Memphis Moment: The History of Coon Creek MEMPHIS, TN (WKNO) - The first scientific paper on Coon Creek was published by Bruce Wade in 1926. Geologists worldwide were interested in the remains of marine life that lived throughout the Mississippi Embayment. A.Z. Smith bought a large part of Coon Creek in 1953, and he created a "Fossil Farm," with an array of ancient marine fossils that attracted paleontologists, amateur fossil collectors, and the Pink Palace Museum staff. In 1987, the Pink Palace secured the rights to develop a modern geological and environmental educational center at Coon Creek, which the museum runs to this day. © Copyright 2009, WKNO