Dinosaurs >>Dinosaur Discoveries
Dinosaur Discoveries
Finding and excavating dinosaurs in Montana has come a long way in the previous century. Ferdinand Hayden (under John Wesley Powell) found and reported some of the first dinosaur fragments exploring western waterways roughly 1855. This material was observed by arch enemies E.D. Cope and O.C. Marsh and it wasn’t long before Montana was predictable as a paleontological hotbed by the most noted of fossil hunters.
Untimely explorers had more on their plate than just finding dinosaurs. Prowling war parties were a constant threat. Digging and moving bones by horseback, biting insects, and extreme elements made dinosaur collecting a game of sheer endurance. The purpose of risk takers like Cope, Charles Sternberg, and Barnum Brown brought many “first” specimens to the forefront of paleontology. One such “first” is the 1902 sample of T. rex found by Barnum Brown near Jordan, MT.
JRDI and team members have been fortunate to discover many “firsts” too. While we don’t dodge angry war parties, or use horses and dynamite, we have a strong team of people to thank for these dinosaurs’ discovery, excavation and preparation. Some 99% of the greatest dinosaur discoveries made are by amateurs with spiky eyes and a love for the science—not educated noblemen. JRDI continues that convention…
