New Jersey Track and Trace Museum
A New Jersey based museum dedicated to preserving New Jersey's Dinosaur Tracks and Trace fossils for future generations.
John McCauley
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
NJTNTM Exhibiting at New Jersey State Museum's Super Science Saturday
This upcoming Saturday on May 7th, 2011, the New Jersey Track and Trace Museum will be setting up a table for the guests at the New Jersey State Museum's Super Science Saturday. Members of the NJTNTM will be answering your questions about New Jersey's Dinosaur Footprints, recent field trips, and preservation efforts across the state. On display will be a wide variety of specimens found across the state of New Jersey from the Late Triassic to the Early Jurassic Period. Everyone will get a chance to see one of the smallest dinosaur theropod tracks ever found in New Jersey and perhaps could be the 4th smallest in the world!! You will even get to see the very large Dilophosaurus tracks that have been found measuring over a foot in length!! All specimens seen have been collected by the staff of the NJTNTM.
In addition the NJTNTM will be setting up a wide variety of smaller dinosaur tracks from New Jersey in collaboration with the Delaware Valley Paleontological Society. Stop by their exhibits and see how you can get involved with one of the most highly recognized fossil clubs in the nation and get out in the field on group fossil collecting trips in your area. Note: All our members of NJTNTM are actively involved with local clubs such as the DVPS to help educate and encourage new individuals to get interested in their prehistoric past. If you are interested in fossils at any level this is a great place to learn and get involved in paleontology. So please support your local fossil clubs as you enjoy your trip through the New Jersey State Museum and sign up for a new membership.
Attached is a link to all of the organizations that will be making Super Science Saturday a very fun and exciting event. Please stop by and enjoy your day at the New Jersey State Museum. We will see you there!!
Super Science Saturday Exhibitors - 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Surfers and Paleontologists Live in Symbiosis at Wave-O-Saurus
Wave-O-Saurus at floodstage courtesy kayakphoto.com
The Dinosaur Footprint Park and Wave-O-Saurus are to thank The Trustees of Reservations for allowing us to enjoy these wonderful gifts of nature.
Sandstone surface containing Eubrontes Trackways going under Rt 5
One of the many Eubrontes tracks on the upper exposure near Rt. 5
One of the Eubrontes trackways heading under Rt. 5
Typical ripple beds with footprints exposed on the reservation by upper layer.
Gracie sniffing out dinosaur tracks on the upper layer.
The tilted sandstone ledges along CT River
Eubrontes footprint from lower banks along CT River
Exposed surfaces in background where Wave-O-Saurus forms at floodstage
Wave-O-Saurus as we saw it in March 2011.
Nice Grallator from the beach exposure
Dianne talking tracks to local Holyoke surfers who were checking the conditions of Wave-O-Saurus
Youtube.com Videos of Wave-O-Saurus
Note: All photos are copyrighted by John McCauley 2011 and one by kayakphotos.com. Please do not use without permission. Thank You.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Amherst College: Beneski Museum of Natural History - Museum Tour March 2011
Beneski Museum of Natural History, Amherst College
This past weekend in March 2011 my longtime girlfriend Dianne and I decided to take a trip to the famous Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts and Connecticut to explore the historic locations of the many dinosaur tracks found in this Triassic/Jurassic Rift Valley. We compiled a list of 13 different locations to research, document, and explore on this cool, brisk, March weekend. One of our must see stops on this journey was to see the the world famous Edward Hitchcock Collection of dinosaur tracks housed at Amherst College in western Massachusetts. This was a collection of dinosaur tracks and trace fossils from the Connecticut River Valley collected by former President of Amherst, Edward Hitchcock from 1836 to 1865 while working at Amherst College. It is regarded as the largest collection of dinosaur tracks in the world. For about 150 years the trace fossils collected by Hitchcock resided in storage in the Appleton Cabinet and Pratt Museum of Natural History. Only a few specimens from this collection were ever on display to the general public in the former Pratt Museum of Natural History. To view the Hitchcock Collection one needed special permission to access the specimens and with justifiable reason. Mostly scientists conducting research and distinguished guests