MAMMOTH SITE IN HOT SPRINGS

THIS IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST MAMMOTH SITE AND VISITORS CAN EXPERIENCE AN ACTIVE PALEONTOLOGICAL DIG SITE TO VIEW ICE AGE FOSSILS AS THEY ARE FOUND IN SITU.WHEN WE LIVED THERE IN THE 1970'S IT WAS JUST BECOMING A TOURIST ATTRACTION. AND THEY HAD NO VISITOR CENTER. THEY HAVE GUIDED TOURS.. EARTHWATCH COMES DURING THE SUMMER TO LEARN AND PICK AWAY THE FOSSILS. THEY HAVE UNEARTHED 55 GIANT MAMMOTHS, SHORT FACED BEAR, CAMEL, LLAMA, FISH, RABBIT, PRAIRIE DOG, MAMMALS, AND PLANTS HAVE BEEN PRESERVED AS FOSSILS FROM 26,000 YEARS AGO.


THE AREA WAS A SINKHOLE FORMED WHEN WHEN A CAVERN IN THE LIMESTONE COLLAPSED. THE COLLAPSE CAUSED A VERTICAL SHAFT OF BRECCIA PIPE TO FORM. THE GROUND SURFACE OF SPEARFISH SHALE ALSO CAVED IN . THIS OPENED UP A 65 FOOT DEEP BY 120 FOOT BY 150 FOOT SINKHOLE. THE PIPE PROVIDED A CHIMNEY-LIKE OPENING FOR A WARM ARTESIAN SPRING TO PERCOLATE UP TO CREATE A STEEP SIDED POND.


THE POND WAS A WARM WATER HOLE WITH VEGETATION 26,000 YEARS AGO AND THE MAMMOTHS AND OTHER ANIMALS CAME HERE TO BATH, EAT, AND DRINK. THEY ENTERED AND COULD NOT ESCAPE BECAUSE THEY HAD NO FOOTHOLD TO SCALE THE STEEP SIDES OF THE SHALE BANKS. ALL THESE ANIMALS BECAME TRAPPED IN IN THE PIT AND DIED OF EXHAUSTION TRAPPED IN THE PIT. AND DIED OF EXHAUSTION OR DROWNED. ABOUT 400 TO 700 YEARS AGO AND IT SLOWLY FILLED WITH LAYERS OF SILT, SEDIMENTS AND MUD, TRAPPING THE ANIMALS. IT EVENTUALLY FILLED OVER 1000'S OF YEARS AGO THE HARDENED MUD PLUG INSIDE THE DRIED UP POND HAS REMAINED STABLE. IT BECAME A HILL. DR. LARRY AGENBROAD HAS LED THE RESEARCH ALONG WITH VISITING SCHOLARS.

THESE FOSSILS WERE BURIED UNTIL A BULLDOZER EXPOSED SOME MAMMOTH TEETH WHILE EXCAVATING FOR A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN 1976. TODAY THEIR MUSEUM IS A CLIMATE - CONTROLLED BUILDING AROUND THE ENTIRE SINKHOLE WITH WALKWAYS TO ALLOW CLOSE UP VIEWS. OF THE FOSSILS.

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