From the Wilds of New Jersey – Dinosaurs in the NJ Suburbs

Date:

Speaker: Derek Yoost

Location: Monmouth Worship Center 37 Vanderburg Rd., Marlboro, NJ 07746

Most people in New Jersey are unaware that the science of dinosaur paleontology actually began right here in the Garden State. Long before the famous fossil discoveries of the American West, New Jersey played a critical role in the early study of dinosaurs.

The first nearly complete dinosaur skeleton ever discovered, Hadrosaurus foulkii, was found in Haddonfield. This groundbreaking discovery helped launch modern paleontology and led to Hadrosaurus foulkii being named the official New Jersey state fossil.

New Jersey is home to fossils from multiple geologic time periods, and several different dinosaur species have been discovered throughout the state. These finds demonstrate that prehistoric life thrived here millions of years ago, long before the region became what we know today.

Renowned early paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh studied fossils from New Jersey during the early years of their careers. Their work here laid the foundation for later discoveries in the western United States, where dinosaur fossil sites are more widely known today.

Join us to explore the fascinating history of dinosaurs in New Jersey and discover how these incredible creatures—once called “terrible lizards”—were found, and continue to be found, right beneath your feet.

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