By Madeleine Kates
Many local Western New Yorkers remember visiting Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve (Penn Dixie) as kids, but with its first-place rating among U.S. fossil parks, the site holds more surprises than you might recall.
The Devonian Period, 380 million years ago, preceded the existence of dinosaurs, and was a time when most of Western New York was covered in a shallow marine environment. Fossils from the Devonian Period consist of small marine organisms with hard shells or materials that are easiest to become fossilized, such as brachiopods, trilobites, horn corals, small shells, and occasionally plant matter or fish, among other organisms.
Penn Dixie gets its name from the Penn Dixie Cement Corporation, which was located on the site, and whose work unearthed these fossils from deep within the bedrock. What makes Penn Dixie special is its mission to promote the study of natural science through exploration and tactile learning. And, while many fossil sites around the world are privately owned, Penn Dixie is a not-for-profit corporation that operates for the benefit of the public. The park is accessible to every skill and ability level. Use of trowels and buckets are complimentary and free of charge to all visitors. Sets of tools are also available to rent.
Anything you find is yours to keep and take home, and there are experienced tour guides throughout the site to help you get the most from your visit. Penn Dixie has worked hard to create an accessible space for visitors of all ages and ability levels, with paved pathways, special tools and equipment available for picking up or carrying fossils, and accessible parking.
“It is amazing to be able to hold a piece of history that hasn’t seen the sun in 380 million years,” says Penn Dixie Marketing and Development Coordinator, Sydney Mecca. Visitors are allowed to bring small tools to chip away at the rocks. Tools and buckets are also available for rent upon arrival, but Mecca suggests that with the high volume of fossils sitting right on the surface, tools often aren’t necessary.
Spring is a great time to visit Penn Dixie, as the weather warms, and events at the park are plentiful. Some are free, with no reservations needed, including Stargazing in Hamburg. For a calendar of events or park information, visit their website at www.pendixie.org. Contact Penn Dixie at 716-627-4560, or visit the park at 4050 North Street, Blasdell, NY 14219.
Madeleine Kates has degrees in Environmental Science, Life Science, and Psychology from Niagara University, and certificates in Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University and Harvard University’s CHEF Coaching program.
