In 1978 a couple of Waco, Texas locals were searching for arrowheads and came across a large bone.  They took the bone to a scientist at Baylor University, who identified it as a mammoth bone.  A Baylor undergraduate started an archeological exploration of the site in 1979, uncovering 5 mammoths over a 2.5 year period.  In the following years, another 16 mammoths were discovered.

The area is managed by the National Park Service in cooperation with the City of Waco and Baylor University, and  became a National Monument in 2015 under President Obama.

The site is much smaller and much less dramatic than Dinosaur National Monument in Utah that we visited last fall, but interesting nevertheless in that it is one of only a few places where prehistoric remains in situ can be easily viewed by the public.  A building erected over the site provides viewing access while providing access to students and scientists for further study of the area.

The place was also practically deserted on the day of our visit, making it even more attractive to us! 😉