Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

Agate Fossil Beds
articles of facts
University and Carnegie Hills
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Region	Sioux County
City	Harrison, Nebraska (nearest)
River	Valley of the Niobrara River
Elevation	1,340 m (4,396 ft)
Coordinates	42°24′59″N 103°43′42″W
Area	12.4 km2 (5 sq mi)
Biome	Temperate grassland
Geology	Miocene
Plant	Shortgrass prairie
Animal	Pronghorn, Swift Fox, Prairie Dog
Founded	U.S. National Monument
Date	5 June 1965
Management	National Park Service
Visitation	12,694 (2009)
Map of Agate Fossil Beds
Website: NPS: Agate Fossil Beds

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is a U.S. National Monument near Harrison, Nebraska. The main features of the Monument are a valley of the Niobrara River, and the fossils found on Carnegie Hill and University Hill.

The area largely consists of grass-covered plains. Plants on the site include prairie sandreed, blue grama, little bluestem and needle and thread grass, and the wildflowers lupin, spiderwort, western wallflower and sunflowers.

History

Restoration of several genera found in the Agate Fossil Beds

The site is best known for the large number of well-preserved Miocene fossils, many of which were found at dig sites on Carnegie and University Hills. Fossils from the site, which date from about 20 million years ago, are among some of the best specimens of Miocene mammals. Species found at Agate include:

• Miohippus, an ancestor of the modern horse,
• Menoceras, a pony-sized rhinoceros,
• Amphicyon, a bear dog,
• Daeodon, the largest Entelodont (giant pig-like ungulate),
• Stenomylus, a gazelle-like camelid, and
• Palaeocastor, land beavers that dug large corkscrew-shaped burrows (Daemonelix)

Originally the Agate Springs Ranch, a working cattle ranch, was owned by Capt. James Cook. The monument's museum collection also contains more than 500 artifacts from the Cook Collection of Plains Indian artifacts.

The national monument was authorized on June 5, 1965, but was not established until June 14, 1997. The Harold J. Cook Homestead (Bone Cabin Complex) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 24, 1977.^{[citation needed]} Agate Fossil Beds is maintained by the National Park Service.

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  University Hill (left) and Carnegie Hill (right)

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  A windmill that once provided water for excavation teams working on digs at the site

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  The Niobrara River flowing through Agate.

See also

• List of fossil sites
• Ashfall Fossil Beds
• Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
• John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
• Scotts Bluff National Monument

References

• The National Parks: Index 2001–2003. Washington: U.S. Department of the Interior.

External links

• Official NPS website: Agate Fossil Beds National Monument