The fossils may date back some 40 million years, but the national monument that now protects them has just turned 50. The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument was officially designated on Oct. 8, 1975, following an authorization by Congress that was signed by President Gerald Ford the previous year. Before that, the area had been protected by the state of Oregon, which purchased the land on the recommendation of a group of paleontologists who had been digging up ancient fossils there since the 1860s. Read more at the link in our bio. 📷 by Jamie Hale #johndayfossilbeds