Sugar, The Mastodon

THE SUGAR LOAF MASTODON, "Sugar" was discovered in May of 1972 on a black dirt farm near the Warwick-Chester border. The bones lay at a depth of five feet below the surface of the ground in an area which had once been a small glacial lake and today is a drained and fertile bog planted with lettuce and celery. It appears that the animal either died of natural causes and toppled into the lake, or became mired and drowned. No evidence was found to suggest that it had been killed by humans, although that possibility cannot be discounted inasmuch as man and mastodon were contemporaries in Orange County. (Radio-carbon dating at Dutchess Quarry Cave places Early Humans in the County at 10,580 B.C.)

The Sugar Loaf Mastodon is a large male with an unusual tusk in its lower jaw.  Such tusks are a common characteristic of the Asiatic mastodon, but are generally not found in the American variety. The mastodon stands 100" high at the pelvis and is approximately 20' long. Sugar was originally radio-carbon dated at 9860 ± 225 years ago; however, more recently developed techniques show similar Pleistocence mammals in the County date to between 13,000 and 14,000 years ago. An upcoming date on Sugar will clarify his exact timing.

The Mastodon was excavated by the Incorporated Orange County Chapter of the New York State Archaeological Association. Funds for its preservation, restoration, erection and display have come from the New York State Council on the Arts, the school children of Orange County, the Orange County Community College Association, the Orange County Citizens Foundation and from many other groups and individuals.