Ancient Echoes Interpretive Centre facts for kids
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| Established | 1994 |
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| Location | Herschel, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Type | First Nations history, natural history, ancient history |
| Key holdings | “The Disappearance and Resurgence of the Buffalo” |
| Collections | Art, archaeology, paleontology, geology, biology |
The Ancient Echoes Interpretive Centre is a cool museum and learning spot in Herschel, Saskatchewan, Canada. It opened in 1994. This centre helps us learn about, protect, and share the history of the Eagle Creek Valley. It also covers the Coal Mine Ravine area.
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Discover Ancient Echoes
This special centre started in 1994. It took over a closed elementary school building. The board of directors bought the school for a very small price.
Ancient Echoes is in Herschel, northwest of Rosetown. It is a community project. It helps the west-central area of Saskatchewan. The centre focuses on education and protecting important sites. It also serves as a community hub.
The centre sits above the Coalmine Ravine. From here, you can see fossil beds. You can also see a First Nations ceremonial complex. This complex is a special heritage site. Over the years, experts have done many digs here. They have found amazing things.
Ancient Echoes focuses on three main areas. These are prehistoric times, Indigenous history, and the local environment. The area has native prairie lands. It also includes ancient Indigenous sites. These sites have rock carvings called petroglyphs.
You can find many marine fossils here. These include plesiosaurs and mosasaurs. The centre even has the only Dolichorhynchops herschelensis fossil in the world. You can take guided walks through the ravine. These walks show you different sites and exhibits. Displays include natural history and Indigenous artifacts. There is also a permanent art collection. It shows the story of the plains bison.
Outside, you will see a life-size statue of a plains grizzly bear. William Epp made this statue. These bears used to live on the prairie. They disappeared in the early 1900s. The centre also honors James Carnegie. He was a Scottish Earl. He came here in 1859 to hunt. He was looking for large animals like the plains grizzly. His diary tells about seeing a bear near Herschel.
Ancient Echoes is a popular place for school trips. They offer special programs for all ages. These programs cover Indigenous history, nature, and archaeology. During summer, they have fun activities. You can learn pottery making or drum making. There are also hikes to learn about nature and fossils. They even have full-moon hikes! The centre is open from May to August. You can visit by request in winter and spring.
Journey Through Time: History of the Centre
In October 1994, the Herschel Interpretive Centre officially opened. It was run by amazing volunteers. Donations from people and companies helped fund it. It also received a small government grant. The centre's goal is to teach about and protect the history. It covers the people and land of the Eagle Creek Valley.
Over the years, many people have given generous gifts. Local taxidermist Lyle Waddington donated many animal displays. These include birds and mammals from the Herschel area. He also gave a huge 900-kilogram buffalo display. You can still see it at the centre today.
Around the same time, Jack Klemmer visited. He was a woodcarver from Rosetown. His carvings are now on display. The money from their sale goes to Ancient Echoes. In the late 1990s, Enbridge Pipelines donated $5,000. This helped buy carts for displays. It also helped print famous Metis artist Jo Cooper's paintings. Her art, "The Disappearance and Resurgence of the Buffalo," is a permanent exhibit.
In the 1990s, three Dolichorhynchops herschelensis fossils were found. They were in the Coalmine Ravine. Paleontologists found many marine fossils during this dig. These included shark species and fish bones. They also found a mosasaur, a large lizard-like sea animal. Since then, paleontologists keep exploring the ravine. New dinosaurs, marine reptiles, and other fossils are often found. The Herschel area is now a hot spot for discoveries.
Key Moments in History
- 65 million years ago – Herschel was under a huge sea. This sea was called the Western Interior Seaway. Many fossils were left on the sea bottom.
- 1960 – Henry Kosloski found Petroglyph #1. He was a farmer from nearby Biggar. He kept it secret to protect it.
- 1961 – The Herschel school was built. This building later became Ancient Echoes.
- 1978 – Kosloski finally shared his secret about the petroglyphs.
- 1988 – The petroglyph site became a provincial heritage site.
- 1990 – The first plesiosaur fossil was found near Herschel. It was about 40 feet long.
- 1992 – Experts started mapping and digging at the petroglyph site. They found tools and pottery pieces.
- 1993 – More digs happened at the petroglyph sites. They found objects believed to be offerings. This showed the site was used from 600 AD to 1900 AD.
- 1994 – The first plesiosaur was dug up. It moved to the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta. The Herschel school closed. The Herschel Development Committee bought the school for $1. The Herschel Interpretive Centre officially opened.
- 1996 – Jo Cooper, a Metis artist, came to work on her art. Her exhibit was about the plains buffalo. She gave tours and visited often.
