NY College Students Unearth Thousand Year Old Mastodon Remains

You never know what you're going to find in your own backyard!

A History of Mastodon Finds in The Hudson Valley

Back in 2008 bones that belonged to a 12,000-year-old mastodon were dug up in Dutchess County.

Hyde Park resident, Larry Lozier, was looking to deepen his backyard pond when he came across some rather large bones. According to The Baltimore Sun, scientize from all over New York made the trip to Hyde Park to analyze the bones.

Once-In-A-Lifetime Dig Unearths Mastodon Remains in Orange County, NY

In a press release from SUNY Orange, we recently learned that 12 college students and 2 professors took part in a "once-in-a-lifetime'' right in their own backyard.

After such a successful find back in 2024, SUNY Orange staff thought that there may be more bones lingering around. And wouldn't you know it, they were right!

SUNY Orange, via Facebook

For 6 weeks, the students and professors "excavated several one-meter-by-one -meter test unites in hopes of finding additional remains" on the property it the Middletown region.

During the dig, students uncovered the following:

Multiple Vertebrae
Additional Jaw Fragments
Ribs

They believe these bones belonged to the same "Ice Age" mastodon.

All of those items have been shipped to the New York State Museum for examination and curation. The smaller pieces and skull fragments are currently stored at the College's Middletown campus.

Orange Count Executive Shares His Excitement Over Mastodon Find

Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus shared some behind the scenes photos of the dig on social media.

Executive Neuhaus also shared his excitement about the find writing "Did you know that one of America’s latest archaeological digs is happening right here in Orange County?"

He added:
A new set of mastodon bones was found, and I got to see it firsthand! It’s all happening right here in our own backyard, and it’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Here is the story…A dozen students from @suny_orange and two dedicated professors are spending their summer carefully excavating this incredible discovery. Watching them unearth pieces of ancient history is something I’ll never forget.
Orange County is making history!

Take a look at some of the cool photos he took along the way:

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A post shared by Steve Neuhaus (@steve.neuhaus)

Once-In-A-Lifetime Dig Unearths Mastodon Remains in Orange County, New York

Orange County is making history after finding more Mastodon bone fragments during a SUNY Orange Summer course.

8 Photos From Upstate New York's Most Unique Museum

New York State is filled with hidden gems. This upstate New York area is the home to local businesses in their downtown area, musuems and more.

Gallery Credit: Allison Kay

Sneak Peek at Highly Anticipated Hudson Valley Museum

A New Museum Will Open In The Catskills Featuring Hollywood's Biggest Stars

The Borscht Belt Museum will open in Ulster County,NY. This allows for the history of the Borscht Belt to carry on in the Hudson Valley.

While celebrities in the past visited the Borscht Belt region, there will be more involved in the community when this museum opens in 2025.

Fran Drescher And Fellow Celebrities Will Sit On A Hudson Valley Museum Board

Fran Drescher is a celebrity that almost everyone likes. Known for her role as Fran Fine in The Nanny, the world couldn't help but laugh at her jokes, statements, and relatable interactions with other members of the show.

According to Yahoo News,

Fran Drescher isn't the only celebrity who will be in the Catskills.

"The museum’s list of advisory board members includes Fran Drescher, Harvey Fierstein, Judd Hirsch, Robert Klein and Richard Lewis — a fitting cast for a place where some of the nation’s top comedians got their start."

Have You Ever Heard Of The Borscht Belt?

According to Borscht Belt Museum.org,

"For generations of Jews in the New York metropolitan area, there was no doubt about the location of those “mountains.” Less than 100 miles from the cramped, sweltering tenements of Manhattan’s Lower East Side was a lush patchwork of forests, farms and bustling rural towns that hosted a summertime population of nearly a million urban strivers hungry for the clean air, fresh food and familiar camaraderie that even a garment worker or cab driver could afford."

Spending the summer in the Catskills sounds ideal.

"From the turn of the 20th century to the 1970s, more than 1,000 hotels, bungalow colonies, summer camps and boarding houses dotted the Catskill Mountains of southern New York. At first they came by train, and later, by bus and car along The Quickway, now known as Route 17."

Some may know this area or region to be called Solomon County, Jewish Alps or The Mountains. The Borscht Belt was also another term that most people remember the most.

How Can You Visit The Borscht Belt Museum In Ellenville, NY?

I took a day trip to the Borscht Belt Museum in Ellenville, NY. Upon arrival, I was greeted by a humorous sign stating "Come in and schmooze, free admission".

When I entered the museum, I was greeted by a volunteer. I was able to walk around and see memorabilia from the different resorts of the Borscht Belt region and community.

I was also told that this museum is a pop up for now, they will continue to change the set up as well. 2025 marks the year that the Borscht Belt Museum will officially open.

Gallery Credit: Allison Kay

Source: Once-In-A-Lifetime Dig Unearths Mastodon Remains in Orange County, New York

Filed Under: hudson valley