Long before interstates and city skylines, central Ohio was home to something much wilder: mastodons.
These Ice Age giants once roamed the ancient forests that covered what is now the Buckeye State. And in 1989, one of the most extraordinary fossils ever discovered in North America was found right outside of Newark, buried beneath what would soon become a golf course.
What Were Mastodons, Exactly?
Mastodons were large, elephant-like mammals that lived in North and Central America for millions of years. Unlike their better-known cousins, the woolly mammoths, mastodons had straighter tusks and were built for a forested life. Their teeth were shaped for chewing woody plants and leaves, and they thrived in cool, wet environments.
They disappeared about 10,000 years ago, likely due to a combination of climate change and overhunting by early humans. For thousands of years, they were among the largest animals on the continent, moving slowly through forests, wallowing in swamps, and leaving behind bones that would someday puzzle and fascinate modern scientists.
Ohio: A Mastodon Hotspot
Ohio has long been a key site for mastodon discoveries. The state’s prehistoric wetlands and glacial features made it a prime habitat for these creatures. In fact, more mastodon remains have been found in Ohio than in most other states. From fields to construction sites, their bones continue to emerge from the soil and offer new glimpses into life during the last Ice Age.
Enter the Burning Tree Mastodon
On December 12, 1989, workers digging a new pond at the Burning Tree Golf Course near Newark unearthed something unexpected: enormous bones buried in the frozen ground. Paleontologists were quickly called in, and what they found would make headlines around the world.
The Burning Tree Mastodon was nearly 90 percent complete, making it one of the most intact mastodon skeletons ever discovered. But it wasn’t just the bones that amazed scientists. Inside the animal’s ribcage, they found preserved stomach contents: twigs, moss, swamp plants, even ancient gut bacteria. It was the first time such material had been recovered in North America, and it opened up new avenues of research into mastodon diets, habitats, and even microbiomes.
Incredibly, the find also included signs of butchering, suggesting that humans may have scavenged or hunted the animal. That detail added more depth to the still-murky story of human-megafauna interaction in ancient Ohio.
Where Is It Now?
Despite its significance, the Burning Tree Mastodon didn’t stay in Ohio. In the early 1990s, it was sold to a museum in Japan, where it remains on display today. Many scientists and locals were disappointed to see it leave the state, but its legacy continues here. The research it inspired has been featured in countless studies, and its story is still taught in classrooms across Ohio.
Why It Still Matters
The Burning Tree Mastodon wasn’t just a scientific marvel. It was a reminder that Ohio’s natural history is rich, mysterious, and far older than most people realize. Beneath the quiet fairways of a Newark golf course, one of the greatest Ice Age discoveries in the world sat waiting for thousands of years.
So next time you’re walking in the woods or driving past a construction site, just remember: Ohio has bones, and every now and then, they tell a story worth digging up.
