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| The exhibit "Before the Bone Wars: Dinosaurs of the national Capital Region" currently on display at Dinofest 2000 in Chicago will be available after January 7, 2001 for a limited time before it moves to Dinofest's next location later this year. Interested groups should contact the Dinosaur Fund at (202) 547-3326 or dinosaurfund@juno.com.
The exhibit as currently constituted is modular and occupies approximately 2000 square feet. It can be adapted to most spaces. It includes painting by professional artists, work of school children, activities for children and over 100 fossil specimens. |
Some bone material was found by workers at the Longwood site in the clay excavated for MNCPPC. The clay will be moved to Bladensburg Historic Port for processing by the public and school children. Special thanks to Mark Corneal of PCI and Chris Wagnon of MNCPPC for making it possible.
Frank Roylance of the "Baltimore Sun" viewed the DinosaurFund's Dinofest 2000 Exhibit before its departure. The exhibit called "Before the Bone Wars: Dinosaurs of the National Capital Region," is the largest number of dinosaur related fossils ever placed on public display from this region. It also contains activities for children and paintings by local artists. The article appeared on November 24, 2000 in the Maryland section.
Dinofest 2000 in Chicago from December 1, 2000 to January 7, 2001 is on track. We are moving ahead with our exhibit from the National Capital Region. Thanks to our contributors including the Maryland Science Center, Greg Paul, Tom Lipka, Mt. St. Mary's College, Jim Colby, Yale University, Mike Milborn, John Beck and Bruce.
Almost 100 people attended the fossil field trip run by the Fountain Rock Nature Center. Although no fossil footprints were found our chances of finding some have been greatly increased by having many new trained fossil finders. The St. John's School was particularly well represented.
St. John's School in Frederick is joining the dinosaur digging family. They have already had a program on dinosaurs, attended a fossil field trip and are about to begin lobbying for the dinosaur track park. They also expect to join the dinosaur project soon.
The two Upper Cretaceous fossil localities have not panned out. There are two Lower Cretaceous sites, one in Baltimore and one in Prince George's County, which are currently supplying the fossil-bearing clay. Rick Smith is currently monitoring the Baltimore County Site. We could use some help monitoring the Prince George's County Site.
Prof. Jim Krysiek's history class is helping research the Emmitsburg fossil site history and is also looking for leads on any more existing stones which may have visible footprints.
Dr. Kranz will lead a fossil field trip on October 28. The trip leaves Fountain Rock Nature Center in Frederick, Maryland at 1PM. For further information call (202) 547-3326. The trip is free of charge.
Dinofest 2000 will be held in Chicago at the Navy Pier from December 1, 2000 through January 8, 2000. Dr. Kranz is organizing an exhibition on "Dinosaurs of the National Capital Region". If you have any fossil specimens you wish to loan, financial contributions you wish to make, or other help you wish to give, contact the Dinosaur Fund at (202) 547-3326.
A small exhibit of the "Dinosaurs of D.C." will be mounted at the SouthEast Branch of the DC Public Library beginning October 2.
The Maryland Geological Survey in an attempt to reduce its publication stock and gain space is selling its publications at a significant reduction in price until the end of the year. If there are publications you have wanted but could not afford, now is your chance.
Volunteers must agree to two conditions: all fossils collected must be reviewed by Dinosaur Fund Personnel and any fossil considered of scientific significance must be donated to a scientific collecting institution designated by the Dinosaur Fund.
On Port Towns Day, a free public event, Dr. Peter M. Kranz will be available to interact with visitors and display fossils. The event will be at the Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg, Maryland on Saturday, September 16, 2000 from 11AM until 6PM.
Dr. Peter M. Kranz will give a program for families at the Southeast Branch of the DC Public Library at 7:30PM on Tuesday, September 26, 2000. The program features information about local dinosaurs. Attendees may acquire autographed copies of Dr. Kranz' book at the program. The Library is located at the Eastern Market Metro Station, 7th & Penn. Ave. SE, Washington, DC.
The official word from the Planning Division of Park and Planning is that the Dinosaur Park progress has been stalled because of heavy workloads and bad weather. There is no word as to when a meeting will be scheduled or when things will get back on track.
DC Office of Planning has held its second of four public meetings on the ultimate fate of the reservoir and sand filtration site. There is overwhelming public support for recreational use. If you wish to be heard or informed: the next meeting is at Trinity College, O'Connor Auditorium, September 9, 2000, 9AM - 1PM, 125 Michigan Avenue, NE, Washington, DC. Tours of the site will be 4:30PM - 6:30PM, September 8, 2000 at First Street between Michigan Avenue and Channing Street, NW. Call (202) 442-7616 for more information.
Hopes that the Longwood Site would produce dinosaur fossils have not yet panned out, but we have not given up and continue to keep a close watch on it.
July 28, 2000 Baltimore Business Journal has reported the intent of the Maryland Science Center to build a $36 million extension which is expected to included a "Dinosaur and Earth Science Hall" and will feature Maryland's own dinosaurs.
On Friday, July 28, eighty people toured the McMillan Reservoir site. Saturday there was a day long public meeting to solicit community input on site development. At the meeting the idea of a dinosaur component to the site was introduced. (You will recall that an Astrodon leg bone was recovered from this site in 1942.) Several DC City Council Members were present and expressed enthusiastic support.
A full scale copy of "SUE" was displayed at Union Station during the month of June.
Thanks to the hard work of Rich Smith and "Butch" Norden (DNR). We have been able to save and stockpile some dinosaur bearing clay from a fossil site in Baltimore County which has become a construction site. The fossil bearing clay will be available for projects in the future. We also wish to thank the Maryland Science Center Personnel for their timely help.
