The Story of Earth and the formation of the Mid Continental Rift

William “Rockman” Gooder’s masterpieces are the latest step in a journey that stretches back millions of years. From the time of the big bang which created the universe, through the gradual formation of our solar system with what would become our planet trapped in the sun’s gravitational pull and slowly cooling. 

Moving forward millions of years the Mid Continental Rift nearly split North America into three pieces. The area now known as Canada tried to separate from the continental crust and produced a rift valley stretching over 2000 kilometers. This rift had the potential of cracking the content in half, but it stopped leaving a huge open air sea.

Into this great rift flowed a great body of water. Rivers carried sand and gravel into the massive inland sea. At the same time magma flowed up from below due as the continent plates were stretched apart. 18 miles deep, the Mid Continental Rift slowly filled with sediment over thousands of years. During this time, softer rocks were wedged into the rift. These rocks were trapped between the older, more ancient rock formations of the continental plates. These rocks would remain trapped until the great ice age. The glaciers would transform the temperature of the earth and almost erase human civilization.

2.4 million years later the great ice age glaciers would recede. As they receded, the glaciers would scour out the trapped sedimentary rock. As the glaciers receded, and the modern day Lake Superior was formed. The sedimentary rock that had been trapped 18 miles beneath the earth would find itself ploughed out and spread throughout the area. Over time many of the rocks that make up the geological record of this time would be broken down and destroyed. Others would find themselves cast adrift in the currents of present day Lake Superior and its tributary rivers. Now, millions of years after starting their journey, these rocks can be found on the shores of Lake Superior where they can be gathered and appreciated.