Hey, look what I found!
In September of 1998, Dan Buesching was digging for peat on the family farm, and uncovered something unusual – a large object that turned out to be the tusk of a large male mastodon, approximately 12 feet tall, with tusks 9 to 10 feet long!
The family contacted IPFW, who turned the find over to the Archaeology Survey from the Department of Anthropology and Sociology. A full scale, scientific excavation was begun, and nearly 90% of the fossilized remains have been recovered.
While mastodons are not uncommon in Indiana, the Buesching's mastodon, now known affectionately as “Fred The Buesching Mastodon,” is well preserved and very complete, making it a significant discovery. Through research conducted by IPFW and the University of Michigan, the site may be a Paleo-Indian food cache – food stored in a prehistoric lake for preservation through winter – the first of its kind found in the State of Indiana.
The Buesching's mastodon was donated to the Indiana State Museum, where it is on display. A casting can be seen University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and at Science Central in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
