| Current Events |
|---|
Home Page | Find a Dinosaur | Resources| Dr. Kranz's Articles | Published Articles | Wanted List | Current Events
[See Current events for 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002]
The large excavation west of Maryland Clay Products shows some encouraging signs including exposed ironstone and grey clay with lignite. At the Wilson Bridge site there are still some exposed shell fossils.
There is a good chance that a bound color edition of Dinosaurs of the District of Columbia will be available by the end of 2003.
Dr. Kranz is working with the National Park Service on a survey of the paleontological resources of the National Parks in the National Capital Region. If you are aware of any recent papers or discoveries of fossils within the local National Parks, please contact Dr. Kranz at dinosaurfund@juno.com.
A new edition of the Prince George's County Geologic Map is now available from the Maryland Geological Survey. It is available on a CD containing other materials for $25.00 or for $7.50 as a paper copy.
While the color scheme is improved over the 1977 Hack version, the roads indicated are only the major ones making it difficult to locate one's position in relation to smaller roads. Moreover, the geological no-no of combining the Upper Cretaceous and Lower Paleocene as a single unit has not been fixed.
The huge developments at Whiskey Bottom Road and Contee Road west of Route 1 near Laurel as yet have produced nothing interesting. On the other hand, the areas around the Addison Road Metro extension and Woodrow Wilson Bridge are still producing very limited finds.
If you are aware of any new sites, kindly send an email to dinosaurfund@juno.com.
The Traveling Dinosaur Exhibit did not go to Watkins Nature Center in October as hoped. It is now scheduled to go there in January, 2004 through April, 2004.
Dinosaurs of the District of Columbia is currently available in color on CD or Black and White (hard copy - unbound) by mail at cost (shipping/handling and production) for $5.00 a copy. Mail your check, made out to "Dinosaur Fund" to 711 "E" St. #104, Washington, DC 20003. Attn: Peter Kranz. Please include the address where you wish it to be sent. Bound copies may be available later in the month.
The exhibit "Before the Bone Wars" will probably be closing on September 7, 2003 at the Capital Children's Museum. Negotiations are in progress to attempt to reopen it all or in part at the City Museum of Washington, DC in the near future.
Dinosaurs of the District of Columbia is still in production. With luck it will be out soon.
Construction activity has resumed at the Wilson Bridge site and is ongoing at the Metro sites. There are reports of new construction north of the Washington Beltway in the vicinity of Route 1.
The new location for the traveling dinosaur exhibit is likely to be the Watkins Park Nature Center in Prince George's County
Great Falls Park is sponsoring Discovery Day on October 4, 2003. Dr. Kranz will do two short dinosaur programs for the public in the afternoon. Contact Sarah Koenen (703) 757-3106 for details.
Chesapeake Children's Museum will sponsor a fossil dig on October 18, 2003 at 10:30AM. Contact (410) 990 1993 for details.
Dr. Kranz will lead a mushroom hunt starting at 10:00AM, October 11, 2003 at Fountain Rock Nature Center in Walkersville, Maryland (Frederick County).
Final drafts of Dinosaurs of the District of Columbia are being edited. With luck it will be available August 2003.
The Traveling Dinosaur Exhibit will be at the Capital Children's Museum until September 7, 2003. After that time it will be available. Call (202) 547-3326 to book the exhibit.
The Chesapeake Children's Museum will sponsor a fossil field trip August 12, 2003. Call (410) 990-1993 for details.
Dr. Kranz will present a free public program on October 4, 2003 at Great Falls Park in Virginia.
Dinosaur Camps are definite for the weeks of July 14 and July 21, 2003. Adults attend with children as young as three years old. Drop-off camp for 9 and 10-year olds is the week of July 28. While, drop-off camp for the 7- and 8-year olds is the week of August 4, 2003. More camps may be announced for later in August.
Dr. Peter M. Kranz's new book Dinosaurs of the District of Columbia will appear in July, 2003. It will be available on the Dinosaur Fund website - www.dinosaurfund.org and also in hard copy form.
The Capital Children's Museum will have a special "Dinosaur Day" on Saturday, July 12, 2003. It will include exhibits of local dinosaur fossils, a dinosaur dig and lectures by paleontologists. For additional information, contact: Linda at 202-675-4148.
Dr. Kranz will provide a lecture program at Cunningham Falls State Park on Saturday, July 5, 2003 beginning at 7:30PM. The subject of the lecture will be local dinosaurs. Call (301) 271-7574 for directions.
The bill to make Atreipus Pennsylvania's State Dinosaur failed to get out of Committee last session. State Representative Maitlandhas reintroduced it as HB821. We must try to muster support for it this time around.
The Capital Children's Museum Dinosaur Summer began May 24, 2003 with the opening of the "Dinostories" exhibit. It continues through September 7, 2003. It will also include the "Before the Bone Wars" exhibit and Dinosaur Summer Camp.
Dinosaur Summer Camp will have four consecutive sessions, at least. Sessions beginning July 14, and July 21 are open for children from age three (3) years old and also adults. The sessions of July 28 and August 4 are drop off camps open to grades 4-5 and 2-3 respectively. Contact the Dinosaur Fund at (202) 547-3326 or dinosaurfund@juno.com for details.
The Traveling Dinosaur Exhibit in a somewhat enlarged format will be opening at the Capital Children's Museum on June 12, 2003. It will be open at least until September 7, 2003.
Metro sites are still open.
Dinosaur Dig after school program at Oakridge Elementary School, Arlington, VA begins May 1, 2003. Anyone may sign up. Call: 703-549-5328.
