6-22-09: Tracie T. in Raleigh creates the Facebook group "Save Durham's Brontosaurus" at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=120832601116
A comment from David F. links to his video from March 2009, "Meeting the Brontosaurus": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFkDLhA3bQE
Sunday, June 28, 2009
6-17-09 cont'd: Bike Race? T-shirts & Fund-raising
[6-28-09: My apologies for not keeping this up-to-date better, I'm working on it! --LeftyX]
6-17-09: Julie R. suggests a benefit bike race, with bikes decorated to look like dinosaurs - DYNO-BIKES! Dan S. on the other hand jokingly suggests a raffle, with the winner getting to blow up the dino! Or gets to decide on a different head and name -- Limbaughsaur, anyone? David L. suggests a marathon, "Joggin' for the Noggin". Martha D., admitting no sentimental feelings for Bronto, suggests removing the rest of the skin to expose the metal skeleton for a "really cool modern sculpture".
6-18-09: Interest in t-shirts continues to come in. Colonial Village (our "sister" neighborhood across Roxboro Road) is included in discussions. Julie R. proposes a "Bronto Bike Brawl" meeting for June 29.
The "Save the Bronto" committee meeting resulted in several folks volunteering to contact local t-shirt makers to get preliminary quotes. The vendor will be picked at our next meeting on 6-25, then potential (preferrably, in the neighborhood) sponsors will be contacted. Nancy R. will open a bank account to be used exclusively for donations; has purchased the domain name www.savethebronto.com, and obtained savethebronto@yahoo.com for email. Chris R. has already started the blog www.savethebronto.blogspot.com (this site). Repair estimates have not yet been received from the Museum -- they want to get quotes from several companies.
6-19-09: LeftyX (me) heard from the Scrap Exchange (www.scrapexchange.org) that they don't have any silk-screening classes scheduled, but several staff members are experienced in this. (It seemed like a potentially cheaper alternative to commercial production, but probable inconsistent results and production time required by this method are significant drawbacks.) However, the Scrap is supportive and appear to be willing to sell our shirts from their storefront.
We were, then were not, but are now "on" again for doing fund-raising at the free Durham Community Concert Band show at American Tobacco Campus this Sunday 6-21, around 4pm. They're going to play the theme from The Flintstones before Nancy R. makes her pitch. Four volunteers are solicited to pass the buckets.
6-20-09: Rowan, my contact at the Scrap Exchange, says the bronto's head was removed about 1975 when the brontosaurus / apatosaurus confusion was realized. Sebastien also notes this story on the Durham News [part of the (Raleigh) News and Observer] website: http://www.thedurhamnews.com/news/story/197604.html (but it's unreachable right now on 6-28-09).
6-21-09: We raised almost $200 at the Community Concert Band show!
6-17-09: Julie R. suggests a benefit bike race, with bikes decorated to look like dinosaurs - DYNO-BIKES! Dan S. on the other hand jokingly suggests a raffle, with the winner getting to blow up the dino! Or gets to decide on a different head and name -- Limbaughsaur, anyone? David L. suggests a marathon, "Joggin' for the Noggin". Martha D., admitting no sentimental feelings for Bronto, suggests removing the rest of the skin to expose the metal skeleton for a "really cool modern sculpture".
6-18-09: Interest in t-shirts continues to come in. Colonial Village (our "sister" neighborhood across Roxboro Road) is included in discussions. Julie R. proposes a "Bronto Bike Brawl" meeting for June 29.
The "Save the Bronto" committee meeting resulted in several folks volunteering to contact local t-shirt makers to get preliminary quotes. The vendor will be picked at our next meeting on 6-25, then potential (preferrably, in the neighborhood) sponsors will be contacted. Nancy R. will open a bank account to be used exclusively for donations; has purchased the domain name www.savethebronto.com, and obtained savethebronto@yahoo.com for email. Chris R. has already started the blog www.savethebronto.blogspot.com (this site). Repair estimates have not yet been received from the Museum -- they want to get quotes from several companies.
6-19-09: LeftyX (me) heard from the Scrap Exchange (www.scrapexchange.org) that they don't have any silk-screening classes scheduled, but several staff members are experienced in this. (It seemed like a potentially cheaper alternative to commercial production, but probable inconsistent results and production time required by this method are significant drawbacks.) However, the Scrap is supportive and appear to be willing to sell our shirts from their storefront.
We were, then were not, but are now "on" again for doing fund-raising at the free Durham Community Concert Band show at American Tobacco Campus this Sunday 6-21, around 4pm. They're going to play the theme from The Flintstones before Nancy R. makes her pitch. Four volunteers are solicited to pass the buckets.
