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Published in The Kentucky Journal, June 1990
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Did you know that dinosaurs roamed across Kentucky for millions of years,
and that fossil evidence for dinosaurs may be found in western Kentucky?
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Did you know that evidence for the worldwide extinction of dinosaurs may
be found in Kentucky?
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Did you know that at least three large meteors crashed into the area that
is now Kentucky and created deep faults and craters long before people ever
lived in the Commonwealth?
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Did you know that the city of Middlesboro is situated in one of these
meteor-impact sites?
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Were you aware that in the last half billion years Kentucky was covered by
shallow seas for a longer time than it was dry land?
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Did you know that Kentucky was covered by swamps that extended across the
eastern United States, and that at one time, much of the swamp land in Kentucky
was buried by millions of tons of ash spewed out by a volcano?
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And did you know that the first paleontological (fossil) dig in the United
States was in Kentucky?
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Did you know that Kentucky has by far the longest cave system in the world?
 If you have not heard
of these natural phenomena in Kentucky, you are not alone; most Kentuckians
have not. In fact, there are a large number of famous biological,
anthropological, and ecological phenomena in Kentucky that are unknown by
most of the Commonwealth's citizens.
Most people don't realize
Kentucky has an important tradition in natural history. Many famous scientists
and artists studied the natural history of Kentucky, including
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David Dale Owen from the utopian commune at New Harmony, Indiana;
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W. W. Mather, who conducted the first geological survey of the State;
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James Audubon, naturalist, who is highly acclaimed for his paintings of birds;
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Nathaniel Shaler and Willard Rouse Jillson, geologists and paleontologists;
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William S. Webb, archaeologist;
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Roger Barbour, biologist; and
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Ray Harm, wildlife artist.
In addition, Kentucky
plays host to many out-of-State researchers and students who study our natural
history. Many students and teachers from midwestern universities come to
Kentucky to collect fossils and study outcrops of rocks. Many professional
organizations such as the Geological Society of America and the American
Association of Petroleum Geologists, as well as industry groups such as Shell
Oil Company [International], conduct field trips and field training programs
in Kentucky. The British Broadcasting Company came here to film part of their
series, "The Making of a Continent."
But more importantly,
Kentucky is known throughout the world as one of the great sites for the
collection of natural-history specimens. Thomas Jefferson sponsored, through
an act of Congress, the first paleontological "dig" in America in 1807 when
he sent a team consisting of William Clark and Meredith Lewis, of Oregon
Territory fame, to Big Bone Lick to retrieve "big bones." These large mammoth
bones were sent to Philadelphia, the center of science and philosophy in
America, to Washington, D.C., and, by way of Benjamin Franklin, to Paris,
France. This was the beginning of a trend in distribution of Kentucky specimens
out of State. The University of Nebraska sponsored and collected most of
the bones at Big Bone Lick in the 1960's, and now these bones reside in a
warehouse somewhere in Nebraska. The newly created exhibit in the Hall of
Evolution at the National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian) has many
Kentucky specimens. I have even seen Kentucky fossils in the Humboldt Museum
in East Berlin, yet we have no place where we can readily view similar fossils
in the Commonwealth.
Kentucky needs a museum
of natural history where Kentuckians can view articles related to their natural
heritage. During the past 10 years or so, scientists from several Kentucky
universities have discussed the need for a Kentucky natural history museum.
Recently several of us were involved in putting together displays with the
Living Arts and Science Center at the Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit which attracted
69,000 visitors from all over Kentucky. Work at the exhibit provided the
impetus for us to organize our efforts for a Kentucky natural history museum.
The mission of such
a museum would be threefold: preservation, education, and research. The
collection and preservation of Kentucky artifacts and specimens would be
an important function of the museum. Harry Caudill told me that the University
of Nebraska would not return to Kentucky the mammoth bones from Big Bone
Lick because we did not have the proper repository in which to preserve them.
And they are right; this was the responsible position for the University
of Nebraska to take. The International Guide to Fossil Collections of
the World does not list any internationally recognized fossil repository
in Kentucky. The same probably applies to biological and other collections
as well. Although there are assorted university collections, there are no
proper repositories. A Kentucky museum of natural history would correct this
situation. Perhaps we can get the mammoth bones back after all.
I will not go into details
concerning our Nation's status in science education compared to the other
developed countries in the world. It is embarassingly poor. We can always
use improvements in the general science education of children and the general
public. Newspapers are constantly running headlines that deal with natural
history, including earthquakes, coal, ground water, and environmental concerns.
A natural history museum would provide a place where people could go to learn
about these topics. The great success of the Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit, a
single exhibit attended by almost 70,000 people, assures us that the general
public hungers for this kind of opportunity. A natural history museum would
undoubtedly be an important cultural element for the attraction of industry
and tourism.
Our plans are not just
for an "artifact" museum, but, more importantly, for a "teaching" museum
that demonstrates major concepts in all the natural history fields, including
the natural science topics of anthropology, archaeology, astronomy, planetary
geology, climatology, meteorology, geology, paleontology, botany, zoology,
cell biology, and ecology. We plan to provide an educational service to the
State with projects such as traveling exhibits and educational packets consisting
of slides, videos, and booklets for the schools of Kentucky. We will offer
educational opportunities such as lectures and seminars, our own video programs,
field trips, sponsored "digs," and "hands-on" exhibits. We also recognize
the very important need for traveling exhibits to serve the public throughout
the State.
Research is an important
element in a good museum. Artifacts that are stored away in drawers collecting
dust do not contribute to our understanding of anything. Artifacts must be
made available to researchers. Analysis of artifacts and the natural history
of Kentucky can tell us of past wonders, future directions, and what we must
do to survive successfully in a changing environment. For instance, the study
of rocks and fossils of Kentucky can demonstrate the varied conditions that
existed in Kentucky in the past. How has life in the past and present adapted
to changing conditions? What adaptations should we see in the near future?
How will a changing climate affect the distribution and makeup of forests
in Kentucky? What native Kentucky plants did Indians use to cure diseases,
and are they useful today? What resources will we need to utilize in the
future, and how should we responsibly use them? Perhaps research can address
these questions.
We strongly believe
that an understanding of science and our environment will be critical for
the development and welfare of not only Kentucky, but also of America and
the world. A natural history museum can provide an important element in the
scientific education of the public, both young and old, and an appreciation
for the environment.
At this early stage
of our organized effort, we are in the process of incorporating as a nonprofit
group, developing a steering committee, and contemplating the selection of
members for a board of directors. We are a separate organization and are
not attached to, or affiliated with, any existing group or governmental agency.
However, we will seek funds and support from a wide variety of sources including
individuals, businesses, foundations, organizations, and governmental agencies.
In order to make the proposed museum a truly Statewide endeavor, we are
contacting potential members for a steering committee from all parts of the
State. We invite suggestions or advice from readers all across the state.
If you have any suggestions or questions about the proposed Kentucky natural
history museum, please contact Dr. Donald R. Chesnut
(chesnut@kgs.mm.uky.edu).
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