Near Medicine Bow in Albany County, Wyoming — The American West (Mountains)
Dinosaur Graveyard
Crew working for paleontologists at Yale University and the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences found a multitude of dinosaur and other prehistoric animal remains in the late 1970s and 1880s, making Como Bluff the site of one of the most important discoveries of Jurassic fossils in the world. Dinosaur fossils from this region, including the now familiar Allosaurus, Stegosaurus, Camarasaurus, Diplodocus, and Apatosaurus (aka. Brontosaurus), did more than any other discoveries to make the public conscious of dinosaurs. Fierce competition ensued between paleontologists and academic institutions resulting in what is now known as the "Dinosaur Wars." In the late 1800s, hundreds of bones of dinosaurs and many other Jurassic animals, including some of the earliest known mammals were unearthed and shipped from this area. They now reside in such institutions as the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, and the American Museum of Natural History. Fossil Cabin was constructed as a tourist attraction during the Lincoln Highway era.
Como Bluff and Fossil Cabin are listed on the National Resister of Historic Places. Como Bluff is primarily on private land. Trespassing is not allowed.
Erected by Wyoming State Parks & Cultural Resources.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Paleontology.
Location. 41° 51.901′ N, 106° 4.398′ W. Marker is near Medicine Bow, Wyoming, in Albany County. Marker is on U.S. 30, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Medicine Bow WY 82329, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 4 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Albany County Train Robberies (here, next to this marker); Owen Wister (approx. 6.9 miles away); George A. Wyman (approx. 6.9 miles away); Rock Creek (approx. 8˝ miles away).
More about this marker. This marker is located on U.S. Highway 30, also numbered as U.S. Highway 287, at the Carbon/Albany county line.
Also see . . .
1. The World’s Oldest Building: The Fossil Cabin at Como Bluff - Wyoming State Historical Society. The historic Fossil Cabin on U.S. Route 30/287 about five miles east of Medicine Bow, Carbon County, Wyo., was built in 1932 as roadside attraction on the Lincoln Highway. Today, the site still entices motorists to stop and explore. (Submitted on October 16, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)
2. Fossil Cabin - Wikipedia. By 1936 Boylan had postcards printed, calling it the "Como Bluff Dinosaurium." In 1938 the cabin was promoted in Ripley's Believe It or Not as "The World's Oldest Cabin", although many common rock formations predate the era of dinosaurs. After the Ripley mention, Boylan also called the cabin the "Creation Museum" and "The Building that Used to Walk." (Submitted on October 16, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)
Credits. This page was last revised on September 18, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 16, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,931 times since then and 127 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on October 16, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.