of the college were only allowed access to the collection. Back in 1999 I was allowed a brief visit of the collection while visiting the Pratt Museum of Natural History but only under strict supervision. In the years to follow, Amherst College began a long process to convert the Pratt Museum of Natural History into a student dormatory and create an entirely new building to house the Museum of Natural History. The Pratt Museum of Natural History officially closed in 2004. In the years following the closure of the Pratt Museum, a new museum was being built across campus. This was referred to as only the Amherst Museum of Natural History. This was a museum designed to meet the highest levels of standards to compete scientifically in 21st Century, was engineered for modern aesthetics and technical design, and was to host an extensive collection of natural history specimens from the the local area and from around the world. This Amherst Museum of Natural History officially opened up in the spring 2006 after transferring all of the collections from the former Pratt Museum of Natural History. One of the cornerstone permanent exhibits built into this new museum was the world famous Hitchcock Collection of Ichnology. It has always been a highly publicized collection at Amherst but a closely guarded collection out of the public's view. Now that this collection is on display in the new museum, this is the first time anyone that wanted to view the specimens of trace fossils from the Hitchcock Collection could now simply visit the museum during operating hours and walk amongst the slabs of sandstones containing the thousands of footprints and traces from the geological past.
Original Appleton Cabinet, Amherst College
Hitchcock Collection in Appleton Cabinet approx. 1865 (from E. Hitchcock, 1858, Pl. IV, Fig. 1)
Former Pratt Museum of Natural History, Amherst College
Since the opening of the new Museum of Natural History in 2006 I have been wanting to make a return trip to Amherst College to finally visit the famous Hitchcock Collection as it was meant to be displayed. After many delays in making the trip my time to visit the museum came in March 2011 when my girlfriend and I decided to make the trip to do ichnology research in the CT River Valley. What I was about to see on this visit has certainly surpassed my wildest expectations.
From my first steps into the front door I was greeted by a grey sandstone slab containing many footprints with a statement mentioning Amherst's mission statement to the dedication of natural history since the founding of the college. As we walked into the main center hall I had my first flashback to the historic Pratt Museum. The new center hall contained many of the fully erected ice aged mammals that graced the Pratt Museum such as the full sized Mastodon, an Irish Elk, and Saber Tooth Tiger to name a few. Although some of the exhibits transferred directly from the old museum to this one on display they have taken on a new look and grander appearance when viewed in the new museum. As we walked past the Mastodon, tt didn't take long before I stumbled upon a full sized, perfectly detailed Eubrontes track from the Connecticut Valley. This track clearly measuring over 15 inches from heel to toe with superb detail was a classic example of the amazing specimens that have been unearthed on the outskirts of Amherst College.
Eubrontes Dinosaur Footprint
As we continued to explore the museum, we walked passed another display of prehistoric mammals by the stairs leading up and down mounted on the wall. While viewing these specimens I got my first glimpse of one of the classic Hitchcock trackways. It was hanging high on the wall above a full sized dinosaur. Weighing many tons and about 12 feet long, I could only imagine how this slab made it to its current location. I could tell we were getting closer to the Hitchcock Gallery. It now was only one flight of stairs down to the lower level where I was finally going to see the Hitchcock Collection up close and personal on display for the general public.
The large 12 foot Hitchcock Slab high on the wall
Dianne with the T. rex and Tricerotops Skulls - Lower Level
As we descended the stairs to the lower level we were graced by amazing dinosaurs on display. A nicely preserved large Tricerotop skull and T. rex replica for example. For many museums most visitors would be making the pilgrimage to a natural history museum to see the gigantic bones of our prehistoric dinosaurs. Though always quite impressive to see in person, if you were coming to Amherst's Museum of Natural History, it was all about the preserved footprints these prehistoric dinosaurs made in the mud millions of years ago that makes this museum one of a kind.
