Early Scientific ExpeditionsThe Hayden SurveyThe Hayden Survey of the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains was one of the “Four Great Surveys of the West”, sponsored by the federal government from 1867 to 1878. The Hayden Survey, led by Ferdinand V. Hayden, included the exploration and mapping of the Colorado mountains. In 1873, one of the Survey's geologist, Albert C. Peale, explored the Florissant Valley. In his notes, he mentions fossils in the lake deposits and twenty or more petrified stumps. Later, paleontologists of the Hayden Survey acquired thousands of insect, plant, and vertebrate fossils at Florissant. 
In the 1870’s, Edward Cope described the fossil fish found at Florissant. The fossil fish was one of the few vertebrates found at the Fossil Beds. The Princeton Scientific Expedition of 1877In July 1877, the Princeton Expedition, a group of students and professors, arrived at the fossil beds. Members of this group visited Mrs. Charlotte Hill and acquired many fossils of insects and plants. Several students collected fish specimens during their visit. The group sent the plant fossils to Leo Lesquereux and the insect fossils to Samuel Scudder for description. Students, Henry Osborn, Willian Scott, and Francis Speir, described some fish specimens collected at Florissant, including the new species Trichophanescopei. Excavations by Early ScientistsThree additional scientists, Theodore D. A. Cockerell, Henry F. Wickham, and Harry D. MacGinite, excavated fossils and described many new fossil species, which led to even greater recognition of the Florissant Fossil Beds as one of the world’s richest fossil deposits. |
Last updated: November 5, 2022