MURFREESBORO, Ark. — An Arizona man and his son had a very welcoming visit to the Natural State where they were able to make some very special memories that are sure to last a lifetime.
Will and Marshall Barnett of Buckeye, Arizona were on a father-son road trip when they decided to make a stop at the Crater of Diamonds State Park after hearing about it from a family member.
They arrived a the park with buckets and shovels in hand and began digging to see if they would have any luck in finding a diamond in the rough. After they filled a few buckets with soil they then went to a wash pavilion where they began to sift their dirt.
While they sifted through the soil, Will saw a glittering gem at the bottom of the sift screen and called his son over to take a look at the gem for himself.
They then took the gem to the Diamond Discovery Center where the park staff was able to confirm that they had in fact found a large diamond.
From the smiles on their faces, it was evident that the father-and-son duo had found something special.
"While examining the diamond, I looked out the office window and asked Mrs. Keys who the finders were, then said, ‘Wait, let me guess: they’re the ones shaking with excitement," said Park Superintendent Caleb Howell.
Will and Marshall found a beautiful two-carat rectangular-shaped diamond that is roughly the size of a pencil eraser and was a light brown color with a similar shade to iced tea.
The pair decided that they would name their diamond "Minor Find," since Will oftentimes refers to his son as a "minor-miner" since they are frequent gold panners.
“It’s worth looking, even if you don’t find a diamond," said Will Barnett.
Their "Minor Find" is the second-largest find in the park so far in 2024, and it is the 412th registered diamond in the park for this year.
For more information on the Crater of Diamonds State Park, please click here.
