Elmer S. Riggs Riggs' assistant, H. William Menke, found the first known skeleton of the giant sauropod dinosaur "Brachiosaurus altithorax" from near Grand Junction, Colorado. At the end of the 1900 field season Riggs' found a specimen of "Apatosaurus" near Fruita, a few miles from the Brachiosaurus site. This specimen was excavated during the 1901 field season, and was put on display in 1908 at the Field Museum. From these specimens he named "Brachiosaurus" and Brachiosauridae, and presented evidence that "Apatosaurus" and "Brontosaurus" were the same genus of dinosaur. He also proposed that sauropods were terrestrial animals, based on their limb structure, but
Dinosaur Ridge Dinosaur Ridge Dinosaur Ridge is a segment of the Dakota Hogback in the Morrison Fossil Area National Natural Landmark located in Jefferson County, Colorado, near the town of Morrison and just west of Denver. The Dinosaur Ridge area is one of the world's most famous dinosaur fossil localities. In 1877, some of the best-known dinosaurs were found here, including "Stegosaurus", "Apatosaurus", "Diplodocus", and "Allosaurus". In 1973, the area was recognized for its uniqueness as well as its historical and scientific significance when it was designated the Morrison Fossil Area National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service. In 1989, the