Mastodon State Historic Site is a publicly owned, archaeological and

paleontological Paleontology (), also spelled palaeontology or palæontology, is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene epoch (roughly 11,700 years before present). It includes the study of foss ...

site with recreational features in

Imperial, Missouri Imperial is a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,407 at the 2020 census, down from 4,709 in 2010. Originally known as West Kimmswick, Imperial is located south of downtown St. Louis. ...

, maintained by the

Missouri Department of Natural Resources The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) of the government of the U.S. state of Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied fo ...

, preserving the Kimmswick

Bone Bed A bone bed is any geological stratum or deposit that contains bones of whatever kind. Inevitably, such deposits are sedimentary in nature. Not a formal term, it tends to be used more to describe especially dense collections such as Lagerstätte. ...

. Bones of

mastodon A mastodon ( 'breast' + 'tooth') is any proboscidean belonging to the extinct genus ''Mammut'' (family Mammutidae). Mastodons inhabited North and Central America during the late Miocene or late Pliocene up to their extinction at the end of th ...

s and other now-extinct animals were first found here in the early 19th century. The area gained fame as one of the most extensive

Pleistocene The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was finally confirmed in ...

ice age deposits in the country and attracted scientific interest worldwide. The site was purchased by the state in 1976 following an effort to preserve it from destruction with the construction of

Interstate 55 Interstate 55 (I-55) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, connecting the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes. The h ...

. Archaeological history was made at the site in 1979 when scientists excavated a stone spear point made by hunters of the

Clovis culture The Clovis culture is a prehistoric Paleoamerican culture, named for distinct stone and bone tools found in close association with Pleistocene fauna, particularly two mammoths, at Blackwater Locality No. 1 near Clovis, New Mexico, in 1936 a ...

(14,000–10,000 years ago) in direct association with mastodon bones. This was the first solid evidence of the coexistence of people and these giant prehistoric beasts. The Kimmswick Bone Bed was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1980.

Activities and amenities

A museum tells the natural and cultural story of the oldest American Indian site one can visit in the state's park system. A full-size replica of a mastodon skeleton highlights the exhibits. A picnic area, hiking trails, and a special-use campground offer chances to explore the land where the lives of Native Americans and mastodons once intertwined.

References

External links

Mastodon State Historic Site
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Mastodon State Historic Site Map
Missouri Department of Natural Resources {{authority control Pleistocene Clovis sites Cenozoic paleontological sites of North America Archaeological sites in Missouri Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Missouri Pre-Columbian archaeological sites Missouri State Historic Sites Natural history museums in Missouri Museums in Jefferson County, Missouri Protected areas established in 1980 Protected areas of Jefferson County, Missouri Fossil museums Paleontology in Missouri National Register of Historic Places in Jefferson County, Missouri Fossil parks in the United States 1976 establishments in Missouri Tourist attractions in St. Louis Buildings and structures in Jefferson County, Missouri Mastodons