Hell Creek, Montana, is one of the most windswept, hardscrabble locales in the American West-a quiet town of ranchers, farmers, and others who seek the beauty of the open spaces. It is also the unlikely setting of some of the most fascinating events in the history of the United States and North America. From the first-ever discovery of a Tyrannosaurus rex to Lewis and Clark's landmark expedition; from the Freeman compound standoff to Sitting Bull and Little Big Horn, Hell Creek has been a central player in the events of the last two hundred years-and the last 200 million. Now, with grace and quiet wit, renowned paleontologist and writer Lowell Dingus takes us on a tour of this desolate, beautiful, out-of-the-way place and illuminates its inhabitants, geology, paleontology, and surprising place in history. Nature lovers, dinosaur buffs, and people fascinated with the turbulent history--both ancient and modern--of the American West will find much to delight them in this journey to Hell Creek. “Dingus brilliantly shows that an isolated, rural town surrounded by a lonely piece of America can yield as deep and evocative a history as any terrain on earth. Hell Creek ... is heavenly reading!” - Michael Novacek, Senior Vice President and Provost of Science, American Museum of Natural History "Lowell Dingus tells the saga of the discovery of the first specimen ever found of Tyrannosaurus rex, probably the world's most famous fossil. But he brings a whole lot more to the story, as no other place captures the essence of the history of the American West better than Hell Creek, Montana . A great read about a fantastic piece of American real estate!" - Dr. Niles Eldredge, Curator of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History "There are lots of dinosaur books, yet few of these place the great discoveries in a historical context. Here Lowell Dingus tells us the story of the events that led to some of the great dinosaur discoveries of all time. Interwoven with these stories is a compelling, introspective personal narrative of how happenings in this remote part of Montana have and continue to be a big part of the American scene." --Dr. Mark A. Norell, Chairman and Curator, Department of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History Hell Creek, Montana, is one of the most windswept, hardscrabble locales in the American West-a quiet town of ranchers, farmers, and others who seek the beauty of the open spaces. It is also the unlikely setting of some of the most fascinating events in the history of the United States and North America. From the first-ever discovery of a Tyrannosaurus rex to Lewis and Clark's landmark expedition; from the Freeman compound standoff to Sitting Bull and Little Big Horn, Hell Creek has been a central player in the events of the last two hundred years-and the last 200 million. Now, with grace and quiet wit, renowned paleontologist and writer Lowell Dingus takes us on a tour of this desolate, beautiful, out-of-the-way place and illuminates its inhabitants, geology, paleontology, and surprising place in history. Nature lovers, dinosaur buffs, and people fascinated with the turbulent history--both ancient and modern--of the American West will find much to delight them in this journey to Hell Creek. Advance Praise for Hell Creek, Montana : "Dingus brilliantly shows that an isolated, rural town surrounded by a lonely piece of America can yield as deep and evocative a history as any terrain on earth. Hell Creek . . . is heavenly reading!" - Michael Novacek, paleontologist and author of Time Traveler and Dinosaurs of the Flaming Cliffs "Lowell Dingus tells the saga of the discovery of the first specimen ever found of Tyrannosaurus rex, probably the world's most famous fossil. But he brings a whole lot more to the story, as no other place captures the essence of the history of the American West better than Hell Creek, Montana . A great read about a fantastic piece of American real estate!" - Niles Eldredge, paleontologist and author of Why We Do It and Life in the Balance "There are lots of dinosaur books, yet few of these place the great discoveries in a historical context. Here Lowell Dingus tells us the story of the events that led to some of the great dinosaur discoveries of all time. Interwoven with these stories is a compelling, introspective personal narrative of how happenings in this remote part of Montana have been and continue to be a big part of the American scene." - Mark A. Norell, chairman of the Department of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History Lowell Dingus, Ph.D., is a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City as well as at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. He has directed numerous significant fossil exhibits and has led various paleontological expeditions around the world, including a 1997 Patagonian excavation that uncovered the first fossilized skin from an embryonic dinosaur. He has coauth