6-20-09: Rowan, my contact at the Scrap Exchange, says the bronto's head was removed about 1975 when the brontosaurus / apatosaurus confusion was realized. Sebastien also notes this story on the Durham News [part of the (Raleigh) News and Observer] website: http://www.thedurhamnews.com/news/story/197604.html (but it's unreachable right now on 6-28-09).
6-21-09: We raised almost $200 at the Community Concert Band show!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
6-14-09: Planning Meeting; t-shirt designs
6-14-09: A special planning meeting for the "Save the Bronto" committee is announced for 6-18.
This design seems to get more positive reaction (from adults, at least! :-)
6-17-09: Sebastien offers a combined logo style:
6-15-09: Neighborhood resident Sebastien (http://www.fluffy4d.com/) emails the first t-shirt design, in a kid's drawing style:
6-16-09: A blog/website is suggested to give updates and allow folks to donate. Opinions vary on the t-shirt design. Nancy acquires the email address savethebronto@yahoo.com . Sebastien offers another t-shirt design in a couple of 2-color schemes:
This design seems to get more positive reaction (from adults, at least! :-)6-17-09: Sebastien offers a combined logo style:
6-17-09: Chris H. reserves http://www.savethebronto.blogspot.com/ (this site).
We made the Smithsonian Magazine blog! http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2009/06/04/dinosaur-decapitation-in-durham
There are some minor factual errors, but a nice mention anyway.
6-13-09: Fund-raising; accountability; name & sex
6-13-09: The Museum is waiting for cost estimates to reattach the bronto's head. Initial repair work may be limited to the reattachment, with other needed repairs to be done as funds become available.
A free concert already planned for June 21 by the Durham Community Concert Band (http://www.durhamband.org/) at the American Tobacco Campus (http://www.americantobaccocampus.com/index.html) is mentioned as a fund-raising opportunity.
The Museum is working on a resolution with the youths responsible for the vandalism, and their parents. The youths will be held accountable, but due to liability issues, only skilled and insured workers will be allowed to perform the actual repair work.
Dusty says his father did not intend for the bronto to be either male or female, and did not have a pet name for it. [This has been a side topic of interest on the neighborhood email list in regards to the t-shirt design. Suggestions have included Sinclair (ref. the Sinclair Oil Co., http://www.sinclairoil.com/history/historys_p1.htm, which has used the brontosaurus "Dino" as its logo since 1930), Charlotte Bronty (ref. author Charlotte Bronte), and Bronty-Apaty.]
A free concert already planned for June 21 by the Durham Community Concert Band (http://www.durhamband.org/) at the American Tobacco Campus (http://www.americantobaccocampus.com/index.html) is mentioned as a fund-raising opportunity.
The Museum is working on a resolution with the youths responsible for the vandalism, and their parents. The youths will be held accountable, but due to liability issues, only skilled and insured workers will be allowed to perform the actual repair work.
Dusty says his father did not intend for the bronto to be either male or female, and did not have a pet name for it. [This has been a side topic of interest on the neighborhood email list in regards to the t-shirt design. Suggestions have included Sinclair (ref. the Sinclair Oil Co., http://www.sinclairoil.com/history/historys_p1.htm, which has used the brontosaurus "Dino" as its logo since 1930), Charlotte Bronty (ref. author Charlotte Bronte), and Bronty-Apaty.]
6-03-09: Bronto head recovered!
6-03-09: Capt. Smith at the Durham Police Dept. emails the Partners Against Crime District 2 list that the head has been recovered and those involved have been identified, due to the efforts of Investigators Little, Salmon, Jones, and Cpl. Clayton.
The head has been returned to the Museum, and discussions are underway with them about the next course of action.
And there was much rejoicing in the neighborhood and the city :-)
A brief discussion of the names "brontosaurus" and "apatosaurus" follows; see also this article:
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/brontokids.html?mail-06-03
6-04-09: A public meeting is scheduled for 6-11 at the Civitan Club to discuss the future of the brontosaurus.
The (Raleigh) News & Observer newspaper prints an article by Jim Wise about the recovery of the head (with a great picture). Jim also mentions in another article on the Durham News website (http://www.thedurhamnews.com/127/story/197324.html) about the upcoming meeting.
6-11-09: The meeting is attended by Dusty Wescott, son of the museum's director and creator of the Pre-History Trail at the Durham Children's Museum (now the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science), and Julie Rigby, VP of External Relations for the museum. About 30 people (several from other neighborhoods in Durham) were present, but a number of other people were not able to attend.
