A new culprit ID’d in a paleo whodunit.

The article discusses the destruction of a paleontology museum in Central Park in 1871 and challenges the commonly held belief that it was an act of religious and political vengeance. The destruction of the museum, which included plaster dinosaur skeletons and statues, has been attributed to New York political boss William Tweed, who was rumored to be against the idea of dinosaurs due to religious reasons. However, recent historical research suggests that the destruction was actually ordered by lawyer Henry Hilton, who had a history of destructive tendencies and a strange relationship with artifacts. The article also highlights the lasting influence of artist Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, who revolutionized the display of fossils by creating standing skeletons instead of flat displays. [Extracted from the article]