A Crater of Diamonds State Park diamond discovered by a Pennsylvania woman is drawing attention not just for its size, but for the deeply personal story behind the find.
According to Arkansas State Parks, Keshia Smith uncovered a 3.09-carat white diamond while searching the park’s diamond field in Murfreesboro, Arkansas. The stone was found in the park’s public search area, where visitors are allowed to look for natural diamonds and keep whatever they find.
Smith’s diamond was described as smooth, flat, and colorless, about the size of a bead. Park officials said the find was the second-largest diamond registered at the park so far this year.
A Meaningful Find After a Difficult Season
For Smith, the discovery came at an emotional time. She told park officials she had been grieving the loss of both her son and her father, and said the diamond felt like something that was “meant to be.” She later named the stone the Za’Novia Liberty Diamond, a name honoring her grandchildren and the nation’s 250th anniversary year.
Crater of Diamonds State Park interpreter Sarah Bivens said larger diamonds are sometimes found early in a visitor’s search, adding that some discoveries feel especially meaningful because of the circumstances surrounding them.
Why Crater of Diamonds Is Unique
Crater of Diamonds State Park is billed as the only place in the world where the public can search for natural diamonds in their original volcanic source. Visitors search a 37-acre plowed field, which is the eroded surface of an ancient volcanic crater. Any rock, mineral, or gemstone found in the search area belongs to the person who finds it.
The park has a long history of notable diamond finds. As of January 13, 2026, more than 37,377 diamonds had been found by park visitors since the site became an Arkansas state park in 1972.
Among the most famous discoveries is the 40.23-carat Uncle Sam diamond, the largest diamond ever unearthed in the United States. It was found at the site in 1924, decades before the property became a state park.
Planning a Visit
The diamond search area is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Arkansas State Parks says visitors may bring their own mining equipment, though ladders, battery-operated tools, and motor-driven equipment are not allowed. Tool rentals are also available at the park.
In addition to diamonds, visitors may find amethyst, garnet, jasper, agate, quartz, and other naturally occurring rocks and minerals. Park staff also provide complimentary identification of rocks and minerals found at the park.
