Mud and diamonds: Scooter Tackett of Lowel, Ark., sifts for diamonds at the Crater of Diamonds State Park, in Murfreesboro, Ark. (Mike Wintroath / For The Times)
Field of dreams: People enjoy one of the more unusual public attractions in America, while searching long rows for anything that glitters. (Mike Wintroath / For The Times)
Shirley Strawn of Murfreesboro, Ark., weighs a diamond she found at the Crater of Diamonds State Park, Friday, Oct. 27, 2006 in Murfreesboro, Ark. The diamond weighed .65 karats. (Mike Wintroath / For The Times)
Henry Brune, right, and his wife Sally, of Russellville, Ark., dig for diamonds at the Crater of Diamonds State Park, Friday, Oct. 27, 2006 in Murfreesboro, Ark. (Mike Wintroath / For The Times)
Tommy Starkey, right, and his wife, Joye, left, of Nisbit, Miss., sift for diamonds at the Crater of Diamonds State Park, Friday, Oct. 27, 2006 in Murfreesboro, Ark. (Mike Wintroath / For The Times)
Deb Leahy of Caledonia, Minn., picks through mud looking for diamonds at the Crater of Diamonds State Park, Friday, Oct. 27, 2006 in Murfreesboro, Ark. (Mike Wintroath / For The Times)
Connie Newman, of Hot Spings, Ark., holds diamonds she found at the Crater of Diamonds State Park, Friday, Oct. 27, 2006 in Murfreesboro, Ark. (Mike Wintroath / For The Times)
This Oct. 20, 2006, photo released by Arkansas State Parks shows a 5.47-carat canary diamond found by Bob Wehle of Ripon, Wis., at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Ark. (Arkansas State Parks / AP)
