Rock(et) Man: Colton Swauger

Growing up in Frostburg, FSU student and rock collector Colton Swauger never had to venture far to find his inspiration in the natural world.  

From the hillsides that had layers of history to the coal mines that gave Frostburg its foundation, geology was all around him. So, Swauger was pleased when his expertise and love of rocks was needed for a public art project on campus. 

A double major in geography and earth sciences with a minor in theatre, Swauger’s fascination with rocks and minerals began early in his life. Even his first name reflects Frostburg’s mining history as his parents chose “Colton” as a tribute to his "coal town” home. No matter if he was driving through Appalachia or visiting parks out of state, Swauger couldn’t resist picking up a rock or examining rock outcrops for ideas about the land’s past. 

One specific experience for Swauger came at Jellystone Park in Hagerstown, where a bag of minerals and fossils captured his attention for hours. Soon after, his family took him to Hiddenite, N.C., the only emerald mine in the U.S. that is open to the public. 

“This trip was a dream come true to me,” Swauger said. “I gained a vast amount of knowledge from the mine owners and each employee.”  

That trip also launched an annual tradition and with it a growing knowledge of geology on the East Coast. Over the years, Swauger has expanded his knowledge beyond North Carolina. He discovered the Ace of Diamonds Mine in New York where he unearthed his most remarkable find -- a 4.2-pound Herkimer Diamond quartz crystal that is valued around $3,000. Locally, he has collected marine fossils more than 300 million years old from sites in Maryland and West Virginia. Those specimens he has collected are similar to the ones displayed at the Smithsonian. 

Swauger had also unearthed a mentor close to home. At the 2012 Western Maryland STEM Festival at FSU, he met FSU Professor of Geography Phillip Allen, whose passion inspired Swauger to see science as more than a hobby.  

“Every year after that, I would find Dr. Allen at the annual festival and show him my latest geological finds,” Swauger recalled. “When it came time to apply for college, it was Dr. Allen’s passion and knowledge that convinced me to apply to FSU.” 

Allen’s mentorship came full circle when he asked Swauger to collect rocks for a new art display in FSU’s Education and Health Science Center. The artwork entitled “Dig Deep” is a mixed-media mosaic by artist Stacia Goodman, made of ceramic, tile, glass and local fossils. Swauger donated minerals and fossils he had collected in nearby West Virginia, adding a physical connection to the region’s geology.   

“When I saw the finished piece, I felt an immediate connection,” Swauger said. “As I admired and touched the minerals and fossils, I recalled the exact moments I extracted the pieces from the ground.” 

He hopes to one day land a job at the U.S. Geological Survey. For Swauger, geology is more than a field of study; it is a way of grounding himself in place and in history. 🐾