DIGGING INTO PENN DIXIE: THE MAKING OF AMERICA’S #1 FOSSIL PARK

The recent discovery of two Mid-Devonian carpoids has focused the spotlight on Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve (Penn Dixie), a 54-acre nonprofit geological attraction located south of Buffalo in Western New York State. The carpoids, unearthed by two off-duty staff members in April, represent a ghost lineage of Solutan echinoderms which will be formally introduced at this conference. The twin discoveries brought these animals back from the dead – metaphorically speaking, at least – and propelled Penn Dixie further into the national conversation around preserving and protecting unique natural places.

With a mission of hands-on science education, Penn Dixie is operated by the Hamburg Natural History Society (HNHS) and welcomes 15,000 to 20,000 science enthusiasts of all ages each year. Fossil hunters from around the world travel to Penn Dixie to experience guided expeditions; programs are designed around state science standards and cater to K-16 groups and the general public.

Penn Dixie has operated for 28 years. The park, which is recognized for its accessibility and abundant marine fossils including trilobites, was first envisioned by geoscientists studying the former quarry in the 1980s. In the 1990s, community advocates blocked an industrial development which would have buried the fossils. The HNHS was formed to manage the park, and in 1995 the land was acquired by the Town of Hamburg and deeded to the HNHS. An all volunteer group at first, the HNHS grew Penn Dixie by offering low-cost fossil digs on select weekends during the summer. The organization grew, and the first professional staff members were added in the early 2000s. Today, the park boasts 25 employees. Recent years have seen programmatic revenue grow by 40 to 50 percent. Numerous capital improvements are underway to increase capacity and further enhance the visitor experience.