Rapid City in Pennington County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Trachodon

(Trachodon mirabilis)

— Then and Now —

Trachodon Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., September 20, 2026

1. Trachodon Marker

Inscription.

SIZE: 32 feet long & 14 feet tall
WEIGHT: 6-7 tons
DIET: Herbivore
NAME MEANING: Rough tooth
DINOSAUR CLASSIFICATION: Hadrosaurines or Lambeosaurines
TIME PERIOD: Late Cretaceous (68-66 million years ago)
MOVEMENT: Bipedal / Quadrupedal

QUICK FACTS:
① In 1856, Joseph Leidy described the Trachodon as one of the first four dinosaurs named in North America, those being: Deinodon, Palaeoscincus, Trachodon, and Troodon (then spelled Troödon).

② Troodon is still a valid species name but the other three are no longer used, including Trachodon.

③ Since the name Trachodon is no longer in use, except in historical discussions, the species represented by this sculpture is currently known as Edmontosaurus annectens - the Anatosaurus (meaning Duck Lizard).

④ The original Trachodon bones are now classified as either Hadrosaurids or Lambesaurines.

⑤ The fragmentary remains that were used to describe the Trachodon were from the Campanian-age Upper Cretaceous Judith River Formation of Montana, USA.

⑥ For much of the last century Trachodon was probably the most iconic of the "duck-billed"

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

dinosaurs, or hadrosaurs (bulky lizards).

⑦ It is a historically important genus due to its convoluted taxonomy and part in the so-called "Bone Wars", but has now been all but abandoned by modern dinosaur paleontologists.

THEN [c.1960s photo of children sitting on the sculpture's tail]

NOW [Modern artist rendition of the dinosaur]

Erected by City of Rapid City.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Paleontology • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1856.

Location. 44° 4.68′ N, 103° 14.713′ W. Marker is in Rapid City, South Dakota, in Pennington County. Marker and sculpture are in Dinosaur Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 940 Skyline Drive, Rapid City SD 57701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in West River

and in the Badlands.

It is also in the American Black Hills,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

on the prairies,

and on the Northern Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Trachodon Marker and Sculpture image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., September 20, 2026

2. Trachodon Marker and Sculpture

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Dinosaur Park History & Creation (a few steps from this marker); Works Progress Administration (a few steps from this marker); Stegosaurus (within shouting distance of this marker); Apatosaurus (within shouting distance of this marker); Tyrannosaurus Rex (within shouting distance of this marker); Triceratops (within shouting distance of this marker); The Great Race/Black Hills Geology (within shouting distance of this marker); Hangman's Hill (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rapid City.

Trachodon Sculpture image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., September 20, 2026

3. Trachodon Sculpture

Credits. This page was last revised on October 9, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 9, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 9, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.