The Fascinating Archaeological Discovery That Put This Indiana Creek On The Map
By Tori Jane|Published July 06, 2023
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
Indiana isn’t exactly one of those places that immediately come to mind when thinking about significant discoveries; sure, there have been a few fantastic inventions from Indiana, but even those don’t tend to be well-advertised as having origins in the Hoosier State. But what if I told you that there have been some genuinely wondrous things discovered here, from jaw-dropping Native American mounds to Clovis points and more? Turns out, Indiana’s a hot spot for some awesome discoveries – discoveries like this one at what is now called the Prairie Creek Site. One wild discovery in 1972 would slap this little corner of the country right onto the map archaeologically speaking, and even back then, it was understood just how significant this site is.
Hidden in Perry Township, Indiana, is the Prairie Creek Reservoir, a popular outdoor recreation area based around - you guessed it - the waters of Prairie Creek and Prairie Creek Reservoir.
But for now, the reservoir is NOT what we'll be examining (check out the article linked above if your heart's really set on it). No, this reservoir is only being mentioned because it's the one thing most folks will know Prairie Creek by. Let's shift our focus to another portion of Prairie Creek - one nestled in Daviess County.
Daviess County is full of all sorts of interesting local history, as evidenced by the various plaques throughout its small towns (like this one describing the significance of Fort Flora).
It should come as no surprise, then, that this would also be the site of a truly remarkable, historic archaeological find: a beautifully preserved mastodon skeleton peeking out of the dirt right on the banks of the water.
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The site itself is about three miles north of Washington, on the southern bank of the creek. Nowadays, it looks pretty low-key, but anyone who knows what was found here will understand the significance.
In 1972, a local resident was meandering along the banks of the creek when they quite literally stumbled upon what looked like the skeleton of an enormous, prehistoric elephant, and indeed, that's (sort of) what it was.
The find was quickly reported to the Laboratory of Archaeology at Indiana University in Bloomington. The lab sent archaeologist Curtis Tomak to investigate.
He collected some of the bones and made notes about the surrounding landscape, its geography, and the geological clues about the history of the immediate area. Soon, he would be leading excavations to retrieve the mastodon skeleton in its entirety.
Mastodons inhabited the area now known as the Midwest from 10,000 to 11,000 years ago. About 25 million years ago, the species diverged from distant ancestors of modern elephants, and subsequently they became the last-known (and most recent) members of the Mammutidae family.
When compared to modern elephants and/or to mammoths, the mastodon had a longer, wider body, though its legs were shorter. The average male was, at his shoulder, about nine feet in height. He would have weighed about eight tons. They were formidable beasts indeed, and honestly, I think if I somehow had the opportunity to see one in person, I absolutely would.
But for now, all we have to observe are the various remnants of these amazing beasts in Indiana and elsewhere. Every bone tells a story... are you listening?
It's also definitely worth noting that the mastodon's remains were not the only amazing thing found at this incredible site; numerous human artifacts were also recovered nearby, further illustrating the picture we have of Native American folks who called this land home long before we did.
The Prairie Creek Site was – and still is – enormously important in the overall mission to better understand Indiana’s story. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and as a result, it is protected to this day. Interested in more amazing bits and pieces of Hoosier State history? Check out some of the most notable archaeological finds in Indiana that’ll blow history geeks away!
Have you ever visited Prairie Creek and/or the Prairie Creek Site? Tell me about it in the comments!
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