Who knew? Bolingbrook has its own Mastodon! Construction workers dug up this enormous jawbone when I-55 was under construction in the early 1960s. It’s now at the Field Museum. One of my readers – my friend Emily – brought this to my attention and took these photos for me.
The Bolingbrook Mastodon Jaw sits under a complete mastodon skeleton in the exhibit.
Mastodons and Mammoths were big elephants who lived in North America for a couple million years. They used those big molars to chew grass and plants. Then, about 10,000 years ago, they all disappeared – climate change? human hunters? Scientists aren’t sure.
Wouldn’t it be cool if The Jaw was on display in Bolingbrook instead of far away downtown at the Field Museum? They have a bunch of bones there already – one lonely jawbone is almost forgettable. But here in The Brook it would be a local treasure. It could be on display at the high school or even the mall. It would give us a stronger sense of our own history and landscape.
Thousands of years ago, gigantic creatures lived and died on the same land where we live, drive our cars, mow our lawns, shop for groceries, and walk our dogs!
Suburbs have such little sense of history as it is. It would be neat if The Jaw could come home.
So, this is the official launch of the Bring The Jaw Back To The Brook campaign!
Who’s with me? Mayor Claar? Principal White?
Anyone? Anyone?
great lol