Petrified Sea Gardens
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| Petrified Sea Gardens | |
|---|---|
| (U.S. National Historic Landmark District) | |
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| Location: | Saratoga Springs, New York |
| Coordinates: | Coordinates: |
| Area: | 25 acres[1] |
| Built/Founded: | 1825 |
| Designated as NHL: | January 20, 1999 [2] |
| Added to NRHP: | January 20, 1999[3] |
| NRHP Reference#: | 99000631 |
| Governing body: | Private |
Petrified Sea Gardens, also known as Ritchie Park, is a National Historic Landmark. It preserves an area of ancient stromatolites in a Cambrian rock layer. Stromatolites "were first recognized, discovered, and interpreted in North America" here, on property owned by Robert F. Ritchie, a stone mason and amateur geologist, who detected them in 1922 and opened a park to show them to the public in 1924.[1]
Stromatolites, which are marine algae growths, were unknown, and it was a puzzle whether these fossils were organic or inorganic products. James Hall (1811-1898), the first State Peleontologist of New York, identified them as being organic placed stromatolites in a new genus.[4]
Pioneering female paleontologist Winifred Goldring (1888-1971), "who was the fourth State Paleontologist of New York,...wrote the most exhaustive study on these ancient stromatolites."[5]
The site was a childhood inspiration for Stephen J. Gould who went on to become "one of the most famous paleontologists of the twentieth century".[6]
It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1999,[2] by which date it had already been named a National Natural Landmark.
The site is open as an educational site operated by a non-profit, the Friends of Petrified Sea Gardens.[7] It is located at 42 Petrified Sea Gardens Road, about .5 mile north of N.Y. 29, west of Saratoga Springs, New York.[8]
[edit] See also
- James Hall Office, also a National Historic Landmark
[edit] References
- ^ a b Joanne Kluessendorf (July 14, 1998), National Historic Landmark Nomination: Petrified Sea Gardens / Ritchie ParkPDF (0.99 MiB), National Park Service and Accompanying 2 exterior photos from 1998, plus image of Winifred Goldring, undatedPDF (252 KiB)
- ^ a b Petrified Sea Gardens. National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service (2007-09-18).
- ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).
- ^ Kluessendorf, p.__
- ^ Kluessendorf, p.__
- ^ Kluessendorf, p.15
- ^ NRHP, p. 15
- ^ Kluessendorf , p. __
[edit] External links
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