DC's Coolest Streets - Capitalsaurus Court

DC’s Coolest Streets: Capitalsaurus Court

The houses on Capitalsaurus Court have good bones!

Where: The 100 block of F Street SE in DC’s Capitol Hill neighborhood

Why: Big things happened there

How: Something strange came out of the sewer

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DC's Coolest Streets: Capitalsaurus Court

About 114 years ago, on January 28, 1898 to be exact, a sewer connection dig was underway at First and F Streets, Southeast when workers unearthed a fossilized 6” x 4” portion of the spine of a large, flesh-eating dinosaur.

Project manager J.K. Murphy handed the priceless fossil over to the Smithsonian as The First Dinosaur found in the District of Columbia.

Capitalsaurus was determined by dino experts to be a possible ancestor of the Tyrannosaurus Rex, in excess of 30 feet in length and weighing about 2.5 tons.

Everyone got real excited… about 100 years later.

In 1998, some creative and enthusiastic dino-loving DC school kids—specifically the students of the Watkins and Smothers Elementary School—mercilessly lobbied the DC City Council, (who know a good PR campaign when they hear one), to add the ceremonial name Capitalsaurus Court to the 100 block of F Street SE.  It took effect October 19, 1999. A ceremonial street sign was erected on January 28th of 2000.

It should be mentioned that paleontologists had trouble classifying the find and it changed names a couple of times. It was Peter M Kranz, Phd. who initially suggested the name Capitalsaurus.

The District of Columbia adopted the Capitalsaurus as its official fossil and its official dinosaur.

Proclamation making January 28th Capitalsaurus Day:

Capitalsaurus Day

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IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

January 28, 2001

A PROCLAMATION BY THE MAYOR OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

WHEREAS, on January 28, 1898, of a large carnivorous dinosaur, which may be an ancestor of the Tyrannosaurus rex, were found and given to the Smithsonian as the very first dinosaur from the District of Columbia, and

WHEREAS, this dinosaur has since been given the name "Capitalsaurus" and on September 30, 1998, the Capitalsaurus became an official symbol of the District of Columbia: and

WHEREAS, "Capitalsaurus Court", the 100 block of "F" Street, SE and discovery site of the "Capitalsaurus", was formally named and dedicated on January 28, 2000; and

WHEREAS, the largest exhibit of dinosaurs from the District of Columbia and surrounding region will be displayed in the city this year:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, THE MAYOR OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, do hereby proclaim January 28, 2001, as "CAPITALSAURUS DAY" in Washington, DC.

Anthony A. Williams
Mayor, District of Columbia

Homes on Capitalsaurus Court don’t come as cheaply as dinosaur bones.  Listings average one home per year. Recent prices have ranged from $329K (in the year 2000) to $1,099,000.  Strangely, not a single listing mentions "Capitalsaurus!"  What a wasted marketing opportunity... especially on January 28th of each year. Imagine the open house possibilities!  Ok, Capitalsaurus home owners, I hereby lobby YOU: List your homes with me!! I'll make sure your marketing is exceptional... not prehistoric!

Read all about the Capitalsaurus at:

http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/dinosaur/2010/12/capitalsaurus-a-d-c-dinosaur/

http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~gdouglas/articles/Kranz6.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalsaurus

http://superoceras.blogspot.com/2012/01/happy-capitalsaurus-day.html

http://home.comcast.net/~eoraptor/Neotheropoda.htm