South Jersey played a surprising role in changing how the world understands dinosaurs.
In 1858, Hadrosaurus foulkii was discovered in Haddonfield, New Jersey. The find helped transform scientists' understanding of dinosaur anatomy, and a reconstruction of Hadrosaurus later became the first mounted dinosaur skeleton displayed to the public.
Just eight years later, another remarkable predatory dinosaur was uncovered from South Jersey's ancient sediments: Dryptosaurus aquilunguis, an early member of the broader tyrannosaur lineage.
So why has South Jersey produced so many important fossils?
In this episode of the Bridgeton Beacon, we explore the geology beneath New Jersey, the marl pits that accidentally exposed the prehistoric past, ancient coastlines, mosasaurs, dinosaurs, and why paleontologist Ken Lacovara has described southern New Jersey as a cradle of dinosaur paleontology.
And then we bring the story closer to home.
What lies beneath Bridgeton and Cumberland County? What is the Bridgeton Formation? And what can the ground beneath us tell us about a South Jersey that existed millions of years before the first human arrived?
In This Episode
• The 1858 discovery of Hadrosaurus in Haddonfield
• How Hadrosaurus changed our understanding of dinosaurs
• South Jersey's Dryptosaurus discovery
• Why marl pits became important fossil sites
• Mosasaurs and prehistoric marine New Jersey
• South Jersey during the Cretaceous Period
• The geology beneath Bridgeton and Cumberland County
• The Bridgeton Formation
• Why South Jersey matters to the history of paleontology
Bridgeton Beacon explores the history, culture, people and places of Bridgeton and the Greater Cumberland County region of South Jersey.
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