Expedition to the John Day River in 1878: An Excerpt from Life of a Fossil Hunter

Charles H. Sternberg was a young man of 28 when he came to look for fossils near the John Day River. Early in his career as an internationally acclaimed fossil collector, he came to Oregon during the Bone Wars under direction from Edward Drinker Cope, one of the most prolific paleontologists of all time. Sternberg knew these early finds were exciting and important, as he worked the badlands in what would later be recognized as one of the most complete fossil records for the "Age of Mammals."

His 1878 expedition coincided with an outbreak of armed conflict between several Northwest Indian tribes, the U. S. military, and eastern Oregon settlers. The region had been occupied for generations, yet Sternberg's stories take readers much further back in history, beyond what is measurable in human time scales. His expedition explored the frontier beneath the surface of human events and geography.

Vivid accounts of young Sternberg's visit to places now within the Sheep Rock Unit of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, are excerpted from his original memoir, "The Life of a Fossil Hunter," first published in 1909. His expedition to the John Day River took him places that people continue to visit: the intriguing Blue Basin which Sternberg calls "the Cove," and Picture Gorge, then called by him "the Grand Coulee." His writing captures a sense of remoteness and adventure that visitors can still experience today.

Through decades of field experience, Sternberg developed and established many techniques still practiced today. His well regarded work served the scientific community and made highly valuable contributions to American paleontology. Charles H. Sternberg is one of many who will play a part in revealing the unfolding story of landscapes and species now long gone.