Southwestern Adventist University and Earth History Research Center and Hanson Research Station Lance Formation, Wyoming

1995

North Main Quarry site selected by L. Spencer for F.A.C.T.

1996

A. Chadwick and L. Spencer visited North Main Quarry site.
Preliminary excavations by non-SWAU workers.

1997

Class led by A. Chadwick and L. Spencer
North Quarry Site laid out and organized.
The class consisted of five science teachers who spent 10 days working at the site.

1998

A. Chadwick and L. Spencer continued work at the site.

1999

7 June through 3 July
Class led by A. Chadwick and L. Spencer.
Further excavation work on North Main Quarry suggested a fairly well defined bone layer.
Six persons involved in the field work.
After the summer's expedition, development was begun on a web-based on-line bone catalog.

2000

Monday, 29 May through Thursday, 29 June
Class led by A. Chadwick and L. Turner.
Aerial photographs of the site.
Ridge above North Main Quarry was removed by bulldozer to within approximately 3/4 m above bone layer.
Hoodoo Hut at site constructed.
Continued excavation at North Main Quarry revealed a graded bone bed about 1 m thick.
South Main Quarry opened.
First use of GPS and GIS techniques.
About 25 people participated.
Over 200 major bones, bone fragments, teeth, tendons, etc. were discovered, retrieved and catalogued.

2001

Monday, 4 June through Friday, 29 June
Class led by A. Chadwick, L. Spencer, and L. Turner.
First year of a four-year Research Project.
Continued excavation at North Main and South Main Quarries.
More overburden removed between the North Main and South Main Quarries by bulldozer to within about 1/4 meter of the bone layer.
North Main Quarry cleared to a large area below the bone layer and widened toward west to a total width of 10 m.
South Ridge Quarry opened—found a very unusual assemblage of teeth.
Preliminary excavation at Southeast Ridge site (New Quarry or Teague Quarry).
Stair site initiated—several theropod bones found.
Continued use of GPS, digital photography, and GIS techniques.
First use of pre-printed Field Label Cards.
Approximately 35 persons were involved for a period of a few days up to four weeks.
Over 700 major bones, bone fragments, teeth, tendons, etc. were discovered and catalogued.

2002

Monday, 3 June through Tuesday, 2 July
Class led by A. Chadwick, L. Spencer, and L. Turner.
Continued excavations at North Main and South Main Quarry sites with intent to determine further the vertical extent and location of bone layer.
Continued use of GPS (used two systems), digital photography, and GIS techniques.
Perform an overall site site survey using the GPS equipment.
Opened New Quarry (Teague Quarry) southeast of South Main Quarry at the site of the previous years' Southeast Ridge Site proved to be a rich site with hadrosaur and theropod bones.
Further excavation at the Stair site indicated no further material—excavation work terminated.
Roughly 35 persons participated.
Almost 1000 major bones, bone fragments, teeth, tendons, etc. were discovered and catalogued.

2003

Monday, 2 June through Wednesday, 2 July
Class led by A. Chadwick, L. Spencer, and L. Turner.
Continued excavations at North Main and South Main Quarry sites with intent to further determine vertical extent and location of bone layer.
Continued excavations at New Quarry.
Continued use of GPS, digital photography, and GIS techniques.
Aerial photographs of site to be used with GPS surveying data.
Surveyed the outcropping of bones on the surface over a large area to help establish the extent of the bone bed.
Use of a satellite internet connection to upload photos, latest news, web cam from the dig site, and data transfer as well as wireless e-mail and web access for the participants.
Opening of "sample" site, West Quarry, to map horizontal extent of the bone layer.
Gathered and screen washed material from Twin Towers for inspection and analysis during "off-season."
A total of 45 persons were with the group, of which 8 were day visitors.
Over 1000 large bones, teeth, tendons, bone fragments, etc were located, recovered, and catalogued.

