The Farmington Mastodon: Connecticut at the End of the Last Ice Age In-Person
In August of 1913, workmen digging a ditch on the Hill-Stead estate of A.A. Pope in Farmington uncovered the remains of a mastodon. It is the most complete mastodon ever found in Connecticut and it has recently been radiocarbon-dated (14,900–14,200 cal BP) as has another, less complete mastodon from New Britain (13,100-12,984 ca BP). While the stories of these mastodons are fascinating in their own right, the significance of the finds become even more apparent when considered in the light of recent archaeological finds, which push the date of documented human settlement in Connecticut back to at least 12,500 years ago. This talk, presented by Connecticut State Archaeologist Sarah P. Sportman, PhD, focuses on what these old and new discoveries tell us about Connecticut’s history and environment at the end of the last Ice Age and examines the question of whether people and mastodons might have once shared the Connecticut landscape.
- Date:
- Tuesday, July 28, 2026
- Time:
- 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
- Time Zone:
- Eastern Time - US & Canada (change)
- Location:
- Durham Conference Center ( Lower Level Left)
- Audience:
- Adults ( or ages 19+)
- Categories:
- In-Person Onsite Program