Tim and I left on Tuesday morning for Agate Fossil Beds National Monument (AGFO) in Nebraska for our three-month volunteer opportunity. The easy drive took about three hours on a combination of interstate highways, state routes, and tiny county roads. We arrived around 1:00 pm and checked in at the visitor center.
Everyone seemed happy to see us, and we were escorted to our RV site in the employee housing area of the park. We are in a huge site with full hookups, including Wi-Fi, and we spent the afternoon setting up. All of our systems continue to work well, thank goodness.
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| Our Very Spacious RV Site |
Because of all the rain this summer, the landscape is very green for this time of year, and the surrounding fields are covered with prairie sunflowers. They’re such happy flowers!
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| The Landscape Is Quite Lovely, and the Skies Can Be Very Dramatic |
AGFO is known for the fossilized skeletons that are preserved in the Niobrara River valley here, and the discovery of these fossils in the early 1900s was important to the developing science of paleontology. Most of the land that is now AGFO was once part of the Agate Springs Ranch owned by James and Kate Cook.
When paleontologists came to western Nebraska looking for fossils, Cook convinced Chief Red Cloud and the Oglala Lakota that the scientists were indeed looking for bones, not gold. In time, Cook and Red Cloud developed a warm friendship, and the Indians brought gifts when they visited Cook’s ranch. The family’s collection now belongs to the park, and many of these amazing items are on exhibit in the visitor center.
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| AGFO Is Significant for Both Fossils and American Indian Heritage |
Before arriving at AGFO, I had been worried about the heat and the high temperatures that the plains are known for. Although it was hot when we arrived, our air conditioner and the fans that I had purchased made things comfortable. It actually got chilly overnight, and the comforter was quite welcome!
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