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Roosevelt County - Geology and Geography

Background Info/ Historical Story:

“Students find dinosaur bones near Brockton”

“BROCKTON - Science students on a recent hike in the foothills near town made one of the most unique discoveries on the Fort Peck Reservation. Their geology lesson led them to some mysterious bones sticking out of the soft sand, bones which have turned out to possibly belong to the largest reptiles to ever roam this area of Earth millions of years ago. Paleontologists from the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman are piecing together some dinosaur bones found near Brockton that could possibly be those of triceratops, Tyrannosaurus Rex, or an allasaurus. “We won't know more sure until we see more,” said Bob Harmon, a paleontologist with the Museum. Harmon visited the reservation last week and the site where the bones were discovered. Harmon said Brockton is located on the extreme eastern edge of the Hell Creek formation, a section of earth that is believed to be rich in dinosaur remains. This area includes the area surrounding the Fort Peck Reservoir where numerous T-Rex’s have been discovered, including the first complete set of T-Rex bones found north of Jordan by boaters along the banks of the lake. Harmon said the bones would be looked at by fellow Museum paleontologists …The students, who were led on the hike by science teacher Suzette Mule’, saw what looked like bones sticking out of the rock formations. Mule, who had taken a paleontologist course in college, figured out immediately that the bones may be those of a dinosaur. “We were all pretty excited,” she said. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is handling the find and is organizing with the museum to further handle the bones, which are located on land owned by about 10 tribal members. The agency has refused to release more information on the find and has sealed off the road leading to the site. Local officials said the site has already been vandalized and law enforcement officials are keeping an eye on the area.”- Wotanin Wowapi, Poplar, Montana, Thu, Oct 26, 2000

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