Mastodon State Historic Site, Paleontological excavation site in Imperial, Missouri, United States
Mastodon State Historic Site is an excavation area in Jefferson County containing ice age deposits. The grounds include a large bone bed with remains of various prehistoric creatures and a museum with exhibits.
The site gained attention when a Clovis culture spear point was found in 1979, showing that people and mastodons encountered each other. This discovery pushed back the known timeline of human presence in North America.
The museum displays replicas of animal bones and tools that show how early hunters lived in this area. Visitors can see how closely those ancient people were connected to the large creatures around them.
The grounds offer several hiking trails of different lengths and rest areas with picnic tables. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes and bring plenty of water, especially on warm days.
The bone deposit here ranks among the largest ice age sites in the United States and holds one of the richest collections of prehistoric bones. Researchers continue to make new discoveries that deepen our understanding of these ancient animals.
Location: Jefferson County
Inception: 1976
Website: https://mostateparks.com/park/mastodon-state-historic-site
GPS coordinates: 38.37917,-90.39472
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:41
Missouri offers a mix of geological formations and historic sites that show the natural resources and industrial past of the state. The landscape includes massive granite boulders, deep limestone caves, and clear springs that bubble up from the ground. Parks and conservation areas preserve forests, creeks, and bluffs along the state's rivers. Visitors find hiking trails that wind through wooded hills, along stream beds, and to viewpoints that overlook broad valleys. Historic sites add layers of human history. Stone mills like Bollinger Mill and Alley Mill still stand, their waterwheels and timber structures recalling a time when grinding grain and making textiles happened locally. Ha Ha Tonka State Park displays the ruins of a stone castle perched on a bluff above a lake, while Watkins Woolen Mill contains a preserved 19th-century textile factory. Caves such as Onondaga Cave and Meramec Caverns open beneath the surface, revealing stalactites, stalagmites, and underground rivers. Elephant Rocks State Park shows giant pink granite boulders scattered across hillsides, and Dogwood Canyon Nature Park offers waterfalls and forest trails. These places provide a look at Missouri's natural geology and the communities that once used it.
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