Dinosaur’s history is
mostly unwritten
The public archives hold only 3 old photos of Dinosaur. The rest are in attics, shoeboxes and the historical society. Help start the collection.
The story
from WikipediaRead it all ↗The town of Dinosaur was originally known as "Baxter Springs", owned by Art and Fanny Baxter. It was renamed "Artesia" for its valued water supply when a town was platted to accommodate the oil boom in the 1940s. The Artesia, Colorado, post office opened on March 20, 1946, and the Town of Artesia was incorporated on December 18, 1947. On January 1, 1966, the town's name was changed to Dinosaur due to its proximity to Dinosaur National Monument. The headquarters of Dinosaur National Monument is located just east of the town on U.S. Highway 40.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Start Dinosaur’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Dinosaur’s history is told.
1 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 🔁Retake an old viewDino sign, grocery laundromat, 1991: stand where they stood+15 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10Dinosaur, decade by decade
Nothing in Dinosaur is on the National Register yet
That’s true of most small towns. It doesn’t mean Dinosaur has no history, only that no one has written up a nomination. The closest listed place is Josie Bassett Morris Ranch Complex in Jensen, 15.6 miles away.
Dinosaur and the nearest listed places
How a place gets listed
Then & now
When neighbors add old photos, retakes from the same spot appear here side by side.
From Wikimedia Commons (6). Images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.