08/19/2026
“At last, in the top of the ledge where the softer overlying beds form a divide, a kind of saddle, I saw eight of the tail bones of [an Apatosaurus] in exact position. It was a beautiful sight.” — Earl Douglass, August 17, 1909
117 years ago, Earl Douglass made the discovery that would spark the creation of Dinosaur National Monument. Just outside Jensen, Utah, Douglass unearthed the first fossils in what would become one of the world’s most famous dinosaur quarries.
Between 1909 and 1924, paleontologists excavated more than 5,000 fossils from 10 dinosaur genera here. Visitors, scientists, and curious kids alike continue to be inspired by over 1,500 fossils that remain visible in the quarry wall exactly where they were discovered.
Days after his discovery, Douglass welcomed the first visitors. They climbed the steep hillside to see the fossils. Seeing their excitement, he envisioned a protected site where people could observe dinosaur bones still embedded in the rock. His advocacy paid off: in 1915, President Woodrow Wilson established Dinosaur National Monument using the Antiquities Act.
Since then, millions have stood in awe of this ancient landscape. Douglass’ discovery deepened our understanding of prehistoric life, inspired scientific careers, and left a lasting legacy in the Uinta Basin and the field of paleontology.
Today and every day, we celebrate his remarkable find and the crew who helped uncover a piece of Earth’s distant past.
NPS photo from the Douglass Collection edited by Evan Hall of a group of early 20th-century people exploring rocky terrain near fossils, with one woman holding a parasol for shade and another holding a baby.
