The finishing touches are being applied to the SRAC woolly mammoth exhibit that includes two murals, movie kiosk, 3D landscapes and a woolly mammoth ten foot tusk, jaw and teeth that were excavated at Spring Lake, near Wyalusing, PA in 1983. The exhibit is the result of months of work by several artists, carpenters, and volunteers and is set to be unveiled this Saturday, April 3rd during an event that will run from 5-9pm.
The exhibit is based upon an excavation that occurred in 1983, in Asylum Township, Bradford County, PA near Wyalusing, when a worker was using a drag line that scooped up and moved the mud in a large bucket to clear an area at Walter and Jane Newton's Spring Lake. One of those scoops when emptied, dropped out a 30 - pound jaw of a Jefferson Woolly mammoth. This discovery excited the local archaeological Chapters and soon Carnegie Museum was heading up an excavation that would later be dubbed the most important excavation in Pennsylvania history.
During the summer and early fall of 1983, volunteers, professionals and local archaeological chapters worked side by side and uncovered many parts of the skeleton - but only bits and pieces of a broken tusk. It wasn't until they were ready to close the excavation that the other tusk would be found - in perfect shape and ten foot in length.
This past fall, the Allen Pierce Foundation donated $5,000 to the Andaste Chapter of PA Archaeology to get perfect replicas made by Carnegie Museum from the original jaw and tusk of the Jefferson woolly mammoth excavated at Spring Lake in 1983 to be on display at SRAC for generations to come. The tusk and jaw will be part of a huge exhibit dedicated to the archaeological chapter and others who were a part of that dig as well as to educate our community about the woolly mammoths and what life was like in our region 12- 15 thousand years ago.
The unveiling ceremony will include a brief opening ceremony that will include Pennsylvania Representative Tina Pickett, President of Andaste Chapter of PA Archaeology Mark Madill, SRAC's Deb Twigg and Ted Keir, and a news reel from the actual excavation in 1983. The unveiling will follow immediately thereafter. The night will also include a photo collage of approximately 200 photos from the actual excavation that will play in the lecture hall throughout the night. The public is invited to attend at any time throughout the event.
SRAC will also be conducting a fund raising raffle on the evening of April 3rd as a part of the grand opening of the new Woolly Mammoth Exhibit. There will be many items to win, and tickets will be available for $1 apiece. Buy as many chances to win as you like! There’s lots to win!
Lambert Chocolatier has donated a $95 milk chocolate Easter Bunny made from the finest chocolate in the region! It weighs nearly 4 pounds and is around 18 inches tall. You can see much more of what Hal and Janet have to offer at http://lambertchocolatier.com/. They have long been friends of SRAC……who can forget the chocolate arrow points!
SRAC wants to thank our new friends at the Ever After Store for their donation of the HUGE Jellycat Truffle Woolly Mammoth! We discovered the Ever After Store while searching for woolly mammoth toys. They have tons of awesome, high quality, toys and gifts. Check them out at www.everafterstore.com. You can also become a fan on their FaceBook page (and you can see all of their great deals!) http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tacoma-WA/EverAfterStorecom/280511870755. One lucky person will win our adorable 30” stuffed woolly mammoth………but now you know where you can get one if you don’t win…..;o)
In addition, the raffle will include a handmade baby quilt, an afghan, and various gift baskets including a wine basket, an Italian pasta basket, a welcome Spring gardening basket, a traditional Easter basket chock full of your favorite candy, and many more! Take a chance and support SRAC with your raffle ticket purchases!
Commemorative DVD's will be available at the event that will include the photo collection from the dig, newsreel from 1983, and a short video by Ted Keir about the excavation.
The event is free to attend and the agenda for the night is as follows: 4-5 pm - doors open to lecture hall; 5 - 6:15 - Unveiling of exhibit; 7:30 pm - REPLAY: News Reel from 1983; 8:30pm Raffle winners announced. Ongoing raffles/basket raffles, food and refreshments, & pictures from the 1983 dig playing in lecture hall throughout the night.
SRAC is located at 345 Broad Street in Waverly, NY. To learn more, visit www.SRACenter.org or email info@SRACenter.org.
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