As we turned the corner past the dinosaur skulls evidence of Edward Hitchock became very visible. We were welcomed to the footprint collection with a lifesized bust of the man himself, Edward Hitchcock whom had dedicated his life to Amherst College and the dinosaur footprints of the Connecticut River Valley.
Lifesize bust of Edward Hichcock - Lower Level
In the center room on the lower level we passed some very large sandstone slabs containing trackways of dinosaurs along with an actual Eubrontes trackway on the floor to test our own gaits to that of an Early Jurassic dinosaur.
Eubrontes Trackway on floor - Lower Level
Large grallator type trackway in hallway on lower level
Although these were extraordinary exhibits and displays of the Hitchcock Collection we had our eyes on a bigger display. This was the vault of the Hitchcock Collection. In front of us was a closed door section of the museum with the words, "Hitchcock Ichnology Collection" etched into the glass. We were about to enter the vault of the very famous Hitchcock Collection. The largest and oldest collection of dinosaur tracks anywhere housed under one roof. The birthplace of Ichnology was just beyond this glass door.
Stepping into this vault of dinosaur track specimens for me was like a child walking into a grand hall of dinosaurs like the main entrance at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC for the first time. We had to decide which massive sandstone slab do we want to view and discuss first? There were so many to choose from in the vault covering every wall and table top surface throughout the room. There were Grallator trackways, Eubrontes trackways, Anomoepus trackways, Otozoum trackways, ripple rocks, raindrop impressions, etc in every variety. Some were in positive relief and others in negative relief. Others had multiple trackways going in every direction possible along with slabs with mixed species of trackways. In addition there were many of the classic sandstone slabs that have been well documented by famous scientists like Paul Olsen, Bruce Cornet, Nicholas McDonald, Richard Lull, and of course Edward Hitchcock himself. The room was divided into three hallways. The trace fossils were strategically lit using custom LED lighting in a dark display room. The layout of the sandstone slabs were also well designed in their placement to maximize the number of specimens that can be on display at one given time. It was very interesting to see that each set of vertical slabs within the halls had adjacent slabs behind them out of the view of the public. Under certain times of the year these slabs could easily be unbolted and slid into a different position to reveal the sandstone slabs behind them. Quite an interesting layout and good use of open space in this well designed museum.
So lets take a look at the specimens on display in the vault. Enjoy the gallery of photos below, they do not do justice compared to seeing them in person. This is only a sample of the vast collection on display here in the Hichcock Ichnological Collection but should give you a good idea of some of the amazing pieces on display that were collected over 150 years ago!!
The first hallway in the Hitchcock Vault.
Massive slab with numerous grallator impressions.
Me with a large slab containing raindrop impressions.
One of the many large Eubrontes slabs.
Me with a nice Grallator cast.
Large Eubrontes assembledge of tracks. Note the small Grallators.
Some well framed Eubrontes trackways.
An example of Anomoepus tracks
Dianne next to a very deep Eubrontes, one of the largest I have ever seen too!!
Interesting Ripple Bed.
Me in the center isle of the vault.
Amazing reptilian trackway, possibly Batrachopus.
Dianne with a interesting ripple bed up top and an Anomoepus trackway below.
Positive and negative impressions of Anomoepus, Very Cool!!!
Me with a variety of ripple bed slabs.
The well framed Eubrontes collection.
Some chalked out Grallator tracks from previous research project.
The Otozoum trackway!!
One of the inner walls of the vault.
Dianne in the far left hall of the vault near Otozoum.
Dianne and I in front of the "Coffee Table"
That concludes a brief tour of the Hitchcock Collection. Thanks for Viewing!!
