Just One Piece at a Time
"One of the wonders of this part of the world is the 'Petrified Forest'...between Colorado Springs and Fairplay. This remarkable relic...bids fair to disappear very shortly, unless the...tourists cease their work of destruction. Everyone must needs take a specimen, and some of the stumps are 'growing smaller' at a very rapid rate."
Colorado Springs Out West, June 13, 1872
Early accounts describe the valley as being littered with petrified wood. As word spread, the Florissant area became a popular tourist destination. Exploitation, constant collecting, and thoughtless destruction continued for nearly 100 years. There is no way to assess the damage done or the loss of rare scientific evidence during this period.
Shelters now protect some of the remaining stumps from weathering, and laws strictly prohibit fossil collecting. A variety of methods of stabilizing and preserving the stumps have been proposed and tried over the years, and the National Park Service continues to work towards the best solution.
[Photo caption reads] In 1893, when this photograph was taken, tourists still had access to the
this page online
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Environment • Paleontology • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical date for this entry is June 13, 1872.
Location. 38° 54.818′ N, 105° 17.186′ W. Marker is near Florissant, Colorado, in Teller County. Marker is under the large Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument pavilion covering exposed petrified Redwood stumps, west of the Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 15807 County Road 1, Florissant CO 80816, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Layers of Time (here, next to this marker); Ancient Clones (a few steps from this marker); Is the Trio in Trouble? (a few steps from this marker); Delicate Impressions (a few steps from this marker); Florissant Valley Today (a few steps from this marker); Dawn of the Recent Past (a few steps from this marker); Reading the Rings (a few steps from this marker); Valley Through Time (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Florissant.
Also see . . . Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. (Submitted on October 23, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 23, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 23, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 59 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 23, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
