In the annals of American paleontology, William Harlow Reed occupies a unique place—a self-taught fossil hunter whose keen eye and determination helped shape our understanding of the prehistoric West. Through his groundbreaking work at Como Bluff, Reed was instrumental in establishing Wyoming as one of the world’s most important centers for paleontological discovery. His career bridged the frontier era of fossil hunting and the emerging professionalism of museum science during the Gilded Age, leaving a legacy in the field of paleontology.

A Chance Encounter with Prehistory

Reed’s introduction to paleontology came almost by accident. Known as “Bill” to his friends and contemporaries, Reed initially moved west to shovel snow for the Union Pacific Railroad but later worked as a hunter and angler. In 1877, near Como Bluff, he stumbled upon massive, fossilized bones on the hillside. His discovery occurred during a pivotal moment in American science, when the professional rivalry and competition between paleontologists Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope—commonly referred to as the “Bone Wars”—was at its height.

After his discovery, Reed and Como Station agent William Edwards Carlin wrote to Marsh at Yale University about the fossils. Reed soon found himself drawn into the highly publicized and contentious competition between the scientists. Reed continued to excavate fossils for Marsh for six years and helped to unearth some of the most remarkable prehistoric specimens of the 19th century, many of which remain on display today.

Como Bluff: A Fossil Treasure Trove

Stretching for roughly eight miles along the Union Pacific Railroad between Rock River and Medicine Bow, the Como Bluff site would become one of the most significant fossil beds in North America. Its sandstone and shale layers date back more than 140 million years to the Late Jurassic, a time when giant sauropods, predatory theropods, and early mammals roamed.

The site’s discovery in the late 1870s opened an unprecedented chapter in paleontology. Fossils from Como Bluff included not only famous giants like Diplodocus, Apatosaurus, and Stegosaurus, but also rare specimens that shed light on prehistoric ecosystems as a whole. The richness of the fossil beds meant that even eroded fragments could lead to major scientific breakthroughs—in fact, Reed discovered a number of prehistoric mammals. The sheer quantity and diversity of material excavated here transformed museum collections around the world, cementing Como Bluff’s place as a cornerstone of paleontological research.

Como Bluff yielded an extraordinary range of Late Jurassic and early Cretaceous fossils, from enormous, long-necked sauropods to massive marine reptiles like the Baptanodon. Reed’s knowledge of the region was instrumental in bringing these specimens to light, expanding scientific knowledge of the Mesozoic. Even today, the site is recognized as a landmark in paleontology for its richness and historical importance.

For Reed, Como Bluff was both a livelihood and a lifelong connection. He returned many times over the years, often guiding expeditions or revisiting earlier sites to locate more complete skeletons. His knowledge of the terrain—and his willingness to endure the remote and often harsh conditions—helped fuel the site’s continued productivity. A renowned angler, he even found the time to fish during his work. In a 1955 letter, Reed’s son-in-law recalls that Reed’s daughter, Dorothy Reed Patterson, once remarked that her father “always located fossil fields near a promising trout stream, convinced, no doubt that dinosaurs discriminated in their choice of a cemetery.”

From the Field to the Museum

Reed’s fieldwork, largely conducted in the many quarries at Como Bluff, eventually led to a new chapter in his career. After three years of collecting fossils and paleontological specimens for the University of Wyoming, Reed was appointed as a curator of the University’s newly established natural history museum in 1897 by Wilbur Knight.

There, Reed oversaw the preparation and display of specimens for research and education. His practical experience made him an invaluable resource for both scientists and students, and he began teaching paleontology courses at the university—passing on his knowledge to the next generation of students. In fact, the Allosaurus on display in the University of Wyoming Geology Museum today was excavated by Reed.

A letter from Reed’s son-in-law recounts that Reed “stocked [the University of Wyoming Museum] with an enormous brontosaurus, a huge skull of a triceratops, a pterodactyl, and numerous other specimens… He was employed at the University of Wyoming from the year 1902 to April 1915, the date of his death.” Reed’s time at the University of Wyoming was interrupted only briefly for a time when he was hired to assist the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, where he was instrumental in the discovery, excavation, and assembly of the infamous Diplodicus carnegii.

The Diplodocus carnegii

Among Reed’s many accomplishments, one stands out for its scale and spectacle: his role in the famous scientific drama of the Diplodocus carnegii skeleton. The long-necked sauropod—discovered by Reed in a quarry near Sheep Creek in 1899 and named for industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie—became one of the most celebrated fossils in the world.

A great impetus was given to the work about this time when an article appeared in one of the New York Daily newspapers telling of the discovery in Wyoming by ‘Bill Reeder’ of some of the leg bones of an immense dinosaur.

Undated Pamphlet from the Carnegie Museum. William Harlow Reed papers, Coll. No. 400038, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

After news broke of Reed’s 1898 discovery of a sauropod thigh bone near Medicine Bow, Wyoming, Andrew Carnegie became determined to acquire the specimen. A pamphlet from the Carnegie Museum in Reed’s papers explains that Carnegie “is said to have torn [the article] out and mailed it to Dr. W. J. Holland, then Director of the Carnegie Museum, with a terse annotation: ‘Dear Doctor: Buy this for Pittsburgh! —A.C.’”

Although this initial discovery was unrelated to the specimen later nicknamed “Dippy,” the discovery brought Reed to the Carnegie Museum’s attention. Reed was soon offered a position at the Carnegie Museum, where, in 1899, he discovered and excavated a Diplodocus near Sheep Creek, just north of Como Bluff. Reed’s knowledge of fossil quarries in the region was essential in not only the discovery of the dinosaur, but in preparing and mounting the skeleton. In a 1955 letter from Reed’s son-in-law to Dr. Carl O. Dunbar at the Peabody Museum of Natural History, “The huge diplodocus mounted at the Carnegie Institute was discovered, quarried and shipped to Pittsburgh by Mr. Reed, who spent two years there… assembling and mounting it.”

Under the supervision of Arthur S. Coggeshall, casts of the Diplodocus would go on to be displayed in museums across Europe and the United States, making it a fixture in American and European natural history museums.

A Lasting Legacy

Reed’s career reflected the transformation of paleontology from a frontier pursuit to a structured scientific discipline. His work at Como Bluff, his role in building the University of Wyoming’s fossil collections, and his efforts in education left an enduring legacy for the state and for science. Through his discoveries, curatorial work, and teaching, William Harlow Reed helped ensure that the prehistoric past would be preserved—and that Wyoming’s fossil heritage would remain central to the story of paleontology.

Post contributed by AHC Audiovisual Archivist, Jessica LaBozetta.

To learn more about the Bone Wars and “Dippy,” Carnegie’s famous dinosaur discovered by William Harlow Reed, the author recommends the excellent work by Tom Rea, Bone Wars: The Excavation and Celebrity of Andrew Carnegie’s Dinosaur.

Sources:

• Breithaupt, B. H. (1990). Biography of William Harlow Reed: The story of a frontier fossil collector. Earth Sciences History, 9(1), 6–13.
• Rea, T. (2001). Bone Wars: The excavation and celebrity of Andrew Carnegie’s dinosaur. University of Pittsburgh Press.