Mammoth Site

 In 1974 bones were revealed during grading for a new sub-division in Hot Springs, SD. It was decided to leave the bones in situ and construct a building to protect this fantastic discovery.

190,000 years ago the sinkhole at Mammoth Site of Hot Springs formed when a cavern in the Minnelusa Limestone collapsed. This cavern collapse created a steep-sided sinkhole, that was about 65 feet deep and 120 feet by 150 feet wide at the surface. The sinkhole filled with warm artesian water. Likely enticed by warm water and pond vegetation, mammoths entered the pond to eat, drink or bathe. Because of the steep sides of very slippery Spearfish Shale, mammoths were occasionally trapped as they were unable to find a foothold and climb out of the sinkhole during periods of low water. Trapped in the sinkhole, the mammoths ultimately died of starvation, exhaustion, or drowned in the pond. By 140,000 years ago the sinkhole had filled in with sediments.

Depiction of the landscape back then

Just a huge jumble of bones.

Skull of the Giant Short Faced Bear. 

It could be 12 feet tall when standing

Paul, Jane, and Janet checking it out

Only a few of the fossils are Wooly Mammoths,

 all the rest are Columbian Mammoths

At the bottom, 190,000 year ago, lies Napoleon. 

He is oldest and the most complete skeleton uncovered to far. 

He was a youthful 49 years old when he slipped into the sinkhole. 

How it might have looked back then