Media Reviews: A Thorough and Accurate History of Genuine Diamonds in Arkansas

A Thorough and Accurate History of Genuine Diamonds in Arkansas
Edited by Glen W. Worthington.
Published by Mid-America Prospecting, Murfreesboro, AR, 2002.
8” x 11”. Color. 137 pages. $12.00.

Reviewed by June Culp Zeitner.

The author is right about his claims in the title. The book is thorough and accurate. He presents the fascinating story of the famous diamond deposit near Murfreesboro from the discovery in 1906 by an illiterate pig farmer to the creation of Crater of Diamonds State Park and the 2002 latest failure at commercial mining in the diamond bearing lamproites. The amazing fact is that although diamond-mining companies have failed, more fine diamonds have been found by individuals on or near the surface than at many of the world’s successful mines. The author’s careful records estimate more than 100,000. This is based on the 977,781 that have been registered and the many which have been found and never reported —including an almost eight-carat white crystal was sold on the spot just as it was collected, but never registered.

The largest diamond, the Uncle Sam, is 40.25 carats. The ten largest are all over 10 carats. Most of the top 30 have been found by casual diggers who only wanted to try their luck. The colors of the Arkansas diamonds are white, yellow, brown, and pale pink. Two of the finest Arkansas diamonds are in the Smithsonian gem collection.

The author, a Kansas construction worker in 1978, talked with a co-worker during a lunch break who volunteered that he had made a trip to Murfreesboro and found $1,500 worth of diamonds. Intrigued, Worthington took a weekend trip to the crater. He asked a prospector if he had found any diamonds and the man replied that he had found 32 diamonds in 60 days. Later that same year, the writer and his wife quit their jobs and headed for Murfreesboro. In the third week of intensive gravel washing, Mrs. Worthington made the first find — a beautiful canary yellow diamond. Soon Worthington began finding diamonds, so he became a permanent resident of Murfreesboro. His adventures there (the splendid gems he saw, the unusual people he met, and his participation in the commercial mining attempts) make a “can’t-put-it-down” story. At least I couldn’t put the book down the day I received it until I’d read it all; and diamonds are not even close to the top of my favorite gemstones.

Several things tell me this is the author’s first book. The cover reads, “Written by Glenn W. Worthington” instead of just the name. Also, the publisher’s name and copyright are in the back of the book instead of the front. Many of the colored pictures, though historic, lacked the quality needed for good reproduction. The maps, line drawings, and some of the black and white pictures are excellent.

There is an awesome reference list, but no index; however, the table of contents is lengthy and almost as good as an index. In the acknowledgements (located in the back instead of the front), he thanks his wife Cindy for moving to Murfreesboro with him and doing the proofreading for the book.

Until a few years ago, when diamond mining began along the Colorado-Wyoming border, the Crater of Diamonds area was the nation’s only diamond mining area. The wonderful finds, many disappointments, and weird events will make most field collectors yearn to go to the state park and give it a try. When I wrote a chapter about this gem-rich state, Arkansas, years ago for one of my books, I corresponded with a lady from the park whose teenage daughter, a polio victim, was an avid diamond collector. They wrote that nobody should leave the park empty-handed because in addition to diamond, there is a polishable green to black trachyte, pastel alabaster, chatoyant satin spar, and several varieties of quartz, including dark purple amethyst, lace agate, Montana-type agate, jasper, carnelian, and chalcedony.

Most people, of course, concentrate on diamonds. Worthington had an opportunity to revisit his Kansas lunch companion who started him on his diamond studded career by the exciting tale of finding $1,500 worth of diamonds on a weekend trip to Arkansas. When asked if he sold them, the Kansan said he still had them and quickly brought out a treasure box of sparkling quartz.

I think anyone interested in gems and minerals will enjoy this book immensely. Genuine Diamonds of Arkansas, as the author claimed, is both thorough and accurate, as well as fun to read.

June Culp Zeitner, who has been writing for the Lapidary Journal since 1956 and joined the editorial staff in 1967, is the author of nine gem and mineral books, and helped start the National Rockhound and Lapidary Hall of Fame.