PAGE 1
THE LINDENMEIER
FOLSOM SITE
12,900 TO 11,700 YEARS AGO
NORTHERN COLORADO

PAGE 1 OF 1 PAGES
COPYRIGHT FEBRUARY 29, 2012 PETER A. BOSTROM

LINDENMEIER SITE REPORT

ABSTRACT
THE LINDENMEIER FOLSOM SITE
12,900 TO 11,700 YEARS AGO
NORTHERN COLORADO

    This article illustrates and describes the Lindenmeir site and several examples of Folsom points that were discovered during Frank Robert's seven years of excavations there. The Lindenmeier site is located in northern Colorado and dates to sometime between 12,900 and 11,700 years ago (latest readjusted dates). The site is famous for being one of the largest scientifically excavated Paleo-Indian habitation sites in North America. But most famous for providing the first solid and reliable evidence that people were living in North America at a much earlier period that was previously thought. Much of the habitation level was deeply buried under several feet of anciently deposited alluvial made of sand, clay and gravel.

    "The Lindenmeier site was discovered in 1924 by three relic collectors, Judge C. Coffin, his son A. Lynn Coffin, and C. K. Collins."--------1978, Edwin N. Wilmsen & Frank H. H. Roberts, Jr., "Lindenmeier, 1934-1974, Concluding Report On Investigations." p. 1.
     "The importance of the Lindenmeier site lies in the fact that for the first time, traces of an occupation level which can be assigned to a group of Folsom men (and also women) have been brought to light."----1935, Frank H. H. Roberts, Jr., "A Folsom Complex, Preliminary Report On Investigations At The Lindenmeier Site In Northern Colorado," p. 9.
    "After the first discovery at Folsom, New Mexico (
the Folsom type site, 1926) efforts were made to find more of the distinctive grooved (fluted) points, and further examples were found in private and museum collections."---------1957, H. M. Wormington, "Ancient Man In North America," p. 31.
    "The rarity of perfect specimens (
of Folsom points) has been commented upon in various articles on the subject of Folsom points."------1935, Frank H. H. Roberts, Jr., "A Folsom Complex, Preliminary Report On Investigations At The Lindenmeier Site In Northern Colorado," p. 17.
    "The Lindenmeier site is in an unusual valley setting: a low-order tributary of the Cache La Poudre River, which joins the South Platte near the Klein and Powers sites. This tributary is in a small valley isolated along the escarpment that forms the physiographic (
physical geographical) boundary of the northern Colorado Piedmont and the High Plains"----2006, Vance T. Holliday & Rolfe D. Mandel, "Geoarcheology Of The Plains, Southwest, And Great Lakes," Handbook Of North American Indians, Vol. 4 Environment, Origins, and Population (Smithsonian), p. 30.
     "The man-made material and animal bones (on the Lindenmeir site) occur in a dark soil layer which rests on the clay bed and underlies the conglomerate."----1935, Frank H. H. Roberts, Jr., "A Folsom Complex, Preliminary Report On Investigations At The Lindenmeier Site In Northern Colorado," p. 11.
   "As a result of their continued presence (on the Lindenmeier site), numerous objects associated with their daily round of life--charcoal and ashes from their fires, bones from the animals that supplied the meat, broken tools and other artifacts--were scattered over the surface."----1935, Frank H. H. Roberts, Jr., "A Folsom Complex, Preliminary Report On Investigations At The Lindenmeier Site In Northern Colorado," p. 11.


 
THE LINDENMEIER FOLSOM SITE
12,900 TO 11,700 YEARS AGO
NORTHERN COLORADO

     The Folsom type site was discovered before the Lindenmeier site was discovered. But Lindenmeier is the site that provided the first unquestionable proof that there was a Paleo-Indian period and that people were living in North America at a much greater age than was previously thought. The Folsom bison kill site produced Folsom points that were in direct contact with extinct animal bones, but archaeologists were still only cautiously interested. Frank Roberts wrote in 1935 about the 1927 American Anthropological Association meeting in Andover, Massachusetts, saying that: "There was considerable discussion of the subject (about the Folsom site), and although many agreed that the discoveries were important, there was still a general feeling of doubt (about the antiquity of Folsom)." Lindenmeier changed everything.


