Lost Bones Introduction

Travels and Tales of Discovery: Uncovering Pleistocene Faunal Specimens in Minnesota's County Historical Museum Collections

Welcome to my new writing space on Substack! I’m an amateur paleontologist and historian with a passion for the Ice Age history of Midwest. I currently volunteer my time visiting small‑town museums and county historical society collections across the state. As part of my independent research project, I’m compiling a database of Pleistocene to Holocene mammal specimens—including horses, mammoths, bison, turtles, and more—and sharing the data with the Science Museum of Minnesota, while also bringing the surprising stories I uncover along the way to the public here.

I work a full‑time job, but my heart is in the Pleistocene. This project fills my spare time with drives across Minnesota and my evenings with writing about forgotten bones and unlabeled specimens—hidden away in storage or donated long ago. I’ve already shared some remarkable accounts here, filled with the passion for history shown by the donors and museum professionals I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. Through these stories, my goal is to blend solid science with compelling narrative to bring each specimen’s history to life.

What can you expect? I’ll begin by sharing a series of stories about notable specimens I’ve researched over the last four years, many of which led me to present an abstract and poster at the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology’s annual convention in Minneapolis in October 2024. After that, I’ll post a new story each month as I continue my research travels to every corner of the state.

Or just want to pledge an help keep the rubber on the road? See my about page here.