
The Origin Story

For those looking to take a closer peek at the underbelly of the Florida Keys, a trip to Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park could not be more eye-opening. Because areas of the park once operated as a quarry site, exposed quarry walls provide an amazing glimpse into a time when the islands were still submerged and teeming with marine life.
Earth is several billions years old. In order to make sense of the planet’s long, long history, geologists have broken its story down to a more easily digestible series of periods, epochs, eras, and ages. Most of the planet’s history falls under the term of Precambrian Time. It represents about 90 percent of the planet’s history. Precambrian Time begins at the beginning of time and ended some 542 million years ago. It was here when the planet developed its oceans, significant land masses, and atmosphere.