PHOTO TAKEN BY ED LOHR, LITHIC CASTING LAB COLLECTION OF IMAGES
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE
LINDENMEIER SITE
NORTHERN COLORADO

    This impressive picture of "isolation" shows how the local terrain around the Lindenmeier site looked in 1940. It was taken by one of the excavators, Ed Lohr, who sent it to Lithic Casting Lab in 1990 (see letter below). He wrote on the back "11:45 a.m. August 4th or 5th, 1940." It shows the Lindenmeier site's camp of tents on the right and a car with a dust trail on the left that Ed wrote "might be Jim Grunack (spelling?)."

    The Lindenmeier site is located in northern Colorado near the Wyoming border. More precisely, it's located about midway in the center of the state in Larimer County approximately 1.75 miles (2.8 km) south of the Wyoming state line. The site is also located 28 miles north of Fort Collins, Colorado.


PHOTO TAKEN BY ED LOHR, LITHIC CASTING LAB COLLECTION OF IMAGES
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR COMPLETE IMAGE
THE LINDENMEIER SITE CAMP
NORTHERN COLORADO

     This picture shows a small area of a photograph that was taken by Ed Lohr in 1940. He sent it to Lithic Casting Lab in 1990. (see letter below) He wrote on the back "view facing west, Lindenmeier, August 17, 1940, the tents in the background shows excavation area." Click on the picture to bring up the full photograph.

    The Lindenmeier site was known to collectors for ten years before Frank Roberts began his excavations there. The site was first discovered in 1924 by three relic collectors, Judge C. Coffin, his son A. Lynn Coffin, and C. K. Collins. Frank Roberts worked for the Bureau of American Ethnology. That's probably why the American flag is seen waving above the small tent city camp. The Lindenmeier project began under his direction in 1934 and ended under his direction in 1940.


LETTER BY ED LOHR SENT TO PETE BOSTROM IN 1990. COMPUTER ADDED IMAGE OF ED LOHR
FROM A PICTURE IN SMITHSONIAN PUBLICATION
"LINDENMEIER, 1934-1974,
CONCLUDING REPORT ON INVESTIGATIONS."

LETTER BY ED LOHR, A LINDENMEIER
SITE EXCAVATION TEAM MEMBER

     This letter, by Ed Lohr, was sent to Pete Bostrom in 1990 for the purpose of acquiring a cast of a Folsom point. The picture of him & other members of the excavation were digitally added to the letter for this report. The picture was taken when he was 27 years old, in 1939 standing in front of one of the Lindenmeier camp tents. The letter shows that Ed had a since-of-humor: "Since I was not employed for the purpose of swiping a Folsom point or two, I do not have any specimens to show friends."
    Ed Lohr worked under the direction of Frank Roberts at the Lindenmeir site during the last four years of the excavations. There were seven digging seasons at Lindenmeier beginning in 1934 and ending in 1940. It's estimated that there were a total of 580 days spent on the site with 31 men working there, along with director Frank Roberts who worked for the Bureau of American Ethnology.

    Frank Roberts named the Lindenmeier site after William Lindenmeier, Jr. who owned the horse ranch and land where the site was located. The site is described as being situated in an eroded valley near an arroyo (dry gully). Holliday and Mandel describe the area as being in an unusual valley setting. They describe the valley as a low order tributary whose waters eventually drain into the South Platte River. The valley is also laying within the physical geological boundaries of the northern Colorado Piedmont and the High Plains.


