finish his Eagle Service Badge enlisted him to build the collecting area. He did a fantastic job as you can see from the photograph. On September 20 before the Mineral Club meeting we had a ribbon cutting to open the new collecting area Ribbon Cutting (right to left) Marc Rodriguez, Coolidge Mayor- Jon Thompson, Ray Grant, Rick Miller