*******UPDATE*******
The Amherst Museum of Natural History will be officially changing its name to the Beneski Museum of Natural History after a very generous donor the Beneski Family this Friday, April 1st, 2011. A family that has deep ties to the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. Without the generous donations by this family we may have not have ever seen the Hitchcock Collection and other specimens from Amherst College on display for the general public to view and educate ourselves for future generations. As a fellow ichnologist and dinosaur track researcher from New Jersey, I am grateful to have the privilege to walk among the collections at the Beneski Museum of Natural History. I encourage anyone that has ever wanted to be inspired by the dinosaurs that roamed the Connecicut River Valley to visit the Beneski Museum of Natural History. It is an experience that will live with you for a very long time if not the rest of your life. I hope this blog posting also inspired you. A special thanks to the Beneski Family, Amherst College and all the other donors who have made this museum a reality.
All photos are copyright of the author John McCauley 2011. Please do not borrow without permission. Thank You!!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
New Jersey's UBC Quarry features in EARTH Magazine April 2011
It was July 2010 in mid season of yet another productive year at the West Paterson's world famous UBC Quarry now under new management of K Hovnanian Homes. Mapping of the dinosaur trackways on top of Northeast Wall was in full swing by local amateur paleontologists and petitions were being signed and progress was being made efforts to save the Northeast Wall for future generations. Without warning an army of bulldozers, backhoes, dumptrucks, and blasting crews marched onto the site of the last remaining section of the former UBC Quarry to begin a new season of construction and demolition. The remaining vacant lot of land and the Northeast Wall were under attack for a new layout of retirement condominiums to be built in its place. Years of research on the property was ended overnight as the first excavations started with leveling the top of the wall containing the most significant assortment of dinosaur tracks. This attracted local newspapers and science journalists to the scene to investigate what was happening here in West Paterson's world famous fossil footprint quarry. A quarry that has been operational for over 50 years that has produced some of New Jersey's most significant dinosaur trace fossils, minerals, and scientific information on the Triassic/Jurassic boundary. Soon after the excavations and demolition of the Northeast wall began, local amateur paleontologist Chris Laskowich stumbled upon one of the last amazing finds that this quarry would reveal to the science community. Amongst the rubble piles Chris found a complete Eubrontes footprint suspected to be from the dinosaur Dilophosaurus. Measuring at close to 13 inches in length and on a boulder that weighed close to 5 tons it was a massive rock. With the efforts of the New Jersey State Museum and K Hovnanian Homes this significant find was hauled down to Trenton and now resides as an entrance piece to all of those that visit the museum. This find generated interest by both parties to allow the local amateur paleontologists and the New Jersey State Museum to work together in order to recover more specimens as construction and demolition moves forward. One local freelance science writer and paleontology enthusiast Kristina Fiore believed something valuable was being lost in New Jersey and decided to take on the project to research the UBC Quarry's dinosaur tracks, the current state of demolition and its short and longterm impacts on the science community, residents of New Jersey, and amateur paleontologists. Through her extensive research an article has been released in the highly recognized science magazine EARTH in the April 2011 issue. I encourage everyone to pick up an edition of April's EARTH Magazine to read about New Jersey's UBC Quarry and its very significance to New Jersey. Until then work continues at the UBC Quarry in efforts to recover more dinosaur tracks and science data till the condominiums have been built. May more exciting discoveries be on the horizon at the UBC Quarry.
The Eubrontes Track found at UBC Quarry now at the New Jersey State Museum
I would like to thank all of those that have been involved with the UBC Quarry over the past few years. This includes but is not limited to the following: Amateur Paleontologists: Chris Laskowich, Henry Vila, Jack Boyland, Larry Decina, Harry Maisch, Gary Vechierreli, Jason Schein, Howie Cohn, and many other volunteers for their dedication and hard labor. Professional paleotologists: David Parris, Rodrigo Pelligrini, Paul Olsen, Emma Rainforth, William Gallagher, and John Puffer for their scientific expertise. Journalists: Kristinia Fiore, Bjoern Kils, and Maggie Astor for bringing to light the recent activities at the former UBC Quarry.
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