Stone Containing Dinosaur Fossil on “Dinosaur Bridge” Vandalized

Contact: Jason Martz

GETTYSBURG, PA- Staff at Gettysburg National Military Park (NMP) report that one of the capstones of the South Confederate Avenue Bridge over Plum Run, best known as "Dinosaur Bridge," that contains a dinosaur fossil, was vandalized on Thursday, September 25. At approximately 1:30 pm, park maintenance staff discovered a large cap stone missing from the bridge. They soon found it below the bridge along Plum Run. Evidence suggests a heavy object was used to strike the stone and pry it free, causing it to fall-or possibly be dropped-during an attempted removal. The capstone measures approximately 30 inches long by 18 inches wide by 4 inches thick. The fossil, a Anchisauripus (Ank-ee-sore-ih-puss) track, a dinosaur that lived during the Jurassic period (201 million to 145 million years ago) was unharmed and is now safely in park custody while the investigation is ongoing.

If the public has any information that could help the park's ongoing investigation into this act of vandalism, they are encouraged to contact the park email address at [email protected] or e-mail us.

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