The ruins and artifacts found throughout the country give us a glimpse into the past — far, far into the past. While a handful of these discoveries were made in Idaho, there is one that helped to put Idaho on the map. Cooper’s Ferry is an archaeological site in western Idaho. Here, some of the oldest artifacts in North America were found, helping experts learn even more about the people who once called this beautiful land home.

Cooper’s Ferry is one of the most well-known archaeological sites in Idaho. It is located along the lower Salmon River in western Idaho. You can find it near the confluence with Rock Creek.
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For more than 10 years, experts worked at the Cooper’s Ferry site to uncover all types of tools from spear points and blades to pieces of debris. It is believed these items are approximately 16,000 years old, making this one of the oldest archaeological sites in America.
Forest Service Northern Region from Missoula, MT, USA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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In addition to the tools, the Cooper’s Ferry team also found ancient bones belonging to extinct animals and even a hearth and pits dug thousands of years ago. Radiocarbon dating tells us that the bones found are approximately 15,500 years old.
Bureau of Land Management, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The discoveries at Cooper’s Ferry add several centuries on to the history of the early American people. These findings suggest that many of the early Americans arrived by sea and then continued inland using river travel.
Bureau of Land Management, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Only a handful of sites throughout America are believed to be as old as the Cooper’s Ferry site. In fact, the only similar site is the Gault Site in Texas, which is also believed to be approximately 16,000 years old.
Bureau of Land Management, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

While public tours are not available at the time of this writing, they have been held occasionally in the past. You can check out the following YouTube video by Cooper’s Ferry Site to learn more about this site and some of its past opportunities.

 

Did you know about this fascinating archaeological discovery in Idaho? What are some of your favorite time periods to learn about? Let us know in the comments! And for even more cool finds in Idaho, check out our feature article.

If you are going to spend some time outdoors and in the backcountry, make sure you have the right equipment. Check out all of the camping, hiking, and other outdoor gear from REI.

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Cooper’s Ferry, Graves Creek Rd, Cottonwood, ID 83522, USA