Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park |
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Berlin's abandoned machine shop
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 Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park
Location in Nevada
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| Location | Nye County, Nevada, United States |
| Nearest town | Gabbs, Nevada |
| Area | 1,115.52 acres (4.5143 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,975 ft (2,126 m) |
| Designation | Nevada state park |
| Established | 1957 |
| Administrator | Nevada Division of State Parks |
| Designated: | 1973 |
Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park is a special place in Nevada. It's a park where you can explore a real ghost town called Berlin. You can also see amazing ichthyosaur fossils that are millions of years old.
This state park covers over 1,100 acres (450 ha) of land. It sits high up at about 7,000 feet (2,100 m) on the side of the Shoshone mountain range. The park is about 23 miles (37 km) east of a town called Gabbs.
Contents
Exploring the Berlin Ghost Town
The town of Berlin started in 1896. This happened when a lot of gold was found nearby. Miners came hoping to strike it rich.
How Berlin's Gold Mine Worked
The Berlin Mine produced a lot of gold. Over 42,000 troy ounces (which is about 1,300 kilograms) of gold were taken out. Miners used special underground methods to get the gold. By 1911, it became too expensive to find more gold. Because of this, the town of Berlin became empty soon after.
What You Can See in Berlin Today
Today, you can still see many old buildings in Berlin. The large building where they processed the ore (rock with gold in it) is still standing. You can see the machines that crushed the ore and separated the gold.
Other buildings you can explore include old homes, a blacksmith shop, and a machine shop. Some buildings let you go inside. Others let you peek through windows to see what's left inside. You can also see the entrances to some of the old mine shafts.
Discovering Ancient Ichthyosaur Fossils
The first ichthyosaur fossils were found here in 1928. Ichthyosaurs were huge marine reptiles that lived long ago. The fossils found here belong to a species called Shonisaurus popularis.
The Largest Ichthyosaurs Ever Found
Scientists dug up fossils through the 1960s. They found the remains of about 40 ichthyosaurs. Until 2004, these were the largest ichthyosaurs ever discovered!
Some of these amazing fossils were left right where they were found. You can see them up close in a special barn. This barn protects the fossils from the weather. The fossil area is about a 10-minute drive from the Berlin ghost town. In 1973, these ichthyosaur fossils were named a National Natural Landmark. This means they are very important to science and history.
Fun Things to Do at the Park
Berlin–Ichthyosaur State Park offers many activities for visitors. You can go camping or have a picnic. There's also a nature trail to explore.
Guided Tours and Trails
During most of the year (except winter), you can take guided tours. These tours will show you the fossil shelter and explain more about the ichthyosaurs. There are also signs along the trails that tell you about the history of Berlin and the mining camp.
You can even take a guided tour into one of the old mine tunnels! This tunnel goes about 500 feet (150 m) into the Berlin Mine. For safety, all other parts of the underground mines are closed.
