Hamburg – Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera was joined today by Hamburg Town Supervisor Randy Hoak to announce that the Assemblymember is awarding the Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Preserve $250,000 in funding to build a new pavilion and picnic area for programming.

The Town of Hamburg will also contribute $100,000 toward the project.

This funding is specific to Phase One of Penn Dixie’s expansive capital project, which will include:

• An improved entrance and better accessibility for guests.
• A new check-in pavilion that will also be used for programming.
• Infrastructure upgrades that will add trail connections.
• Improved restroom facilities.

Phase One construction will begin next year. Phase Two of the project will include a brand-new visitor center. This phase will begin only after the completion of Phase One and is now in the midst of a capital campaign to raise funding.

It might be difficult to imagine a time in which Western New York was entirely covered by water. Yet in the early part of the Paleozoic era, New York residents solely consisted of marine invertebrates like brachiopods, jellyfish, and trilobites — the latter of which can now be abundantly found as fossils at the Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Preserve.

The 54-acre fossil park offers guests the opportunity to find and keep fossil treasures that are nearly 400 million years old. While the trilobite fossils at Penn Dixie are not particularly rare, they are well preserved, easy to collect, and serve as an excellent resource for teaching.

The park got its start in the 1970s after the former Penn Dixie Cement Corporation quarry went out of business. The rock was filled with a notably high concentration of trilobites, one of the earliest-known arthropods in the fossil record.

In the 1990s, the Hamburg Natural Society sought to preserve the site due to its abundance of fossils. In 1995, the Town of Hamburg purchased part of the former quarry and deeded the land to the Hamburg Natural History Society in an effort to clean up illegally dumped garbage and provide a place for science education. To help provide access, the Town of Hamburg aided an official extension to North Street, which is the only way to access the park.

Since that time, the Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Preserve has exploded in popularity through its distinctiveness and profuse programming.

In 2011, Penn Dixie was ranked by a scientific study as the #1 fossil park in the country, receiving high marks for its visitor experience, safety and accessibility.

In a typical year, the park welcomes visitors from 45 states and roughly a dozen countries. It has international partners in Kashmir, India, in which Penn Dixie provides logistical support and consultation toward the development of the Kashmir Triassic Fossil Park.

The park also holds the Guinness World Record for the largest fossil dig. On August 25, 2018, 905 people flocked to Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve to take part.

While the park has existed for nearly 30 years, it has done so with few amenities. There are only a few volunteer-built picnic pavilions, paved trails and portable toilets. The narrow access road doesn’t meet the capacity needs for the park, and it often doesn’t show up on Apple Maps.

The disparity between the park’s upsurge in recognition and its inadequate facilities is the main incentive behind the current capital project and its fundraising goal, as Penn Dixie seeks to become a cultural destination within Western New York.

The two-phase project will move the entranceway away from the residential neighborhood around North Street and into the industrial park around Jeffrey Boulevard. It will also create a new picnic pavilion.

The cost estimate for Phase One is $1.5 million. The park is lining up multiple funding sources from the state level through a county cultural capital grant program and through private donations.

Construction on the pavilion, restrooms and utilities will begin in May 2023.

Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, “Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve is a destination like no other in our region. I am thrilled to be able to help the park on its way to gaining the sort of amenities and facilities worthy of a world-class geological site and tourist spot, and I’m beyond excited to see how the park will expand and evolve through the coming years.”

Town of Hamburg Supervisor Randy Hoak said, “Hamburg has supported the Penn Dixie Fossil Park since the very beginning. Penn Dixie has brought visitors from around the world to enjoy our community. We are proud to support this capital campaign with $100,000 and applaud Assemblyman Rivera's generous support to bring Penn Dixie's vision to reality.These funds are an investment in one of Hamburg's most beloved non-profit organizations. The Town Board looks forward to future collaboration with Dr. Stokes and his team.”

Dr. Phil Stokes, Executive Director of Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve, said, “Three decades ago, local leaders made the important decision to preserve the former Penn Dixie Cement Quarry in Hamburg. They recognized the uniqueness and cultural value of this geological resource and protected it for the benefit of future generations. Today, we celebrate the largest community investment in our organization to date. This funding allows us to construct new facilities, attract new patrons from far and wide, provide a more accessible experience, and better serve the people of Western New York.”

Bill Fekete, Business Representative for IUOE Local 17, said, “In continuance of its long history of supporting the local community, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 17, has partnered with Hamburg’s historic Penn Dixie site. Local 17’s Registered Apprentices have donated equipment and time to the improvements at Penn Dixie. Now, Local 17 is proud to support Assemblyman Jon Rivera and his endeavors to secure funding for the next level of upgrades at Penn Dixie.”