Our region’s ties to its prehistoric past began more than 200 years ago in a marl pit just east of the Village of Montgomery. That’s where a nearly-intact mastodon skeleton was unearthed.

The discovery by scientist Charles Wilson Peale in the summer of 1801 is said to have given birth to American Paleontology. Though the skeleton found its way to a German museum, the great mastodon dig remains a part of Montgomery’s celebrated history.

Now that history may come to life in the form of a dinosaur theme park. A prospective developer is looking to develop 3.5 acres of a 139.7 acre property at the intersection of Route 17K and Barron Road in the Town of Montgomery. The property, owned by Orange County, was once touted as a potential home for a minor league baseball stadium. But that team that ultimately became the Hudson Valley Renegades chose a site in Dutchess County for their home field in 1994. The property has remained off the tax rolls for more than three decades.

It’s not the region’s first flirtation with a prehistoric presence. The Turk family, owners of Splashdown Park and Highalnd’s famed Rocking Horse Ranch, floated a plan for a dinosaur-themed amusement park in Plattekill some 20 years ago.

This plan seems to have more support from those in power. Orange County Dinosaur Park LLC was the recipient of a $1.7 million Empire Development Grant. County officials predict it would attract 300,000 visitors and generate more than $1.6 million in tax revenue in its first year of operation. They have touted it as the next piece of a tourism puzzle that includes Legoland. It’s also near the site of the Colden Mansion ruins, where Town of Montgomery officials hope to create a 8.5 acre park with walking trails lined with placards to explain the historical significance of the site, and an ecological overlook.

The dinosaur park must still clear the approval process of the local planning board, but it’s certainly worth a look. The plans call for an assortment of rides and attractions, state-of-the art lifelike dinosaurs, educational exhibits and an outdoor botanical conservatory. Supporters of the project will also point out the one thing the theme park is not: it’s not another warehouse. The consensus is that there are already too many of them.