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2 History 3 Geology 4 Diamond Hunting Techniques 5 Diamonds Found |
In addition to diamonds, visitors may find semi-precious gems such as amethyst, agate, and jasper or approximately 40 other minerals and rocks such as quartz, barite, and calcite.
The crater itself is a 35-acre gravelly open field that is periodically plowed to bring the diamonds and other gemstones to the surface. The remainder of the park consists of a visitor's center, interpretive center, campground, and picnic area. A 1.3 mile walking trail along the Little Missouri River is available for hikers.
Murfreesboro is located just south of Hot Springs, Arkansas, the location of Hot Springs National Park. The park is open year round but experienced diamond hunters prefer hunting in the spring when rains wash dirt off of the gemstones and make them easier to spot.
Soon after the original diamond was found and a "diamond rush" turned Murfreesboro into a boomtown for a time. Hotels in Murfreesboro are said to have turned away 10,000 people in a year's time. These refugees formed a tent city near the mine which was named "Kimberly" in hopeful honor of the famous Kimberly Diamond Mine in South Africa.
From 1952 to 1972 the crater was a privately owned tourist attraction. In 1972 the State of Arkansas purchased the crater and converted it into a unique state park.
Due to the uniqueness of the park, the diamond has come to be associated with the State of Arkansas. The diamond shape on the flag of Arkansas represents this association. The Arkansas State Quarter released in 2003 bears a diamond on its face and the logo of Arkansas State University incorporates a multi-faceted diamond.
In ancient times all of Arkansas was under water except for the Ouachita Mountains which were created by the continental plate riding up over the oceanic plate. About 100 million years ago these plates began to stabilize. The last movements of the plates caused cracking in the earth's crust which allowed molten material to rise to the surface. The heat and pressure during this event were exactly right for the carbon atoms to bond and form diamonds.Description
The Crater of Diamonds State Park is an 888-acre Arkansas State Park situated over an eroded volcanic pipe. The park is open to the public and, for a small fee, rockhounds and tourists can dig for diamonds and other gemstones. Park visitors find more than 600 diamonds each year of all colors and grades. Over 24,000 diamonds have been found in the crater since it became a state park. Visitors may keep any gemstone they find regardless of its value.History
The first diamond was found at Murfreesboro in 1906 by John Huddleston who owned the property. Several unsuccessful attempts at commercial exploitation of the site have failed.Geology
The Crater of Diamonds is a 95 million year old volcano that has eroded to ground level.