- 1997 – Two more plesiosaurs were found. Paleontologists found sharks, fish, and a mosasaur. Jack Klemmer donated money from his carvings. Cooper's paintings were displayed.
- 1998 – The community bought Cooper's painting exhibit. It became a permanent display. They sold wood from the old town elevator to raise money.
- 1999 – The centre received $5,000 from Enbridge Pipelines. This helped buy display carts and print Cooper's paintings.
- 2005 – The plesiosaur remains were named a new species. It was called Dolichorhynchops herschelensis. Dr. Tamaki Sato, a Japanese paleontologist, made this discovery.
- 2016 – More fossil digs happened. New dinosaurs and marine reptiles were found.
- 2017 – Ancient Echoes celebrated Canada 150. They had a "Shared Land Celebration." Representatives from several Indigenous Nations attended.
- 2018 – A visitor found a dinosaur bone in the ravine. The centre reported it to a paleontologist.
- 2018 – The centre won a special award. It was the Prince of Wales Ecclesiastical Insurance Cornerstone Award. This award recognizes important community organizations.
Meet Dolichorhynchops herschelensis
The Ancient Echoes Interpretive Centre is home to a unique fossil. It is the only Dolichorhynchops herschelensis ever found. Tamaki Sato discovered it was a new species in 2005. The fossils were found in Saskatchewan's Bearpaw Formation. This rock formation is from the Late Cretaceous period.
The fossil was found near Herschel. That is where its name comes from. The rocks here were laid down in the Western Interior Seaway. This was just before the area became dry land.
The D. herschelensis skeleton was spread out at the dig site. They found the skull, lower jaw, ribs, and shoulder blades. But the spine was not complete. So, we don't know the exact number of bones it had. All four limbs are missing. Only a few finger bones were found nearby.
This fossil is believed to be from an adult Dolichorhynchops herschelensis. It was likely smaller than its close relative, D. osborni. Even young D. osborni were bigger than this adult. Scientists think this animal was about 2.5 to 3 meters long. It had a long, thin snout. It also had many tooth sockets. However, very few of its thin, sharp teeth remain.
Explore Permanent Exhibits
Ancient Echoes Interpretive Centre has amazing indoor and outdoor tours. You can see dinosaur and fossil displays. There are also geological specimens. You can even visit a dinosaur dig site.
The centre's prairie grasslands exhibit is also great. It shows endangered prairie plants. You can learn about traditional Indigenous medicine and food. There are also displays of wild animals.
The First Nations exhibit teaches about Indigenous history. It focuses on the Herschel area. You can tour a traditional ceremonial complex. This includes petroglyphs (rock carvings). There is also a vision quest site. You can see a turtle effigy and archaeological digs. There are tipi rings and a buffalo jump. You can also see a pemmican processing site. Displays of tools and pottery making are also here. You can also learn about James Carnegie's visit in 1859.
The centre also has art by Metis artist Jo Cooper. Her exhibit is called “The Disappearance and Resurgence of the Buffalo.” It tells the story of the plains bison in the area. Outside, you will see a life-sized sculpture. It is a plains grizzly bear by William Epp. This bear was shot near the centre in 1859. It was by the Scottish hunter James Carnegie. There is also a cool metal sculpture of a Dolichorhynchops herschelensis.
Discover Changing Exhibits
Ancient Echoes has a special art gallery. It is called the Prairie View Gallery. It shows new exhibits throughout the year. These exhibits feature new and well-known artists and photographers. Displays usually stay for about three months.
Relax at The Valley View Tea and Craft Room
The Valley View Tea Room is inside Ancient Echoes. Local volunteers run it. They offer coffee, tea, and other drinks. You can also enjoy homemade baked goods. They have local favorites like Saskatoon berry pie. The centre's gift shop has many souvenirs. You can find gifts for kids and adults. These items are related to Ancient Echoes and Herschel.
The tea room is open on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. It is open from 2:30-4:30 P.M. during the summer. In winter, it is open on Fridays.
Visit The Herschel Museum
The Herschel Museum is in an old church. It was built in 1926. The church closed in 1969. The building was later given to the Village of Herschel in 1988. That is when it officially opened as the Herschel Museum.
Displays show a local kitchen, living room, and bedroom. You can see old household items. There are also souvenirs from the Herschel School. School photos are in an album at Ancient Echoes. The museum has a large collection of local sports items. You can also see tools and farm equipment. The Rural Municipality of Mountain View No. 318 has books, maps, and artifacts on display too.
You can only visit the museum through Ancient Echoes Interpretive Centre. They offer educational programs and guided tours. These tours focus on history, nature, Indigenous culture, fossils, and archaeology. School groups from the area often visit in spring and summer.