Sandy Lyon and Peter Kranz are working on improving the fossil exhibit at the new Sports and Learning Complex.
The Maryland Science Center dinosaur exhibit which was closed briefly for the installation of another exhibit is now reopened.
At long last a scientific paper on the Mosausaur skeleton discovered in 1989 in Oxon Hill, MD by Peter Kranz has been published. It appears in the Journal of Paleontology Vol. 74 No. 2 pp 309-16. March, 2000, authors Robert Holmes and Hans-Dieter Sues. The articles states the skeleton is the most complete one known of the rare mosausaur Halisaurus platyspondylus.
"Dinosaur", the new Disney animated film, opened this month to great success. It will no doubt renew interest in matters dinosaurian.
Progress on Dinosaur Park, Northern Prince George's County. Almost one million dollars in funds made available. Planning for the park has begun. Regular meetings scheduled to report progress and see public and professional input.
"Dinosaur Alley" signs commissioned and written.
Prince George's County Sports and Learning Complex opens in Brightseat, MD May, 2000 includes a small but growing fossil education component.
3rd Annual "Capitalsaurus Day" events held.
Several elementary schools participate in a variety of dinosaur activities and make several fossil discoveries which are now part of the permanent collections at the Smithsonian.
"Capitalsaurus Court" (100 block "F" St. SE, DC) named. Street signs placed.
DC dinosaurs exhibited at Northeast Branch of DC Public Library.
First Anniversary for naming of official dinosaurs of Maryland and DC.
New raptor dinosaur reported from DC.
New information on the discovery of first Astrodon fossils reported.
Publication of report of first fossil mammal from the Early Cretaceous of Maryland, Arundelconodon hottoni, honoring Nicholas Hotton III.
The paper on the 1989 Oxon Hill MD. Mosasaur find was published at last.
A dinosaur working group was formed at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Maryland State Dinosaur Automobile license plates were designed by Greg Paul, noted dinosaur artist and issued by the Maryland Science Center.
Maryland Science Center produced the first permanent exhibit of Maryland dinosaurs ever in October, 1999.
Much work was done on the Emmitsburg Fossil/Dinosaur Track Park.
John Latchford Beck and Peter M. Kranz put together historical and genealogical files on John D. Latchford, the mine owner on whose property Astrodon was first discovered and the site of Dinosaur Park, for distribution to local historical societies.
Dinosaur Digs, an Insight Guide to places one can find and dig dinosaurs was published in September, 1999. Information about the Washington, DC area was included.
At the meeting on April 10 on the proposed dinosaur park, Laura Kinch described the RFP that would be put out to take some 20 ft. soil borings to determine the nature of the subsurface and the distribution of the fossil resources. She solicited the advice of those present. The RFP is expected in June. The next meeting was set for July 17 at noon at Vanville Community Center.
On April 29, the MNCPPC Sports and Learning Complex had its much delayed grand opening. It is located at the site of the Type locality of the Brightseat Formation, the oldest Fertiary (Age of Mammals) beds in this area. The Complex is next to Fed Ex stadium (Home of the Redskins). Included in the building at the moment is a small fossil exhibit.
Wednesday, April 12th, from 7:20 pm to 8:30 pm in room 1140 Plant Sciences Building, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, Thomas Holtz Jr., will give some background of the Discovery Channel TV documentary, "Walking with Dinosaurs." Then some key clips of the show will be shown with some comment on what is good science and what is speculation.
The next meeting on Dinosaur Park will be at Vansville Community Center at noon on Monday, April 10. Lunch will be provided. At the meeting Laura Kinch will solicit views on the RFP for soil borings for the park site. For more information contact Ms. Kinch at 301-699-2438.
Capitalsaurus Court signs were up by late February. Capitol Hill Day School is looking into the subject of dinosaur theme playground equipment.
Dr. Kranz helped the students in the VOYAGER program at Oyster Elementary School (D.C. Public Schools) on March 13 and 15 to search for fossils in a dig held at the school. The usual suspects like fossil pine cones and bone chips were rounded up. On the 31 of March, Dr. Kranz took students from the Heights School of Potomac on a dinosaur field trip.
John Latchford Beck, great grandson of John D. Latchford in whose iron mine the first Astrodon bones were found in 1858, and Peter Kranz have put together a set of three files which are available and will be given to various historical societies. The three files are 1) Decedents of John D. Latchford 2) General information about John D. Latchford 3) General information about the Carter family, a group of Latchford decedents who were important in the early automobile history of the D.C. area. Copies of these files are available through Peter Kranz by writing to him at www.dinosaurfund@juno.com.
The Next informational meeting about the Dinosaur Park is March 13 at 1 pm & April 10 at noon. Both will be at Vansville Park on Old Baltimore Pike.
Interpretive signs describing DINOSAUR ALLEY's history and nature are planned for the Bladensburg Historic Harbor site. "DINOSAUR ALLEY" is the land between Baltimore and Washington which produces dinosaur fossils.
Signs for Capitalsaurus Court were delayed by winter weather but should be installed this February.
Capitalsaurus Day was a great success. It is held annually on January 28th marking the date the fossils were accessioned at the Smithsonian. This year's ceremonies included students and teachers from Smothers and Watkins Elementary Schools, representatives from the offices of Kevin Chavous (Ward 7) and Sharon Ambrose (Ward 6) and Dr. Kranz of the Dinosaur Fund. Announcements were made about the placing of the signs at Capitalsaurus Court and the new raptor from D. C. Everyone sang the "official" Capitalsaurus Song. The events were covered by printed TV media, in particular, FOX Channel 5 and News Channel 8.