Signal Butte facts for kids
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Signal Butte
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Signal Butte
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 Location in Nebraska
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Gering, Nebraska |
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| NRHP reference No. | 66000452 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | January 20, 1961 |
Signal Butte is a very important archaeological site in western Nebraska. It's like a time capsule that helps us learn about Native American life long ago. This special place was one of the first ancient sites in the central plains to be studied by experts.
The archaeological finds are located on top of a hill called Signal Butte. This hill is west of Robidoux Pass and the city of Gering, Nebraska. Because of its importance, Signal Butte was named a National Historic Landmark in 1961. Please note that this site is not open to the public.
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What is Signal Butte?
Signal Butte is a hill that rises about 120 feet (37 meters) above the flat plains. It is located in western Nebraska, near the North Platte River. The hill is covered with layers of gravel and soil blown by the wind.
Inside these layers, archaeologists found three different levels of human activity. The oldest things found here are about 5,000 years old. This means people were living or visiting this spot during the Middle Archaic Period.
Discoveries at the Site
When archaeologists dug at Signal Butte, they found many interesting items. These included stone tools like projectile points (arrowheads or spear points) and drills. They also found tools made from bone, such as awls, which are sharp tools used for making holes.
These discoveries help us understand how ancient people lived and what tools they used every day.
How Signal Butte Was Discovered
Professional archaeologists first learned about Signal Butte in 1931. A local person who enjoyed history told William Duncan Strong about the interesting things found there. Strong was an important archaeologist.
Strong then led teams to investigate the butte in 1931 and 1932. During these studies, they found many artifacts. They also found signs that people had lived there repeatedly. These signs included storage pits and fireplace hearths.
Dating the Past
Signal Butte was one of the first sites where scientists used radiocarbon dating to find out how old things were. Radiocarbon dating is a method that helps determine the age of ancient objects.
Even though this method was used, the exact dates of when people lived at Signal Butte have been discussed by experts. More studies were done in the 1940s and 1950s. These studies suggested that the site was probably used as a seasonal hunting camp. This means people visited the butte at certain times of the year to hunt.
