Title supplied by cataloger. Major Henry Hancock was given ownership to a large ranch in Los Angeles known as Rancho La Brea, in 1860. In the 1870s, Hancock found the skeletal remains of dinosaur as well as one Indian woman within the tar pits. The area that contains the skeletal collection and the Tar Pits is what is now called Hancock Park. Major Hancock was an early Los Angeles laywer, surveyor, land owner, and candidate for the Presidency of the United States. A single worker is seen holding a pickaxe at the bottom of one of the tar pits located on Rancho La Brea. This typical "Brea Pit" shows a rapid inflow of fresh crude oil after excavation. Pumps were frequently employed to control this oil seepage, during excavation. Brea (asphaltum) was mined from this depression at an earlier period. At that time, the owner of this area, Henry Hancock, excavated this section for its tar content. Carloads of bones not then known to have a scientific value were burned as rubbish. This area became known as the "Death Trap of the Ages" when it was discovered that the bones were from prehistoric mammals, plants and birds. Beyond lay the Hancock Oil fields.
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;25 x 20 cm. Photographic prints
Paleontological excavations--California--Los Angeles Excavations (Archaeology)--California--Los Angeles Ranches--California--Los Angeles Hancock Park (Los Angeles, Calif. : Park) La Brea Pits (Calif.)
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