THIS IMAGE FROM 1935 SMITHSONIAN REPORT: A FOLSOM COMPLEX, "PRELIMINARY REPORT ON
INVESTIGATIONS AT THE LINDENMEIER SITE IN NORTHERN COLORADO"

CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE
FIRST 1934 EXCAVATION IN THE ARROYO
LINDENMEIR SITE
NORTHERN COLORADO

    This picture shows the first 1934 excavation where Frank Roberts opened up an area in the arroyo (dry gully) where he discovered a deeply buried concentration of bones and stone artifacts that proved to be a Folsom occupation level.

    The first excavation at the Lindenmeier site began in 1934 in the arroyo that was later referred to as the Big Pit. This is where Frank Roberts discovered a deeply buried concentration of bones and stone artifacts that proved to be a Folsom occupation level. The excavation then moved to an area above the arroyo designated as area I. Area I is situated on the western portion of the site. The workers excavated approximately 229 five foot squares, 25 ten foot squares and an undetermined amount in the "big pit" area during the first five years of the seven year excavation project.


THIS IMAGE FROM SMITHSONIAN REPORT: "LINDENMEIER, 1934-1974,
CONCLUDING REPORT ON INVESTIGATIONS."
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE
EXCAVATION IN PROGRESS--1936
LINDENMEIER SITE
NORTHERN COLORADO

     This picture shows quite a lot of activity in an area called the Big Pit. This photo was taken sometime during the third year of the seven year excavation project. Six people can be seen working in the excavation. Roberts used horses to remove several feet of overburden above the Folsom level and again to backfill the excavated areas.

    The other large area that was excavated on the Lindenmeier site is designated as area II. Area II was excavated during the last three years of the seven year excavation project. It was situated 330 feet (100 m) east of the ten foot squares located in area I. More than 165 five foot squares were excavated in area II.


THIS IMAGE FROM THE Annual Report Of The BOARD OF REGENTS Of The Smithsonian
Institution
, 1944, "THE NEW WORLD PALEO-INDIAN."
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE
EXCAVATION SHOWING DARK MIDDEN
LINDENMEIER SITE
NORTHERN COLORADO

     This picture shows the dark midden layer in an excavated wall where the Folsom horizon and Paleo-Indian habitation level is located. The small pedestals of dirt probably hold artifacts at the locations where they were found.

    The most important discovery at Lindenmeier was a Folsom habitation component in the form of a distinctively dark colored midden. This was found at varying depths over a wide area. In fact, in some areas it was eroded to the surface. The Folsom midden zone also eroded from the bank of the arroyo (dry gully). These are the find spots that enabled collectors to discover the site. The Folsom zone at Lindenmeier is generally encapsulated under several feet of anciently deposited alluvial made of sand, clay and gravel. A concentration of extinct animal bones and Folsom related stone artifacts were found within the midden that proved the site was very ancient.


FOLSOM POINT
(EICHENBERGER CAST)
LINDENMEIER SITE
NORTHERN COLORADO

    This picture shows three views of a cast of a Folsom point that was discovered on the Lindenmeier site. The cast was made sometime in the 1960's or 70's by J. Allen Eichenberger. This is an excellent example of the "classic" Folsom point that has wide and full flute flake removals and fine pressure flaking along the edges. This point (cast) measures 1 13/16 inches (4.6 cm) long.

     Before Lindenmeier, archaeologists were still skeptical that Folsom points were ancient. But after Lindenmeier, archaeologists began to theorize various ranges of dates. In 1944 Robert's wrote that these suggested dates vary somewhere between 10,000 and 25,000 years ago. Bryan and Ray thought the date should be closer to 25,000 years while other archaeologists thought the date should be closer to 10,000 years.  That's pretty good guessing considering there was no radiocarbon dating at that time. In fact radiocarbon technology didn't appear for another five years. The most recently adjusted and published dates for the Lindenmeier site and for other Folsom sites, such as Lipscomb, is between 12,900 and 11,700 years ago.


DRAWINGS FROM SMITHSONIAN REPORT: "LINDENMEIER, 1934-1974,
CONCLUDING REPORT ON INVESTIGATIONS."

CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE
FOLSOM POINTS FROM AREA I
LINDENMEIER SITE
NORTHERN COLORADO

    These drawings illustrate 10 of the 59 complete fluted Folsom points found on the Lindenmeier site. They also illustrate some of the style variations that were caused from breaking and resharpening. Some of the points have been re-pointed from tip breaks. The different styles of bases may be a reflection of several different people making them. Some of the bases are much more concave than others and two of the points in the bottom row still retain some of the original flute striking platform. These ten Folsom points were recovered from a location on the site known as area I. Area I is situated on the western portion of the site. The workers excavated approximately 229 five foot squares, 25 ten foot squares and an undetermined amount in the "big pit" area during the first five years of the seven year excavation project.
    The Lindenmeier site produced 645 lanceolate projectile points (
Folsom fluted and unfluted points). But 323 of these are described as preforms or parts of preforms so there were closer to 322 "finished" fluted and unfluted Folsom points found on the site. Of these, only 59 were complete fluted points. Another 184 were fragments of fluted points and another 79 were complete or fragments of unfluted points.

    During Franks Robert's seven year excavation project of the Lindenmeier site he had 31 full time workers who took active parts, in different years. They excavated more than 19,300 square feet (1800 square meters) during approximately 580 days spent in the field. The field notes total 1,557 pages. The cataloged numbers for chipped stone artifacts total 5,478 and there were 46,380 waste flakes.


DRAWINGS FROM SMITHSONIAN REPORT: "LINDENMEIER, 1934-1974,
CONCLUDING REPORT ON INVESTIGATIONS."

CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE
FOLSOM POINTS FROM AREA II
LINDENMEIER SITE
NORTHERN COLORADO

    These ten fluted Folsom points were recovered from area II on the Lindenmeier site. They illustrate normal style variations within the Folsom type. For example, the point in the top row, second from left, appears to have a repaired base and the point on the far right appears to have been re-pointed one or more times. Most of these points are fully fluted.
   Area II was excavated during the last three years of the seven year excavation project. It was located 330 feet (100 m) east of the ten foot squares in area I. More than 165 five foot squares were dug in area II.

    The Lindenmeier site produced 645 lanceolate projectile points (Folsom fluted and unfluted points). But 323 of these are described as preforms or parts of preforms so there were closer to 322 "finished" fluted and unfluted Folsom points found on the site. Of these, only 59 were complete fluted points. Another 184 were fragments of fluted points and another 79 were complete or fragments of unfluted points.


FROM 1935 SMITHSONIAN REPORT: "A FOLSOM COMPLEX, PRELIMINARY REPORT ON
INVESTIGATIONS AT THE LINDENMEIER SITE IN NORTHERN COLORADO

FOLSOM POINTS
LINDENMEIER SITE
NORTHERN COLORADO

   These 12 Folsom points were illustrated in Robert's first "Preliminary Report" on the Lindenmeier site. They represent examples recovered from the first year of excavation. All of these points were either broken during use or during manufacture. Roberts illustrated the most complete point, in the center, as a fragment of a Folsom point. It appears to have been damaged on the point and repaired once then damaged again.

    Complete unbroken fluted Folsom points are rare. The artifacts found on the Lindenmeier site supports this observation. Out of the 322 "finished" Folsom points that were found, the excavation produced only 59 complete fluted Folsom points. But many of these complete examples were extensively resharpened from point impact damage and may actually have been discarded for longer ones. It would appear that Folsom people believed it was easier to use a point for all its worth by retrieving it and resharpening it than to make a new one.

