Delaware Valley Paleontological Society
(DVPS)
Delaware Valley Paleontological Society
(DVPS)
The Delaware Valley Paleontological Society is a nonprofit educational organization chartered in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We are a diverse group of people, ranging from amateurs to avocational and professional paleontologists brought together by our uncommon common interest.
Newsletter
The Delaware Valley Paleontological Society Newsletter is published ten times each fiscal year, September through June. The newsletter covers the activities of the Society as well as other items that might be of interest to our members. Items such as Upcoming Events, a list of local shows and happenings related to paleontology, Dig This, reports of news items in paleontology, Field Trip Schedule, and Field Trip Reports. There is also the occasional article from guest writers. Members are always encouraged to submit material they would like to share.
Monthly Meetings
Meetings are generally held on the fourth Thursday of each month from September through June in the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We kick-off the meeting with an update of Society business by Officers and Committee Chairs. Then we sit back and enjoy our guest speaker for the evening. Guest speakers range from amateur members to notable people in the field. Here’s a brief recap of some of our past guest speakers.
Field Trips
The DVPS takes to the field on a regular basis, visiting sites throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, and Canada.
www.dvps.org is our web address. You will find up-to-date information about the club as well as recent photos from field trips, member finds, and world class fossils. In addition there are field trip reports and links to recent news of interest to fossil enthusiasts. The website is a work in progress and we are constantly making changes to make the site more interesting and relevant to our members.
Fossil Fair is our annual fund raising and community outreach event. Proceeds from Fossil Fair help to support our scholarships and grants program, as well as the ongoing activities of the DVPS. A lot of effort goes into making Fossil Fair a success. Funds are raised through the sales of fossils and other related items at our sales table and also by way of our food concessions. The exhibit area gives members the opportunity to publicly display their collections. There’s also children’s activities including a fossil dig, and the kids get to keep what they find. Donations of fossils, paleo-related items, and food, are vital to the success of this event.
The DVPS publishes a scientific, peer-reviewed journal, The Mosasaur, on an occasional basis. It contains articles on fossils and geology related topics, especially those of local interest. The editors of the journal welcome contributions from amateur paleontologists as well as those from professionals in the field, publishing articles of interest to all. The Mosasaur retails for $18.00. The following is a list of the contents of Volume VII.
The Fund was established by the DVPS in 1994 in to provide a scholarship to graduate students actively pursuing a master’s degree or a doctorate in paleontology in the Delaware Valley region. It is named in memory of Paul N. Bond to honor his commitment to the study of paleontology and the respect in which he was held by all who knew him. Paul was a charter member of the society, served on the board of directors and also as a past Vice-President. He was an inspiration to us all.
The DVPS awards grants at the discretion of the Officers.
| June 1977 | Fossil enthusiasts meet at Academy of Natural Sciences (Phila., Pa.) to discuss forming a group. |
| August 1978 | Notification of first meeting sent out to museum members and fossil enthusiasts. |
| Sept. 1978 | First meeting held at Academy of Natural Sciences (Phila., Pa.). |
| January 1979 | First slate of officers elected. |
| June 1979 | First overnight fossil collecting trip (Madison County, NY) |
| 1980 | First Fossil Fair was held at Academy of Natural Sciences (Phila., Pa.) |
| 1981 | DVPS incorporated as a non-profit entity. |
| May 1981 | DVPS newsletter contains masthead of skeleton of Mosasaur |
| Nov. 1981 | First trip to North Carolina's Lee Creek Mine was made. |
| 1981-82 | Concept of a DVPS Journal formulated. |
| 1982 | Mosasaur Volume I published. |
| 1983 | DVPS makes first contribution to paleontological endeavor (Dodson's dinosaur). |
| 1984-86 | Mosasaur Volume II and III published. |
| 1988 | 10th Year, 5 Presidents to date, 8th Annual Fossil Fair |
| 1989 | Field trips expand into Florida and Nebraska; Mosasaur IV published. |
| 1991-93 | Paul Bond Scholarship fund established; Philadelphia Foundation manages funds. |
| 1994-96 | Mosasaur V and VI published. |
| 1997 | First Paul Bond scholarship grant (Josh Smith, Univ. of Pennsylvania) |
| 1997 | Field trips expand to Buffalo, NY. |
| 1997 | DVPS website established. |
| March 1999 | 20th Anniversary dinner held in Horsham, Pa. (Lifetime Achievement Award to Courtney Rockefeller) |
| April 2001 | Annual Fossil Fair moves to Plymouth Meeting location. (co-sponsor Philadelphia Mineralogical Society) |
| 2001-02 | Field Trips expand across Canada (Niagara Falls area, north of Toronto) |
| March 2003 | 25th Anniversary Dinner held in Horsham, Pa, (Lifetime Achievement Award to Ron Tillis)(speakers P. Larson and K. Donnan presented Rex Appeal, The Amazing Story of Sue.) |
| 2004 | Mosasaur VII published |
| 2005 | Continued success with Field trips into Canada |
| 2006 | Joint trips with Central Pa Mineral Club |
| 2006 | New trips to New Jersey creek beds |
| 2006 | Fern sites in Pa revisited (St. Clair) |
| 2007 | Trip to Fruitville Pike Quarry, Lancaster County |
| 2007 | New trip to Shamokin, Pa area (ferns, tree trunks) |
| 2007 | Joint trip with Calvert Marine Museum Club to PA fern sites |
Past Presidents: William Gallagher, Courtney Rockefeller, Earle Spamer, Sidney Hostetter, Vince O’Donnell, Mike Keklak, Paul Lazar, Robert Kline, Larry Decina, Ron Tillis
Have a question for DVPS? Click the link to e-mail us.
This website was created by Erik Grobelny and maintained by James DuHadaway.
All information or images disclosed herein are copyright © of the Delaware Valley Paleontological Society,
or are copyright © of their respective owners.
Updated on