D.C.’s accidental museum of paleontology

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Here’s how to find D.C.’s accidental museum of paleontology

By Sadie Dingfelder August 18



Christopher Barr hunts fossils in D.C.’s many grand stone-clad buildings. (Sadie Dingfelder/Express)

Stalking the streets of D.C. in an Indiana Jones fedora and khaki pants, Christopher Barr, 59, looks more like a misplaced archaeologist than a lawyer. He logs about 12 miles a day, walking from his home in Mount Pleasant to his law office downtown — and taking plenty of detours along the way. He’s not just wandering; Barr’s on a mission to document what he calls “D.C.’s accidental museum of paleontology.”

“There are fossils all over the place, and most people don’t know about them,” Barr says. “But once you know what to look for, they’re everywhere.”

You won’t find them by digging — most of D.C.’s fossil-bearing stones eroded away millions of years ago. But you can find the preserved remains of long-dead animals from every geological period, and from all over the world, in the stone-clad walls of the city’s many grand buildings. ... “Because it’s the national capital, people have wanted to have impressive architectural displays here, and so they are willing to pay for expensive decorative stone,” Barr says.

Since 2002, Barr has dedicated hundreds of hours to tracking down noteworthy fossils. Once he’s found an interesting impression, he tracks down the origin of the stone around it, and consults with scientists about the animal it represents. He then posts his findings on his website, dcfossils.org. (There’s also a map.)