This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Fossils Found at Wilshire & Fairfax Could Double Museum's Collection

Zach Behrens

Published Feb 17, 2009 11:00 PM

Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.

For the second time this month in Southern California, a large amount mammoth remains have been found. First, it was in San Diego two weeks ago when construction crews were preparing to build a law school in downtown-they found an 8-foot tusk, skull and foot bones from a Columbian mammoth, estimated to be 500,000 years old.

But yesterday, with the official announcement coming this morning in a press conference, was a large discovery of a mammoth nearly intact along with a plethora of fossils including "tree trunks, turtles, snails, clams, millipedes, fish, gophers and even mats of oak leaves," the LA Times reports.

The discoveries come from the Natural History Museum's/Page Museum's informally named Project 23, named after the 23 crates of removed soil from the old May Company site where LACMA plans to build a two story parking garage. It's an expedited process of sorts and they even have a blog. More information will come out later today at a press conference.