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Show PAGE 29 THE ZEPHYR JANFEB 90 The Museum of Western Colorado by Judy Prosser, archivistregistrar Unlike the curio cabinets of early European and American museums, the Museum of Western Colorado and Its branches, Dinosaur Valley and Cross Orchards Living History Farm, are engaged In Interpreting the environmental and social changes that have shaped the and history of west-cent- ral Colorado. Through the Museums tours, exhibits, classes, seminars, and volunteer programs, visitors are provided the chance to become Involved In the Museums ed approach to the collection and preservation of the regions social and natural history. The Museum, founded In 1965, Is located In Grand Junction and Is a department of Mesa County government It and Its branches are operated by a full-tipaid curatorial staff and some 150 community volunteers, each of whom assist an average of 3 hrs a week through the year. From Its inception, the Museum has also been guided by a board of trustees who are from the membership and serve In an advisory capacity. The Museum Is located In the former Whitman School Building and was opened to the public In 1966 as the Museum of Arts and Sciences. Exhibits, Including a special tlme-ll- ne display, focus on the social and archaeological of western The Museum's main offices, history division, Colorado. heritage historical archives, and research library are In the building. Since 1974, the Museum has also the Mesa County Oral History Project with the Mesa County Public Library. More than 1400 taped Interviews with western Colorado personalities are featured In the collection. pre-hist- ory multi-facet- me, co-spons-ored models for museum exhibits. company that produces life-li- ke Chris Mays, president of Dlnamation, was aware of the surrounding major fossil quarries and of the tremendous visitor potential of Grand Junction. On December 4, 1984, Mays visited Grand Junction and met with Museum board members and staff, community members, and businessmen. From these conferences emerged a broad-bas- ed plan designed to appeal to all age levels. It would Include exhibits museum collections, skeletal reconstructions, and a working laboratory. featuring Professional paleontologists, a California designer, and museum professionals from throughout the country were contacted for suggestions. Material acquired for the exhibit Included three complete skeletal casts of dinosaurs known from the local area. These were obtained from Utah State Paleontologist James Madsen. Casts of a Tyrannosaurus rex skull and foot were acquired from the Los Angeles County Museum. Other agencies assisting with the project Included the University of Colorado, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the Field Museum of Natural History In Chicago. search for a suitable building, the Reed Building at Following a several-we- ek 4th and Main, which had formerly housed J.C. Penney Company, was selected. A press conference on February 20, 1985, announced the signing of a yr lease agreement for the building, a lease-purchagreement for six animated dinosaurs, and the construction of the "Dinosaur Valley" exhibit Some $70,000 raised through city and county funding, and from local foundations and businesses, helped finance the project. Harley Armstrong, a local archeological and paleontological consultant, was hired to assist with the developing exhibit As construction commenced, presentations were given to school groups and civic and special organizations. Major contacts were also established with Vernal, Utah, heart of "Dlnosaurland"; Price, Utah, location of the CEU Prehistoric Museum, and nearby Cleveland-Llo- yd Quarry. A "Dinosaur Triangle" to link the three cities as "Dinosaur Country" as a major regional attraction was proposed and established. Opening ceremonies on June 8, 1985, attracted 1500 visitors. Comments from county commissioners, city officials, and Museum personnel recognized the dedication of the volunteers and staff who had made the project possible. By the end of October, more than 43,000 visitors representing all 50 states and 100 foreign countries had visited Dinosaur Valley. animated dinosaur Among the highlights of the exhibit are the six half-si- ze replicas.- These are reproductions of Stegosaurus. Iguanodon. Corythosaurus. Tyrannosaurus rex. Trlceratops. and Apatosaurus (Brontosaurus). A full size Inert replica of Pteranodon hovers above an articulated Camarasaurus In death pose. Skeletal reconstructions also Include the mounted Allosaurus. donated to the museum In 1973, a Camotosaurus. and a Stegosaurus. The purchase of the Stegosaurus for mounting Is the goal of the current "Buy a Bone" campaign. In addition to the animated creatures, exhibit features In Dinosaur Valley consist of a number of Interpretive displays. These Include fossils and casts of dinosaurs and dinosaur footprints, fish and Insect fossils from the Green River Formation near Douglas Pass, and archaic mammals from the vicinity of De Beque, Colorado. A fossil flower, one of the oldest known, Is representative of the region's prehistoric floral record. Photomurals document the 1900 and 1901 expeditions of the Field Columbian Museum (now Field Museum of Natural History