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V. Facts,
Figures, & History
New York's
Loss, Pittsburgh's Gain
While
Tyrannosaurus rex is the dominant player in the Dinosaur
Hall lineup, it wasn’t an original member of the team. It
was actually acquired from New York’s American Museum of
Natural History.
It
is often mistakenly assumed that Tyrannosaurus rex came
to Pittsburgh a war refugee. As the story goes, the American Museum
shipped the dinosaur to Pittsburgh because they were afraid it
might be damaged if the Germans bombed New York City.
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| Photo:
Mindy McNaugher, CMNH |
Actually,
negotiations for T. rex’s relocation to Pittsburgh
began in January of 1941 – nearly a year before the bombing
of Pearl Harbor. Andrey Avinoff, Director of Carnegie Museum at
that time, purchased the T. rex skeleton as an addition
to the museum’s dinosaur hall of fame, thanks to a generous
donation from Museum Trustee George Hubbard Clapp.
In
New York City, each bone was labeled with its placement in the
skeletal scheme. Flour paste and burlap strips were applied to
protect the thin bones. The bones were then transported by truck
to Pittsburgh.
Tyrannosaurus
rex arrived safely in Pittsburgh in 15 wooden cases and four
paper cartons – for a grand shipping total of $108. The
giant was reassembled and took its place as the sentinel of Dinosaur
Hall in 1942 – a position it plays to this day.
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to T. REX Facts,
Figures, & History
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