The Boneheads are a group of students and adults dedicated to paleontology.  Started in 1999 by High School teachers Scott Clark, Larry Millar, and Marsha Morgan, a small group of students were introduced to this hands-on aspect of science.  Students came from four area High Schools.  Adult club members, Jo Cox and Judie Ostlien, taught preparation and mentored students in the wonders of nature, science, and art.  Lively conversations ranged from philosophical and sublime to the ridiculous.

The club worked on late Cretaceous material from a site near Terlingua, Texas, northwest of Big Bend National Park.  Students learned to recognize, dig, jacket, and haul fossils while camping at the dig site.  After opening the jackets in the preparations lab, they learned to clean, preserve, and cast.  The castings were then prepared and painted for display.

The end result was the first true dinosaur show in Abilene Texas.  The "Dinosaurs of Texas" was held on the second floor of  the Grace Cultural Museum.  It ran from June 7, 2003 through August 2004 and was extremely well attended.

Ken Barns (of Terlingua) - mounted replica of a Hadrosaur and a replica of a Tylosaurus skull, both were cast by the Bonehead club members.

Scott Clark (of Tuscola) - replica Deinonychus skull.

Jo Cox & Judie Ostlien (of Abilene) - Nearly complete Diadectes (found here in Taylor County).  Nearly complete Varanops (largest ever discovered and found here in Taylor County).  Many sea fossils and plant fossils (from around Texas and mounted by Jo Cox).  Replica of the first Cardiocephalis found (from Oklahoma).  Replica Trimerorhachis skull and vertebra (from Oklahoma).  Reconstructed Captorhinus (by Jo Cox) (from Oklahoma).

Texas Memorial Museum at Austin - mounted Dimetrodon (discovered in 1907, here in Taylor county), a mounted Eryops (from Archer county), a Diplocaulus skull, and a mounted replica of a Herresaurus (from Argentina).  Chasmosaurus scull (from the Big Bend of Texas).  Reconstructed Deinosuchus skull (from the Big Bend of Texas).  A humerus of an Alamosaurus (from the Big Bend of Texas).  Reconstructed mounted wing of Quetzalcoatlus (from the Big Bend of Texas). 

Dallas Museum of Natural History - Mounted replica of Malawisaurus (not from Texas, but a representative sauropod that fit into the room)

Abilene Christian University Natural History Collection - Several plant and sea fossils.

Hardin-Simmons University (of Abilene) - Several plant and sea fossils (from Texas).  Permian raindrops (from Taylor county).

Museum of Texas Tech University (of Lubbock) - replica of most complete Postosuchus jaw, first time on display.

George Blasing (Dinosaur World) - replica of a Tyrannosaurus rex skull

Joe Taylor - Metoposaurus and Phytosaur skulls.

John David White (of Dallas) - replica of the Paluxy River trackways

Dr. R. H. Tull (of Abilene) - Amphibian trackway (from Taylor county).  Freshwater shark coprolite (from Taylor county).  Several plant fossil (from Taylor county)

Don Brenholtz (of Ovalo Texas) - several sea fossils (from Texas)

I would like to thank Dr. Wann Langston, Dr. Robert Reize, and Bill May, for their help in researching the information for this show.

The task was generously aided by the area school districts, and many private contributors.  Their backing made this project possible.