In Chicago) to the localities later Internationally known as Riggs Hill and Dinosaur Hill. Visitors are presented a special "touch and feel" exhibit of large plant and dinosaur fossils. Video presentations In the audiovisual room acquaint patrons with discoveries at the Dry Mesa and the Frulta Paleontological quarries. The working laboratory Is a special exhibit feature. There, volunteers serve under the direction of the Museum's paleontologist In activities such as fossil preparation, molding, and casting. Replicas of a Stegosaurus tall spike, Allosaurus claw, louanodon toe bones, dinosaur teeth, and a waterblrd egg are sold In the gift shop. A recent lab project was the mounting of the Camotosaurus skeletal reconstruction. Many of the volunteers also serve as members of crews during paleontology field work weeks. A special school program was designed and Implemented during the fall of 1985. Since then, hundreds of school children have visited the exhibit and participated In programs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The scheduled activities, led by specially trained docents, Include an In depth tour of the facility, the opportunity to cast dinosaur teeth or make footprints, a talk on paleontology, and a session In learning how to dance like a Stegosaurus. The bright and spacious gift shop offers dinosaur-relat- ed Items of all types for all seasons and age groups. Offerings Include specially designed and hats, consignment Items such as sweaters and cups, wooden dinosaur models, coloring books, and volumes regarding paleontology and geology. A Dinosaur Valley Coloring and Activity Book was designed by the local Junior Service League and Is available for sale. Future plans for Dinosaur Valley Include updating of present exhibits, and special, temporary exhibits. These will from time to time present new dinosaur replicas as they are produced by Dlnamation Incorporated. Classes on molding and casting techniques, paleontology, and geology will be offered to the public, and plans are underway to create a paleontological certification program. Annually, the Museum hosts a "Fieldworkers and Fossils" lecture series that Is open to the a California-bas- ed 3-- ase - Visitors Gordon and Clarissa Hoyt at the Museums Dinosaur Valley Exhibit (Al Ugranl photo, Museum of Western Colorado) Cross Orchards Living History Farm was acquired by the Museum In 1980 funding effort Its present 14.4 acres, at following an extensive community-wi- de Red Cross Land and Fruit 3079 F Road, are the last vestige of the 243-ac- re 1909 to from financed which 1923, largely by Massachusetts Company operated Interior and exterior Included since has restoration Extensive capital. acquisition renovation of the historic barnbacklng shed and bunkhouse, and reconstruction of the summerhouse. Authentically costumed guides and bunkhouse cooks Interpret the history of the site, Wednesday to Saturday, 10:00 to 4:00, mid-M- ay through October. Regularly scheduled events Include the Spring and Fall Days on the Farm, the Apple Jubilee In October, the Julia Harris Lecture Series, and the Country Christmas. The site Is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Museum of Western Colorado has maintained an active commitment to paleontology since Its founding. In 1970, former Museum director Mike Mayfield recovered dinosaur fossils from the New Castle area. Lance Erlksen Joined the staff as a professional paleontologist In 1972, and during the next 12 yrs made significant discoveries of national and International Importance. These Included the most complete Ceratosaurus skull found to date, and one of the worlds oldest fossil flowers. skeletal replica of an Allosaurus. In 1973 the Museum constructed a full-si- ze This plastic cast was made possible through the donations of Alfred T. Look and Dow Chemical, and the Goodwin Foundation. Following a number of significant finds In the Frulta area In the early 1970s, the Museum, a number of Internationally known paleontologists, and the Bureau of Land Management combined efforts In 1976 to create the Frulta Paleontological Area and to have the land withdrawn from mineral entry and closed to vehicles. This area has been explored since 1975 by Dr. George Calllson of California State University at Long Beach, and has yielded the world's smallest known adult dinosaur and some of the oldest mammals. Field trips to the Dry Mesa quarry In Mesa County's remote Escalante Canyon also have Introduced staff and patrons to the "Supersaurus" and "Ultrasaurus" finds made by Dr. James Jensen and Brigham Young University. Dinosaur Valley, opened In June 1985, Is an entire exhibit dedicated to paleontology. In Its first year and a half, It attracted more than 105,000 visitors. dinosaur replicas whose throaty Exhibit features Include six animated, half-si- ze and casts trace the region's Fossils to the Initiate display. guests growls quickly of the fauna and Jurassic flora from the (age 143 million yrs) to the prehistory million 54 De mammals of the yrs. Beque formation, age Museum staff and board members first discussed In 1984 the possibility of erecting a major dinosaur exhibit. Contact was made with Dlnamation Incorporated, Old-Fashio- ned T-sh-irts one-of-a-k- ind public. !J: :i s |