The Discovery
In 1877, a Union Pacific worker named William Harlow Reed uncovered giant fossilized bones near Como Bluff, a ridge located east of Medicine Bow, Wyoming. Reed shared his finding with station agent William Edwards Carlin. Wanting to protect the site from competitors, the two men contacted Yale paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh using fake names. Marsh quickly dispatched digging crews to the prairie, turning a windy railroad stop into a major center for prehistoric discoveries.
What Scientists Found
The fossils lay within the Morrison Formation, a rock layer containing evidence of Late Jurassic life. Before these excavations, many prehistoric creatures were known only from small fragments, but Como Bluff yielded massive skeletons that helped scientists understand how entire ancient ecosystems functioned. Key species discovered at the site included:
- Stegosaurus
- Allosaurus
- Apatosaurus
- Camarasaurus
- Diplodocus
Many of these specimens were transported to Yale's Peabody Museum. The abundance of fossils also fueled the "Bone Wars," an intense scientific rivalry between Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope. Their relentless competition involved spies, secret shipments, and destroyed fossils, ultimately leading to the rapid naming of dozens of new species.
Why It Matters
The research at Como Bluff helped push American science forward and established Wyoming as a key location for paleontology. The area's fossil surplus also led to an unusual historical landmark. In the early 1930s, Thomas Boylan collected 5,796 fossil pieces from the surrounding land and mortared them together to build a 52-ton structure known as the Fossil Cabin along the Lincoln Highway.
The entire structure was later moved seven miles to a site adjacent to the Medicine Bow Museum following a relocation in May 2026. Although travelers can view the cabin from outside its surrounding fence, public access remains closed while repairs and insurance issues are resolved. As for when the interior will reopen to visitors, this detail is not specified in the source; please check the official notice.
Source: dinosaur fossil discovery - BingNews · Published October 25, 2026 · Photo by Tommy Bond on Unsplash