Miracle Mile in Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

What's in the crates?

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, November 24, 2025

1. What's in the crates? Marker

Inscription.

What's in the crates?. . Each wooden crate before you contains fossils. These fossils were found a few hundred yards from here during parking lot constuction for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). We open these crates one-by-one to excavate the fossils. With each crate opened, we add to our understanding of Ice Age L.A., Project 23 fossils are cleaned, cataloged, and stored in the Tar Pits Museum. They are expected to double the size of the collection. , LACMA crews find fossils , LACMA construction crews worked with paleontologists to save as many fossils as possible. Backhoe operators scraped off one foot of sediment at a time, while paleontologists watched for fossils. They found rich fossil deposits at depths of 10 to 30 feet. , Paleontologists supervise dig , Paleontologists studied each fossil deposit to find where it started and stopped. They showed heavy equipment operators where to trench around each group of fossils - then carefully dug under each one by hand., Carpenters crate fossils , Carpenters worked with paleontologists to enclose each fossil block in custom crates. No two fossil deposits are the same. Some fit in one crate; some need several. Fossil-rich sediment that came loose in the process was also saved in buckets. , Fossils fill 23 crates , Cranes hoisted the 23 tree boxes onto trucks that brought them here from the LACMA construction site. Each crate was labeled with the numbered fossil deposit it contains. Box 1 contains the first fossil deposit found; Box 4, the fourth, 7A-7E, parts of the seventh, and so on. , The real dig begins , Paleontologists and trained volunteers from the Tar Pits Museum began digging through these crates in 2008. We don't know how long it will take, but we do know that every unopened crate you see contains unsurprising discoveries. , fossil = remains or impression of an animal or plant preserved by natural causes. , fossil deposit = cluster of fossils found in one location. , paleontologist = person who deals with the fossils of animals and plants that lived long ago. , sediment = material (such as gravel, sand, and silt) deposited by water, air, or ice.

Each wooden crate before you contains fossils. These fossils were found a few hundred yards from here during parking lot constuction for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). We open these crates one-by-one to excavate the fossils. With each crate opened, we add to our understanding of Ice Age L.A.

Project 23 fossils are cleaned, cataloged, and stored in the Tar Pits Museum. They are expected to double the size of the collection.

LACMA crews find fossils
LACMA construction crews worked with paleontologists to save as many fossils as possible. Backhoe operators scraped off one foot of sediment at a time, while paleontologists watched for fossils. They found rich fossil deposits at depths of 10 to 30 feet.

Paleontologists supervise dig
Paleontologists studied each fossil deposit to find where it started and stopped. They showed heavy equipment operators where to trench around each group of fossils - then carefully dug under each one by hand.

Carpenters crate fossils
Carpenters worked with paleontologists to enclose each fossil block in custom crates. No two fossil deposits are the same. Some fit in one

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crate; some need several. Fossil-rich sediment that came loose in the process was also saved in buckets.

Fossils fill 23 crates
Cranes hoisted the 23 tree boxes onto trucks that brought them here from the LACMA construction site. Each crate was labeled with the numbered fossil deposit it contains. Box 1 contains the first fossil deposit found; Box 4, the fourth, 7A-7E, parts of the seventh, and so on.

The real dig begins
Paleontologists and trained volunteers from the Tar Pits Museum began digging through these crates in 2008. We don't know how long it will take, but we do know that every unopened crate you see contains unsurprising discoveries.

fossil = remains or impression of an animal or plant preserved by natural causes.

fossil deposit = cluster of fossils found in one location.

paleontologist = person who deals with the fossils of animals and plants that lived long ago.

sediment = material (such as gravel, sand, and silt) deposited by water, air, or ice.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Paleontology. A significant historical year for this entry is 2008.

Location. 34° 3.857′ N, 118° 21.455′ W.

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, November 24, 2025

2. What's in the crates? Marker

Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Miracle Mile. It can be reached from West 6th Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Los Angeles CA 90036, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s Transverse Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Project 23 (here, next to this marker); Pit 9 (a few steps from this marker); How Did 27 Columbian Mammoths Fit in This Small Pit? (a few steps from this marker); Project 23: Who, What, Why, Where, and How? (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Pit 9 (a few steps from this marker); Pit 91 (within shouting distance of this marker); Pits 3, 4, 61/67 (within shouting distance of this marker);

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Death Trap for Meat-Eaters (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 22, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 20, 2026, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 33 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 22, 2026, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.