2004

Thursday, 3 June through Friday, 2 July
Class led by A. Chadwick and L. Turner.
First organized "mini-camp" for young people—17 early teens with their sponsors for a three-day experience.
A. Chadwick and L. Turner were invited by Andrews University to participate in the Madaba Plains Project at Jalul, JORDAN, to extend the techniques developed in this research to the field of archeology.
Continued excavations at North Main and South Main Quarry sites with intent to further determine the density of the bone layer.
Continued excavations at New (Teague) Quarry and West Quarry sites to help determine horizontal and vertical extent and location of the bone layer.
Continued use of GPS (have two independent systems), digital photography, and GIS techniques.
Established another exploratory quarry, KC Quarry, to the north of the Main Quarry sites.
Used the GPS to perform a large scale topographical study of the ranch—now have a better stratigraphic understanding of the area.
Use of a satellite internet connection to upload photos, latest news, web cam from the dig site, and data transfer as well as wireless e-mail and web access for the participants.
Utilized a cable to provide network (wireless) at the quarry site as well as telephone communication back to camp.
A total of 62 participants (including three small children) with 49 total at one given time!
Over 880 large bones, teeth, long tendons, large bone fragments, etc were located, recovered, and catalogued—total compares favorably with the previous two years since short tendons and small bone fragments were not catalogued.

2005

Thursday, 2 June through Friday, 1 July
Class led by A. Chadwick
A second class is taught on-site by E. Kennedy—total of 7 students taking one of the classes.
First year of a second four-year Research Project.
"Mini-camp" for young people—21 early teens, including their sponsors, for a three-day experience.
Continued excavations at North Main and South Main Quarry sites with intent to further determine vertical extent and location of bone layer.
Bulldozer work to expose even more of the bone layer between New and South Quarries—lost a control point. And increased potential future work from 50 to at least 75 years before exhausting bone layer with removed overburden!
Continued excavations at West Quarry site.
Opened a sample quarry far to the east—the Far East Quarry!
Continued use of GPS (with two independent systems), digital photography, and GIS techniques.
Use of a satellite internet connection to upload photos, latest news, and e-mail and wireless web access for the participants.
About 71 total participants.
Collected 755 specimens.

2006

Thursday, 1 June through Friday, 30 June
Classes led by A. Chadwick and L. Turner with 13 total students.
Detailed stratigraphic study of the area by one of the students.
Second year of a four-year Research Project.
"Mini-camp" for young paleontologists—18 early teens with five sponsors.
Continued excavations at North Main and South Main Quarry sites with intent to further determine vertical extent and location of bone layer.
Continued excavations at two sample, West and Far East Quarry, sites—no further fossils found in the Far East Quarry
Opened South East Quarry.
Reopened New (Teague) Quarry during the Mini-camp—had been covered by previous year's bulldozer work.
Continued use of GPS, digital photography, and GIS techniques.
Use of a satellite internet connection to upload photos, latest news, and data transfer as well as e-mail and wireless web access for the participants.
Field tested a prototype computerized bone check-in system.
A total of 87 participants (plus a number of members of the Hanson family) with a total of 60 at one time staying in Camp Cretaceous!
Collected a record total of 1182 fossil specimens.

2007

Thursday, 31 May through Friday, 29 June
Classes led by A. Chadwick, L. Turner, and L. Spencer (SAU) with a total of 8 students plus several teachers for Professional Development Units.
Continued stratigraphic study of the area by one of the students.
Third year of a four-year Research Project.
"Mini-camp" for young paleontologists—13 early teens with three sponsors.
"Tour group" from Southern Adventist University.
Continued excavations at North Main and South Main Quarry sites with intent to further determine vertical extent and location of bone layer.
Completion of the excavations at the sample West Quarry—quarry closed!
Continued excavations at South East Quarry and Teague Quarry.
Reopened and extended Stair Quarry.
Continued use of GPS (with two independent systems), digital photography, and GIS techniques.
Use of a satellite internet connection to upload photos, latest news, and data transfer as well as e-mail and wireless web access for the participants.
A total of 70 participants (plus several members of the Hanson family).
Collected a total of 1038 fossil specimens.

2008

the best is yet to be!

Thursday, 29 May through Friday, 27 June
Class led by A. Chadwick and L. Turner.
Fourth year in a four-year Research Project.
Continued excavations at North Main and South Main Quarry sites with intent to further determine vertical extent and location of bone layer.
Continued excavations at South East and Stair Quarries.
Continued use of GPS (with two independent systems), digital photography, and GIS techniques.
Use of a satellite internet connection to upload photos, latest news, and data transfer as well as e-mail and wireless web access for the participants.