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Ron Pitelka helped unearth a 50-ton boulder found at O'Hare
Chicago Tribune • • science
Key Points:
- Ron Pitelka, a 45-year-old excavator operator from the Chicago area, has collected several hundred rocks over two decades, including a massive 50-ton dolostone boulder unearthed this summer at O’Hare International Airport during a terminal modernization project.
- The boulder, found about 30 feet underground during excavation for a stormwater detention basin, is estimated to be over 400 million years old and was identified as dolostone, the official state rock of Illinois, formed in a shallow tropical sea long ago.
- The Chicago Department of Aviation has launched a public naming contest for the boulder, receiving over 2,300 submissions, with finalists to be selected by staff and the final name chosen by public vote.
- The boulder is now on display at O’Hare’s Multi-Modal Facility, symbolizing geological history and permanence, a sentiment echoed by Pitelka, who suggested the name “Geo” to reflect its nature.
- Pitelka, who grew up around excavating through family work, expressed his passion for the job and his hope that the boulder remains a lasting landmark long after his time.
