Oregon State Rock

Thunderegg Adopted: March 29, 1965

As noted in Senate Joint Resolution No. 18, the effort to declare an official state rock was launched by Oregon rock and gem clubs with the support of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

FIFTY-THIRD LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY-REGULAR SESSION

Senate Joint Resolution No. 18

Introduced by Senator STADLER, Representative DETERING, Senators AHRENS, VERNON COOK, WARD COOK, CORBETT, ELFSTROM, HUSTON, IRELAND, MONAGHAN, POTTS, RAYMOND, THIEL, WILLNER, YTURRI, Representatives BESSONETTE, DAY, GALLAGHER, SAM JOHNSON, LANG, McKINNIS and read February 19, 1965

Whereas the great and sovereign State of Oregon has a state flag, a state animal (the beaver), a state flower (the Oregon grape), a state bird (the western meadow lark), a state seal, a state tree (Douglas fir) and a state fish (the Chinook salmon); and

Whereas the State of Oregon, being of unbounded international importance as a "rockhound's paradise"; and

Whereas the State of Oregon needs a designated state rock; and

Whereas a number of rock and gem clubs representing all areas of Oregon and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry have conducted a popular vote to select a state rock; and

Whereas this vote favored the thunderegg two to one; and

Whereas the thunderegg is described as a "remarkable and colorful agate-filled spherical mass of silicified claystone, and rhyolite found throughout the State of Oregon" ranging in size up to four feet in diameter; and

Whereas an old legend of the Warm Springs Indians tells us that these spherical masses were once hurled from the craters of Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson when the "spirits of the mountains" were angry and that the "thunder spirits" who lived in the craters hurled the nodules to the accompaniment of much lightning and thunder and therefore the agate-filled nodules became known as "thundereggs"; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon:

That this ancient symbol of geological significance and absorbing native legend, the thunderegg, be acclaimed the Oregon state rock.

Filed in the Office of Secretary of State March 30, 1965.

"Thunderegg" as one word was adopted by the Oregon Legislature for the name of the state rock and, therefore, is the correct spelling when referring to the state rock; however, in describing the geology and mineralogy of thunder eggs, the two-word spelling, thunder egg, has priority, because of its use in the literature.

Oregon Law

The following information was excerpted from the Oregon Revised Statutes - 2009 Edition, Title 19, Chapter 186.

TITLE 19 MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS RELATED TO GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
186. State Emblems; State Boundary
CROSS-REFERENCES.

Thunderegg declared to be official rock, SJR 18 (1965)

Sources...

State of Oregon. Oregon Revised Statutes - 2009 Edition. Oregon State Legislature.Salem: State of Oregon, 2011. Web. 8 Apr 2011.
Stadler, Glen M. "Thunderegg: Oregon's State Rock." Ore Bin Oct. 1965: 189-194. Web. 9 May 2011.
"Rockhounding: Thundereggs." Nature of the Northwest. State of Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, 07 Apr. 2011. Web. 13 Apr 2011. .
Shearer, Benjamin F. and Barbara S. State Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols: A Historical Guide Third Edition, Revised and Expanded. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 3 Sub edition, 2001.

Thunder egg on display at State Capitol

Additional Information

Learning Resources - State Symbols: Rock: Oregon Blue Book Online.

Thundereggs: Department of Geology and Mineral Industries: Gems and Minerals in Oregon.

Oregon Thundereggs: All Oregon Directory, the only Oregon Directory on the internet owned by a fifth generation Oregonian who has traveled to every corner of this beautiful state.

Thundereggs: Oregon Treasures in the Dirt: From TravelOregon.Com.

State rocks: Complete list of official state rocks from NETSTATE.COM.

More symbols & emblems: Complete list of official Oregon state symbols from NETSTATE.COM.

According to ancient Native American legend, when the Thunder Spirits living in the highest recesses of snowcapped Mount Hood and Mount Jefferson became angry with one another, amid violent thunder and lightning storms they would hurl masses of these spherical rocks at each other. The hostile gods obtained these weapons by stealing eggs from the Thunderbirds' nests, thus the source of the name "Thunder eggs."

Numerous unique cut and polished Oregon thunder eggs are available.

Rocks and Minerals
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Rocks and Minerals, written and edited by Caroline Bingham. 48 pages. Publisher: DK CHILDREN; 1st edition (January 2004) Reading level: Ages 5-8. Eye Wonder Rocks and Minerals introduces geologic elements to budding scientists - Did you know that the amount of gold in any material is measured in carats and that 24-carat gold is pure gold? Find out facts like this and much more in this fascinating guide to rocks and minerals.

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Rocks and Minerals (DK Pocket Series), by Dorling Kindersley, Ltd. 160 pages. Publisher: DK Publishing, Inc.; Revised edition (June 2003) Reading level: Ages 10-17. Minerals are solid mixtures of chemicals that each have a unique set of characteristics - just like a fingerprint. Find out how these minerals bind together to form rocks and much, much more.

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Covers both lapidary and mineral display materials
Includes organics such as amber, bone, coral, pearl and shell
Lists chemical group, system, hardness, opacity, fracture, specific gravity and more
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Contains 650+ full-color photos

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Perfect for rocks and mineral lovers - a comprehensive guide for collectors.