Summer Camp is running for four one week sessions beginning July 14, 2003 -August 8, 2003. Call: (202) 547-3326 or dinosaurfund@juno.com for more information.
The traveling Dinosaur Exhibit has left Laurel for its first DC venue at the Capital Children's Museum. Exhibit opens some time in June, 2003.
PA State Dinosaur Bill has been reintroduced in the current legislative session.
Mt. St. Mary's Dr. Wm Meridith has written an article on James Mitchell's dinosaur track discovery.
Rob Weems and Jon Bachman were featured in the Metro section of the Washington Post 3/16/03 and in the Washington Times on 3/17/03. The articles reported that they have found a large number of dinosaur foot prints of early Cretaceous age along the Rappahannock River in Virginia. This is great news. On the other hand, at least one person who is familiar with Early Cretaceous dinosaur foot prints in the National Capital Region remains skeptical.
Kinder Haus Toys in Arlington will host a dinosaur program with Dr. Kranz on April 25, 2003 at 4PM. Call 703-527-5929 to sign up.
Fountain Rock Nature Center will sponsor a public invited fossil trip on April 12, 2003. People in Frederick County will meet at the Nature Center at 10AM and travel to the fossil site where they will meet with Dr. Kranz. People living in the Washington, DC area should contact Dr. Kranz at DinosaurFund @ juno.com or (202) 547-3326 for instructions.
New excavations are everywhere now that the snow is gone. Of particular interest are sites all along Route 1 between Baltimore and Washington. There is a huge site being cleared just north of Sulfur Spring Road in Arbutus and another south of Jessup. There is also a huge site on Whiskey Bottom Road, west of Route 1. Please let the Dinosaur Fund know of any finds you make or have investigated. Contact us at dinosaurfund@juno.com.
The new Metro line (Blue Line extension) has finally begun to unearth large amounts of invertebrate and vertebrate materials of Upper Cretaceous age.
Summer camp for families with children 3 years old and up will definitely run the week of July 21-25, 2003. Other dates are likely. Contact us at dinosaurfund@juno.com or (202)547-3326 for details.
Dr. Kranz was finally able to get into the field to check the Cycadiod sites with Arthur Bibbins had listed in the logbook of the Women's College of Baltimore. While no new cycadiod fossils were found, many locations still exist. In addition, Dr. Kranz found at least one probable dinosaur foot print in Hammond Branch at Savage, Maryland.
Except for the swimming pool site, all excavations are now complete at the Longwood site.
Oakridge Elementary Schools after school Dinosaur Dig Program begins May 1, 2003. Call (703) 486-2873 to sign up.
Oak Ridge Elementary School will resume their after school dinosaur dig program this month. Any school age child may join even if not an Oak Ridge student. Contact: Oak Ridge (an Arlington County elementary school) call: 703-486-2873 for more information.
Despite the snow, the Traveling Dinosaur Exhibit opened on schedule on February 9th at the Laurel Municipal Center. It will remain there until sometime in April, 2003. The exhibit is free to the public during normal business hours.
Montgomery County MNCPPC will hold an all day family field trip to Cretaceous and Paleocene fossil sites on March 19, 2003. Contact: 301-972-5990 to sign up.
Chesapeake Children's Museum in Annapolis will hold another Dinosaur Day with Dr. Kranz on March 16, 2003. Call 401-990-1993 for schedule of events.
Kinder Haus Toys of Arlington will hold Dinosaur events with Dr. Kranz at 4PM on March 21, 2003 and April 24, 2003. Call 703-527-5929 to sign up.
Dinosaur camp will have two forms this summer. A drop-off camp supported by the Capital Children's Museum of Washington, DC and the normal family camp held during other summer weeks.
At present, the CCM camps are scheduled for the week of 7/28/03 for grades 4 and 5 and the week of 8/4/-3 for grades 2 and 3.
Parents wishing to enroll children grades 1 and younger will either have to join family camp or check with the CCM about additional programs.
The tracks from Mount St. Mary's College are currently on display at the Maryland Geological Survey's library in Baltimore where they are waiting to be copied by casting.
Oakridge Elementary School in Arlington, VA will run the dinosaur dig program after school during March and April. Students from other schools may enroll.
More than 100 families packed the Chesapeake Children's Museum of Annapolis for Dr. Kranz's dinosaur program on January 19th. As a consequence a second program is now scheduled for March 16, 2003.
Look for additional programs in the Spring, 2003 The Museum's web site is www.theccm.org
The March Washington Post Magazine will highlight the New DC Convention Center. Dinosaurs and Dr. Kranz will be featured in the historical portion of the article.
After a brief hiatus, the Traveling Dinosaur Exhibit (at least part of it) will re-emerge for a few months starting February 9, 2003 in the lobby of the Laurel City offices (Laurel, Maryland, on Sandy Spring Road).
Dinosaur Fund mailing address has been changed, the new address is:
711 "E" St. SE #104
Washington, D.C. 20003-2879
Dr. Kranz will host programs on dinosaurs for children at the Chesapeake Children's Museum on Silopanna Rodd in Annapolis Sunday, January 19, 2003 at 2PM. There will be a program for older children first and a program for toddlers after. Contact Debbie Woods at 410-990-1993 for more detail.
Dr. Kranz will be present to do a dinosaur program and sign books at Kinder Haus Toys on Lee Hwy in Arlington on Friday, February 7, 2003 at 4PM. Contact Sue Pyatt at 703-527-5933 for more detail.