Sheffield Lake to celebrate pre-Jurassic history Aug. 8

Millions of years ago, a fierce-looking, pre-Jurassic creature lurked in the waters of a sea that is now long gone. Its bony jaw was sharp. Its massive body was covered in a type of plate armor. It was the Dunkleosteus terrelli — a top marine predator of the Devonian Period, some 350 million years ago. Long after its reign, long after the dinosaurs of the Jurassic Era, the fossilized remains of the Dunkleosteus were found along the shale cliffs of Sheffield Lake in 1867 by Jay Terrell — the creature's namesake. Now, almost 160 years later, the city of Sheffield Lake is working to reclaim its history and the identity of the community. "It's a great story," said Mayor Rocky Radeff. "Our point is just to start bringing back the history and mixing that with our identity." On Aug. 8, Sheffield Lake will celebrate its pre-Jurassic history with what it is calling the Dunkle Day festival. "There's this really cool, mighty, amazing creature called the Dunkleosteus that was found in Sheffield Lake," said Rachael Sommer, a member of the planning committee for the festival. "Sheffield Lake is a small town, but this is a big discovery and something to be very proud of." Representatives of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History — where an actual specimen of the ancient creature is on display — will be in attendance to lead activities, as well, Sommer said. The festival is expected to feature a Dunkle-inspired art show at the Domonkas Branch Library, a storybook walk on the creature's history and opportunities for kids to dig for fossils, according to Sommer. August's festival will be held at the Sheffield Lake Boat Launch along Lake Road. It's "just a fun time for all ages," Sommer said, adding that it's "wholesome fun and (it's) celebrating this really cool creature that isn't mythical but real." Sheffield Lake officials have been working to develop the fossil-themed festival for about a year now, Radeff said. However, this year's Dunkle Day will not be the first time city officials have celebrated the ancient fossil. Sheffield Lake first celebrated Dunkle in 2007. City officials said the hope is to now make the festival an annual event. "We're excited to pick back up and really launch this initiative and continue the celebration, you know, hopefully every year," Sommer said. While the fossil-themed festival is not for another several months, local residents can catch a glimpse of the Dunkleosteus in several places, including a replica at Sheffield Lake City Hall. City officials have also incorporated silhouettes of the ancient creature in the Sheffield Lake logo. Radeff said the interest in the Dunkleosteus terrelli is on the rise. In fact, the ancient creature made an appearance in 2025's "Jurassic World: Rebirth." "It's kind of becoming a topic," Radeff said. "Let's not forget, this is where it comes from." More information about the Dunkle Day festival can be found at https://www.dunkleday.com. Contact Garrett Looker at glooker@chroniclet.com.