The Turning Point

The Turning Point. . Archaeology reveals the past in layers of soil here at Minneopa State Park. The artifacts below suggest that people hunted bison for thousands of years. Yet a recent turn of events removed these massive herds from daily life. Bones from slaughtered bison once heaped in piles across the Great Plains, a near extinction. Today, an era of conservation protects the herd. How is your bison experience different from those before us?, Vertebrae , This long bone, the thoracic vertebrae, supports muscles in the bison's hump., 6000–4000 years ago , This stone point shows people may have hunted bison here with darts or spears., 2200–1700 years ago , Pottery pieces offer clues that families cooked and camped here., 1200–300 years ago , This stone point suggests hunters used bow and arrows to hunt bison., 170–140 years ago , People slaughtered millions of bison for profit, hides, and sport. Wild bison gone from Minnesota., Today , State parks protect and use bison to help manage the prairie.