Cohoes in Albany County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Cohoes Mastodont
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, April 7, 2011
1. The Cohoes Mastodont Marker
Inscription.
The Cohoes Mastodont was discovered during the excavation for Harmony Mill #3 in 1866. The mill is sometimes referred to as the "Mastodon Mill" for this reason. When all the bones were recovered, they were kept at the Harmony Mills Office on exhibit, where they were seen by hundreds of people. The discovery was a nationwide sensation, generating considerable press coverage and controversy. In 1867, the skeleton was transferred to state ownership and exhibited in the State Cabinet of Natural History in Albany. It was later displayed, along with a furry replica, in the State Education building in Albany. Both of these are shown below. In life, the mastodont stood nearly nine feet tall and weighed five or six tons; its tusks were more than four feet long. ,
The Mastodont Today. In 1976, the skeleton was disassembled and put into storage, while the replica found a new home in the Cohoes Public Library. In the mid-1990s, the 11,000 year old skeleton was painstakingly cleaned, rearticulated and studied, revealing more clues about the life and times of this ancient resident of Cohoes. It now stands in the lobby of the New York Sate Museum in Albany.
The Cohoes Mastodont was discovered during the excavation for Harmony Mill #3 in 1866. The mill is sometimes referred to as the "Mastodon Mill" for this reason. When all the bones were recovered, they were kept at the Harmony Mills Office on exhibit, where they were seen by hundreds of people. The discovery was a nationwide sensation, generating considerable press coverage and controversy. In 1867, the skeleton was transferred to state ownership and exhibited in the State Cabinet of Natural History in Albany. It was later displayed, along with a furry replica, in the State Education building in Albany. Both of these are shown below. In life, the mastodont stood nearly nine feet tall and weighed five or six tons; its tusks were more than four feet long.
The Mastodont Today
In 1976, the skeleton was disassembled and put into storage, while the replica found a new home in the Cohoes Public Library. In the mid-1990s, the 11,000 year old skeleton was painstakingly cleaned, rearticulated and studied, revealing more clues about the life and times of this ancient resident of Cohoes. It now stands in the lobby of the New York Sate Museum in Albany.
• Paleontology. A significant historical year for this entry is 1866.
Location. 42° 46.82′ N, 73° 42.261′ W. Marker is in Cohoes, New York, in Albany County. Marker is at the intersection of Vliet Street and North Mohawk Street, on the right when traveling east on Vliet Street. The marker is in Power Canal Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Cohoes NY 12047, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. There is another marker for the "Site of the Cohoes Mastodon".
Additional keywords. Mastodon Canal Park Cohoes
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, April 7, 2011
2. The Cohoes Mastodont Marker
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, April 7, 2011
3. The Cohoes Mastidont Marker
The Cohoes Mastodont marker near the intersection of North Mohawk Street and Vliet Street, just to the left of the street signs. In the background is Hamony Mill No. 3 the centerpiece building of the Harmony Mills Historic District.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, April 7, 2011
4. The Cohoes Mastodont Marker Detail
Compare the marker detail to the photo of the Harmony Mill #3 building today; the trees and trolly tracks are gone, replaced by streetlighting. The State Education Marker mentioned in the marker photo caption is located to the left of the orange construction barrels in the top photo.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, April 7, 2011
5. Power Canal Park Interpretive Signs Plaque
This plaque is mounted on the fence nearby.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on April 9, 2011, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. This page has been viewed 1,028 times since then and 19 times this year. Last updated on April 11, 2011, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on April 9, 2011, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.