Re: Paluxy tracks

[paleo@ix.netcom.com (Glen J. Kuban )]

    In my recent post about the "man tracks" in Texas I made a number 
of typos I would like to correct.  

    First, I apologize to Shaun for the mistake in his name and gender.

    Second, I meant to indicate that the initial man track claims arose 
around 1908, not 1980 (a simple typo).  To elaborate a little, a series 
of elongate tracks interpreted as giant human prints was first reported 
in 1908 or 1909 by local resident Charlie Moss, shortly after a major 
flood through the area (at the same time Charlie also reported the 
first three-toed dinosaur tracks in the Paluxy).  Similar three-toed 
theropod tracks were reported in minor geologic publications in the 
early 1900's, but it was not until the late 1930's and early 1940's 
when Roland Bird visited the area and published several subsequent 
articles that the thereopod tracks became widely known, as well as the 
sauropod tracks that were known only to the local residents until that 
time (most locals evidently regarded the sauropod tracks as ancient 
elephant tracks).
    The first creationist claims began in 1950 with articles by 
Clifford Birdick in a Seventh Day adventist magazine, followed by 
mention in the landmark creationist work _The Genesis Flood_ by John 
Whitcomb and Henry Morris_.  The first real creationist field work took 
place in the late 1960's and early 70's by Rev. Stanley Taylor and 
crew, resulting in a 16 mm film which strongly prompted the human track 
claims, and which was widely shown to schools and churches all over the 
country.  Ironically, around the same time a creationist group from 
Loma Linda University studied the same tracks, and disputed the human 
track claims, showing that they consisted of erosional features, a few 
probable carvings (on loose slanbs), and some elongate dinsoaur tracks 
(although they were unsure of the source of the elongation). However,   
but their results were largely ignored.  Indeed, additional creationist 
teams visited the Paluxy and promoted new and old claims in many 
articles, books, tapes, tracts, and debates throughout the 1970's, by 
which time the "man tracks" had become a favorite anti-evolutionary 
example. 
   As noted last time, I began my work in 1980, and by the fall of that 
year recognized the most reknown and problematic tracks as forms of 
metatarsal dinosaur tracks (explaining the missing source of the 
elongated dinosaur tracks described by the Loma Linda group)--and 
gathering additional evidence in the early and mid 1980's with Ron 
Hastings.  Our work and publciations led most creationists to backtrack 
on their claims, although as mentioned before, a few persistent 
individuals such as Carl Baugh are still at it.  That in a nut-shell is 
a history of the controversy.  

3.  As most people probably figured out, "carbings" should have been 
"cavings."  

    I also made a few other typos, which I think were self-evident.  If 
I can clear up any other questions, give a holler.

Glen