Dinosaur Tracks Discovered at Valley Forge

Valley Forge is historically known as being the campsite during the Revolutionary War at which George Washington and his continental army suffered through the harshest winter they had ever seen. Many stories have erupted from Pennsylvania of ghosts that frequent the area, but there’s little to no proof to these folk tales. In recent days, the ghosts of the past have made themselves known, but not quite in the way anyone was expecting. To the untrained eye, patterns in sandstone and cuts in the rocks along the many hiking paths and trails the famous Pennsylvania park offers are simply just variations in the rock. However, a volunteer working for Valley Forge National Historical Park outside Philadelphia discovered several fossilized footprints of dinosaurs tracing along the hiking trail. According to a document posted by the Valley Forge National Historical Park, some of the very first ancient reptiles inhabited the valley, and although no bones have been found as of yet, their feet left behind imprints in the mud slabs long before Valley Forge became known for hosting the country’s founding father and his rag-tag army.

The prints were first noticed by a volunteer by the name of Tom Stack when he began working for the organization back in 2017. Stack has a background in geology and paleontology, and therefore recognized the stones, purchased in 2011 to pave hiking trails, as the same kind of rock (argillite) that bore fossil imprints when used to construct a bridge at the Gettysburg battlefield further west. Stack has found several three-toed prints, as well as non-dinosaur prints relative to modern day crocodiles. The largest three-toed dinosaur to have passed through Valley Forge is estimated to have been roughly six to nine feet long and about six feet in height. In addition to this fascinating discovery, there is also an ice age exhibition that started in the late 19th century known as the Port Kennedy bone cave. Since its discovery, it has produced numerous fossils linked to giant tapirs, ground sloths, and saber-toothed felines.

It has been concluded by the National Park paleontology department that the prints in Valley Forge are in fact real and confirmed footsteps of ancient reptiles passing through the valley thousands of years ago. It is because of this legitimacy that measures have been implemented to protect the stones from being destroyed or moved from their location by people, whether or not their intentions are deliberate. Such measures include explaining that the prints are to be used as educational tools,  are a hook to reel people back into such a historic park, and are not to be trifled with. It’s for these reasons and more that the park is open with the existence of fossilized prints, but will not reveal their exact location.

Most fossilized prints found remain in their original locations across the East Coast. Some stones were found outside of the park and dropped to their location, but this does not detract from the amazement. Instances like these continuously prove that history is always relevant and should be paid attention to, whether it be for fascination of past events or to understand the new discoveries that we make. A place that was once recognized as where the American Revolution almost ended will now be revisited for both the stories told of how George Washington’s army suffered through such a harsh winter and for the paleontological discoveries that continue to amaze every generation. Two mostly unrelated subjects of history have converged at Valley Forge, and the most amazing thing is that a man recognized as an unforgettable hero tread over the footsteps left behind by beasts he had no idea ever existed.