Marsh Felch Dinosaur Quarry

Marsh Felch Dinosaur QuarryIn September of 1877 Professor Mudge and Samuel Williston came to Canon City and with the help of local rancher Marshall P. Felch opened up a dinosaur quarry in the Garden Park Fossil Area.    The quarry would only be worked for a few weeks that year but in 1882 Professor Marsh of the Yale University would write to Marshall and ask  ” What are you going to do this summer? Do you want to collect fossils in your region if there is a good chance?”

Over the next few years an almost continuous period of excavation would take place resulting is remarkable discoveries.  Today several million visitors view three complete dinosaur skeletons on display at the U. S. Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian).   These excavations were completed under the extremely difficult conditions by Marshall Felch, a civil war veteran who had been partially disabled in the Civil War with solid support from his wife Amanda, also a civil war veteran.   It is a remarkable story of grit and determination.

Contact Dan Grenard at [email protected] to schedule this program.  The program requires a screen and projector.  Dan provides powerpoint and other materials.

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