Dusty talked about the building of the brontosarus in 1967 (when he was 12 years old), and showed an extensive collection of photographs and newspaper articles about it and the rest of the trail.
Julie appeared impressed by the interest and passion of the supportive attendees, who nearly unanimously agreed that the bronto should be restored in place and better protected as a significant and accessible city landmark.
Joe Colopy, CEO of Bronto Software (http://www.bronto.com/) also expressed his support and pledged $2000 in matching donations from his company, and another donor has pledged an additional $1000.
We broke into 3 groups to discuss ideas about fund-raising activities to pay for the restoration work; selling "Save the Bronto" t-shirts was agreed to be a good approach.
Channel 17 reported on the meeting on their 11PM News -- see http://news.mync.com/site/news/video/7103/Durham_Dino_s_Future/.
A brief mention of the meeting was posted to the Dependable Erection blog at http://dependableerection.blogspot.com/2009/06/ncmls-citizens-meeting.html -- he has blogged about the dinosaur, and has been linked-to from the Museum's website.
The head has been returned to the Museum, and discussions are underway with them about the next course of action.
And there was much rejoicing in the neighborhood and the city :-)
A brief discussion of the names "brontosaurus" and "apatosaurus" follows; see also this article:
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/brontokids.html?mail-06-03
6-04-09: A public meeting is scheduled for 6-11 at the Civitan Club to discuss the future of the brontosaurus.
The (Raleigh) News & Observer newspaper prints an article by Jim Wise about the recovery of the head (with a great picture). Jim also mentions in another article on the Durham News website (http://www.thedurhamnews.com/127/story/197324.html) about the upcoming meeting.
6-11-09: The meeting is attended by Dusty Wescott, son of the museum's director and creator of the Pre-History Trail at the Durham Children's Museum (now the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science), and Julie Rigby, VP of External Relations for the museum. About 30 people (several from other neighborhoods in Durham) were present, but a number of other people were not able to attend.
Dusty talked about the building of the brontosarus in 1967 (when he was 12 years old), and showed an extensive collection of photographs and newspaper articles about it and the rest of the trail.
Julie appeared impressed by the interest and passion of the supportive attendees, who nearly unanimously agreed that the bronto should be restored in place and better protected as a significant and accessible city landmark.
Joe Colopy, CEO of Bronto Software (http://www.bronto.com/) also expressed his support and pledged $2000 in matching donations from his company, and another donor has pledged an additional $1000.
We broke into 3 groups to discuss ideas about fund-raising activities to pay for the restoration work; selling "Save the Bronto" t-shirts was agreed to be a good approach.
Channel 17 reported on the meeting on their 11PM News -- see http://news.mync.com/site/news/video/7103/Durham_Dino_s_Future/.
A brief mention of the meeting was posted to the Dependable Erection blog at http://dependableerection.blogspot.com/2009/06/ncmls-citizens-meeting.html -- he has blogged about the dinosaur, and has been linked-to from the Museum's website.
Monday, June 22, 2009
6-02-09: News & Observer reports
6-02-09: A neighbor reminds us that there was active talk over a year ago about moving the dinosaur to Northgate Park.
This brief post is mentioned:
http://www.trianglemom2mom.com/content/dino-decapitated-life-and-science-museum
(It references the blog posting by Jim Wise of The News and Observer at:
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/bullseye/durhams-museum-of-life-and-science-dinosaur-decapitated . Jim is a longtime Durham resident and has written extensively on Durham history.)
The Museum creates a Flickr photo group for people to post photos of the old Dinosaur Trail, at: http://www.flickr.com/groups/847625@N22/
This brief post is mentioned:
http://www.trianglemom2mom.com/content/dino-decapitated-life-and-science-museum
(It references the blog posting by Jim Wise of The News and Observer at:
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/bullseye/durhams-museum-of-life-and-science-dinosaur-decapitated . Jim is a longtime Durham resident and has written extensively on Durham history.)
The Museum creates a Flickr photo group for people to post photos of the old Dinosaur Trail, at: http://www.flickr.com/groups/847625@N22/
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
6-01-09: Dinosaur decapitated!
6-01-09: The Northgate Park (Durham, NC) Neighborhood Association email list received an email from a neighbor at 8:53am that she discovered the dinosaur [a life-size brontosaurus] on the old Museum of Life and Science trial had been decapitated during the night. The police were notified. A flurry of messages ensues, including an offer of $100 reward. The event gets Twittered. A generator, lights, and a live broadband link to the Smithsonian are offered for covering the reattachment after recovery of the head. I called the Museum (they heard, and were preparing a news release) and Bronto Software (they use the bronto as their company logo). A story appears on Channel 17 News just after 7PM.
