http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/38073162

Three fossil discoveries in Washington Territory and their histories, 1876 to present

"Numerous discoveries of extinct species of animals have been made within the Columbia Basin physiographic province of the Pacific Northwest, including on lands presently included in Washington state. Three notable nineteenth-century excavations were undertaken during the 1870s in an eastern portion of former Washington Territory upon the discovery of extinct species. All excavations yielded Columbian mammoth (Mammuthus columbi) and/or bison (Bison bison or Bison antiquus) remains and artifacts. The environments of the discovery sites were all natural springs. Following excavation, some of the fossils were promoted on the Pacific Coast prior to entering curatorial care in university or natural history museum settings. Two twentieth-century excavations were carried out at one find locale, the Coplen Spring near Latah, Washington. A contemporary study indicates that fossils from the Coplen Spring were recovered below tephra from the Mazama climactic eruption (circa 6850 years before present). Historical accounts, primary excavation records, letters, and photographs were used to reconstruct the histories of the individual specimen collections. Review of these data sources indicates that the vicinity of each spring which produced these fossils yet retains an archaeological-paleontological potential"--Document.

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