Limited access to Schoonmaker Reef may be possible

The city of Wauwatosa now owns a geologically significant piece of land on the city's east side.

Derse Inc. officially gifted a parcel, valued at $300,000, that includes a portion of the 420 million-year-old Schoonmaker Reef.

The property deed transfer was made recently during a signing ceremony near 62nd Street and West Martin Drive.

Derse CEO Bill Haney presented the deed to Mayor Jill Didier, who said the city has a preliminary preservation plan prepared by the geologist who put together the National Historic Landmark nomination for the reef.

"The plan includes creating an access trail and removing invasive species or hazards," she said in a news release. "The reef will be managed by the Wauwatosa Historic Preservation Commission as a special historic resource with limited access in order to preserve its geologic features."

The reef provided building materials for the developing area but has largely been forgotten since quarrying ended there in 1950. However, it is known by geology buffs worldwide for its historical significance. Fossils from this reef are in many natural history museums.

Wauwatosa's pioneer physician, Dr. Fisk H. Day, assembled a fossil collection from the reef that is now housed at Harvard University.

Derse, a trade show marketing company, moved its headquarters from Wauwatosa to the Menomonee Valley in Milwaukee. A portion of the company's land is being used for the Enclave luxury apartment development and the remainder is going to the city.