Dinosaurs have long captivated human imagination. The discovery of their fossilized remains provided tangible evidence of these magnificent creatures, fundamentally changing scientific understanding of life on our planet. The finding of the first nearly complete dinosaur skeleton in North America was a pivotal moment, propelling paleontology into a new era of discovery.
The Landmark Discovery
The groundbreaking find occurred in 1858 in Haddonfield, New Jersey, within a marl pit on the property of John Estaugh Hopkins. Bones had been found there as early as 1838, but William Parker Foulke, a lawyer and amateur geologist, recognized their potential importance. Foulke learned of the bones and, with Hopkins’ permission, initiated a careful excavation.
Foulke’s efforts at the site led to the recovery of numerous large bones. He then enlisted the expertise of Dr. Joseph Leidy, an anatomist from Philadelphia’s Academy of Natural Sciences, to analyze the findings. Together, they unearthed what proved to be the first relatively complete dinosaur skeleton in North America.
The Dinosaur Identified
The dinosaur discovered was named Hadrosaurus foulkii by Joseph Leidy in honor of William Parker Foulke. This species represented the first dinosaur in North America known from more than isolated teeth, providing insights into dinosaur anatomy. The recovered skeleton included a significant portion of the animal, though the skull was missing.
Leidy’s analysis of Hadrosaurus foulkii revealed distinct limb proportions, suggesting it was bipedal—meaning it walked on two legs. This challenged the prevailing notion that all dinosaurs were large, quadrupedal, lizard-like creatures. The Hadrosaurus was estimated to be around 25 to 30 feet long and weigh between seven to eight tons, characterized by its “duck-billed” snout and hundreds of grinding teeth for processing plant material.
Paving the Way for Paleontology
The discovery of Hadrosaurus foulkii reshaped scientific understanding of dinosaurs and spurred paleontological research across North America. It provided evidence of what a dinosaur looked like, moving beyond fragmented remains and speculative reconstructions. This find established paleontology as a serious scientific discipline in the United States.
In 1868, the Hadrosaurus foulkii became the first dinosaur skeleton mounted for public display, exhibited at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. This mounted skeleton, assembled by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins under Leidy’s direction, drew immense crowds and solidified public interest in dinosaurs. The success of this display inspired future fossil hunting expeditions and museum exhibits, laying the groundwork for many significant dinosaur discoveries that followed.