6-02-09: Newspaper article in the (Durham NC) Herald-Sun:
By Neil Offen : The Herald-Sun
mailto:noffen@heraldsun.
Jun 2, 2009
DURHAM -- Maybe this is why they became extinct.
The towering brontosaurus that has stood astride the old Museum of Life and Science Dinosaur Trail in Northgate Park has lost its head. Sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning, vandals decapitated the steel and plaster behemoth.
"How senseless. How absolutely senseless," said Nancy Rizzo, vice president of the Northgate Park Neighborhood Association on Monday afternoon as she stared at the headless beast ensconced just off the south side of Murray Avenue, where the museum had once been located. "What would be the point of doing something like that?"
Sticking out of the bulbous body was only a thin, rust-colored steel beam -- the dinosaur's neck. Shards of plaster -- the animal's skin -- lay on the ground, along the over-grown area that had been closed in 1996 following damage from Hurricane Fran. The wire fence that enclosed the old trail had been pushed down and tire tracks were visible in the muddy grass.
"What are they going to do with the head?" sadly asked Rizzo, who Monday afternoon had informed the police about the decapitation. "Put it up on the wall of their bedroom and impress their girlfriends? "
The museum's chief executive officer, Barry Van Deman, felt similarly. "We're saddened by what happened," Van Deman said. The dinosaur had been the centerpiece of the trail since 1967, when the path opened. After the trail was closed, undergrowth and debris accumulated, and neighbors -- who have been working with the museum to clean up the trail -- believe that some homeless people had been living in the woods, perhaps sheltered by the brontosaurus. There will be, though, no cleaning up of the old dinosaur.
While Rizzo floated the idea of a neighborhood fundraiser to help repair the brontosaurus, a new dinosaur trail is set to open this summer and Taneka Bennett, marketing director at the museum, acknowledged that there would be no point in trying to repair the old boy. And the museum, she said, is aware it also cannot replace the history and emotional connection the community has to the old dinosaur trail.
Instead, the museum is encouraging people to post their images of the Old Dinosaur Trail at http://www.flickr.com/groups/847625@N22/ And Mike Shiflett, a member of the Northgate Park Neighborhood Association, has offered a $100 reward for information leading to the arrest of the vandals who were the prehistoric head-hunters.
~~
6-02-09: Newspaper article in the (Durham NC) Herald-Sun:
By Neil Offen : The Herald-Sun
mailto:noffen@heraldsun.
Jun 2, 2009
DURHAM -- Maybe this is why they became extinct.
The towering brontosaurus that has stood astride the old Museum of Life and Science Dinosaur Trail in Northgate Park has lost its head. Sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning, vandals decapitated the steel and plaster behemoth.
"How senseless. How absolutely senseless," said Nancy Rizzo, vice president of the Northgate Park Neighborhood Association on Monday afternoon as she stared at the headless beast ensconced just off the south side of Murray Avenue, where the museum had once been located. "What would be the point of doing something like that?"
Sticking out of the bulbous body was only a thin, rust-colored steel beam -- the dinosaur's neck. Shards of plaster -- the animal's skin -- lay on the ground, along the over-grown area that had been closed in 1996 following damage from Hurricane Fran. The wire fence that enclosed the old trail had been pushed down and tire tracks were visible in the muddy grass.
"What are they going to do with the head?" sadly asked Rizzo, who Monday afternoon had informed the police about the decapitation. "Put it up on the wall of their bedroom and impress their girlfriends? "
The museum's chief executive officer, Barry Van Deman, felt similarly. "We're saddened by what happened," Van Deman said. The dinosaur had been the centerpiece of the trail since 1967, when the path opened. After the trail was closed, undergrowth and debris accumulated, and neighbors -- who have been working with the museum to clean up the trail -- believe that some homeless people had been living in the woods, perhaps sheltered by the brontosaurus. There will be, though, no cleaning up of the old dinosaur.
While Rizzo floated the idea of a neighborhood fundraiser to help repair the brontosaurus, a new dinosaur trail is set to open this summer and Taneka Bennett, marketing director at the museum, acknowledged that there would be no point in trying to repair the old boy. And the museum, she said, is aware it also cannot replace the history and emotional connection the community has to the old dinosaur trail.
Instead, the museum is encouraging people to post their images of the Old Dinosaur Trail at http://www.flickr.com/groups/847625@N22/ And Mike Shiflett, a member of the Northgate Park Neighborhood Association, has offered a $100 reward for information leading to the arrest of the vandals who were the prehistoric head-hunters.
~~
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