The Fascinating Archaeological Discovery That Put This Small Illinois College On The Map
By Linze Rice|Published August 01, 2023
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Linze Rice
Author
Ope! From the rural cornfields of DeKalb County, Linze is an Illinois native and true Midwestern gal who can make a mean bonfire and whip up a perfect marshmallow salad. Since 2014, her bylines and photography have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Sun-Times, and Block Club Chicago/DNAinfo Chicago, Only in Your State, and more. She has interviewed Dolly Parton, written about beloved diners along historic Route 66, visited the last Rainforest Cafe in the Illinois, and reviewed luxurious English manor-inspired hotels. Whether it's writing about a local gem or world-renowned establishment, Linze brings a heartwarming and historical perspective to each story, using facts, wit, and personal experience to impress upon readers the importance of culture, food, travel, and all things local. Her favorite destinations in Illinois include Starved Rock State Park, Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood, the charming small town of Sycamore, and historic Rosehill Cemetery. When she's not writing or photographing, Linze enjoys gardening, spending time with her husband and pets, cooking, baking, and grilling, and relaxing with trashy TV.
I love history. Though, I would never expect to unearth a discovery over 10,000 years old — and certainly not on my college campus. Yet, that’s exactly what happened to not one — but two — workers at a private university in the Prairie State. Illinois is full of incredible history, but the mammoth tusk discovered at Principia College in Elsah, Illinois is truly one for the ages.
Principia College is a small liberal arts college located about 45 minutes north of St. Louis on the Mississippi River.
In the fall of 2022, a facilities department employee spotted white bone-like fragments in the dirt while collecting soil for a construction project. Geologists from the Illinois State Museum were called in to inspect the fragments and discovered they were ivory pieces of a massive tusk.
It's expected the excavation could last several years, as radar scans have shown there is possibly more further down in the soil. In the meantime, the skeletal remains have a new name, "Mike," after the employee who discovered them.
Amazingly, it's not the first mammoth uncovered at the campus — in 1999 the tusks and head of "Benny" were discovered on site. The Ice Age mammoth is believed to be over 17,000 years old and was hiding only 6 feet down in the soil between two of the residence halls.
A class of 13 geology students found the bones, and it took 14 years to fully excavate and display them. Today, they are on display in the college's science building.
The mammoth bone sightings have put the small college on the map, and the school even placed a bench on the campus commemorating the incredible discovery.
So, did you know there was a mammoth tusk discovered at Principia College in Elsah, Illinois? What are some of the archaeological discoveries in Illinois that fascinate you? Any cool historical sites you recommend? Tell us in the comments! Learn more about Principia College’s mammoth discovery here. And if you’re interested in more archaeological discoveries in Illinois, check out the nearby mysterious Cahokia Mounds prehistoric site!
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