Until the end of the Pleistocene epoch, more than 11,000 years ago, mammoth elephant-like creatures known as mastodons roamed in herds across North and Central America. It is widely presumed that hunters’ overexploitation of this forest-happy species led to a mass extinction, and their prowess was long forgotten.
The importance of the mighty mastodon comes into focus at this striking Valley display. Exhumed in 1952, “Harry” — he’s named after the mid-Valley town in which he was discovered — is one of only three complete mastodon skeletons found in the world.
Harry is just one of the highlights of this 65-year-old museum, which is dedicated to celebrating life in 19th-century America. The location brims with quirky artifacts that shed light on what day-to-day existence was like more than a century ago. Visitors here can learn how to make a candle, ogle a sled that once provided amusement for President McKinley, and peep inside an authentic replica of a stone schoolhouse.
Can you identify the current location of this antediluvian beast, and in what town its prehistoric remains were found? Submit your answer using the form below. The first reader with the correct response wins a prize. Good luck!
