Guests walk on the riverbed, that is covered
with nearly 30 feet of water in the winter and
spring months. The best time to visit Falls of
the Ohio is August, when the Ohio River is
at its lowest point.
awesome place to be ... People have
known about it ever since there were humans in the area.���
The ��rst Europeans to discover it were
French trappers from Canada, and the
��rst specimens were collected by naturalists in the 1700���s. Fossils were taken
to collections at museums in Europe. The
��rst named fossil that is still valid today
was described in 1820, Goldstein said.
���The fossils we have here are much
March/April 2013 ��� 32
older than dinosaurs,��� said Interpretive
Manager Kelley Morgan, adding that
there is no evidence that dinosaurs actually roamed in this area.
Farmer added that when scientists
began really studying the fossils at the
Falls, they identi��ed more than 500 species new to science. She said it is impossible to calculate how many fossils exist
at the park.
���In��nity,��� Beavin said.
���And beyond,��� Goldstein added.
Fossils range in size from a grain of
sand to some as large as the park���s interpretive center. Most are the size of a
human hand. Beavin said when you���re
walking along you might think you���re
stepping on a rock but it���s really a fos-
sil the size of a table. That is where the
friendly sta�� comes in handy to help visitors identify what they are seeing.
Goldstein said this particular fossil exposure reaches to Bu��alo, N.Y., and that
in most of the other locations it is buried
under glacial gravel.
Exposing the gems
The sta�� at Falls of the Ohio State Park
do not mind telling people over and over
where the fossils are and what they mean.
Their typical days do not include digging and exploring for new fossils, but
rather educating the public. They give a
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