Folsom points made on flakes, Lindenmeier site.
LINE DRAWING ILLUSTRATIONS FROM 1978 "
Lindenmeier, 1934-1974,
Concluding Report On Investigations,"
Smithsonian Institution
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE
FOLSOM POINTS MADE ON FLAKES
"PSEODOFLUTED"
LINDENMEIER SITE
NORTHERN COLORADO

     These drawings show both sides of four points that were excavated from within the Folsom habitation level on the Lindenmeier site. They illustrate the wide variation of Folsom point design. All four of these points were made from edge trimmed flakes. They are referred to as pseudofluted because what appears to be flutes are actually the surfaces of the original flakes from which they were made. Similar points can be found on much later Stone Age sites in North America and other countries around the world. So the technology that made these points was not very high. They could have been made by anyone with only a minimal knowledge of flintknapping. Maybe they were made by the younger members of the tribal group.

    The Lindenmeier site produced a wide range of different shapes of Folsom points. One of the differences are the bases where the points were hafted to the ends of spear or foreshafts. There are at least three different basic patterns. Some Folsom points have deep concave bases, while others are more shallow and more straight across the bottom of the concavity. But the "classic" Folsom point has a base that still retains some of the original striking platform that was used to drive off the flutes. These small pressure trimmed projections in the center of the basal concavity are unique to Folsom points.


LINE DRAWING ILLUSTRATIONS FROM 1978 "Lindenmeier, 1934-1974,
Concluding Report On Investigations,"
Smithsonian Institution
FOLSOM POINT BASE DESIGNS
LINDENMEIER SITE
NORTHERN COLORADO

    These three drawings of Folsom bases show the basic design pattern that is seen on most of the Folsom points that were found on the Lindenmeier site and from other Folsom sites. Some Folsom points have deep concave bases, like the point in the center, while others are more shallow and more straight across the bottom of the concavity. But the "classic" Folsom has a base, like the example on the right, that still retains some of its striking platform that was used to drive off the flutes.

     Probably the most unique form of Folsom point found on the Lindenmeier site are the falsely fluted points that are referred to as  pseudofluted points. They are called pseudofluted because they only have the appearance of being fluted. What appears to be flutes are only the surfaces of the original flakes from which they were made. Similar points can be found on much later Stone Age sites in North America and around the world. So the technology that made them, which is simply edge trimming a flake with pressure, was not very high. They could have been made by anyone with only a minimal knowledge of flintknapping. It's possible that they were made by the younger members of the tribal group.


IMAGES FROM 1978 "Lindenmeier, 1934-1974, "Concluding
Report On Investigations,"
Smithsonian Institution
FOLSOM POINT LATE STAGE PREFORMS
LINDENMEIER SITE
NORTHERN COLORADO

     Both of these bifaces were found during the excavation of the Lindenmeier site. They are late stage preforms that were broken during the manufacturing process and discarded. Preforms are some of the most important artifacts because they show how the manufacturing process formed the final product, in this case a Folsom point.

     The Lindenmeier site is also important for the fact that it provided archaeologists with the first stone tool manufacturing debris from a North American Paleo lithic industry. These are the bits and pieces of stone that represent the processes of how fluted points and other stone tools from this early period were made. The site provided several examples of early and late stage Folsom point preforms and channel flakes that were removed during the fluting process. These types of artifacts must have been fascinating to the first archaeologists who studied them.


IMAGES FROM 1978 "Lindenmeier, 1934-1974, "Concluding
Report On Investigations,"
Smithsonian Institution
FOLSOM POINTS
BROKEN DURING MANUFACTURE
LINDENMEIER SITE
NORTHERN COLORADO

     These four points were found on the Lindenmeier site. They are all believed to have been broken during the manufacturing process. In fact, they represent common break patterns that occur during the fluting process. The two bases in the top row show a continuous smooth downward curve of the flute flake indicating how the point was broken. These are sometimes called reverse hinge fractures. Instead of fracturing upward to the surface the channel flake dives downward and breaks the point into two pieces. The bottom two points broke as a result of this type of break pattern. These types of fluting failures are also commonly seen on Clovis sites.

    The Lindenmeier site is still the largest excavated Folsom site. In 1961 it was designated a National Historic Landmark  and its been consider for a U.S. National Monument. So after all the work of discovery, excavation, analysis and publishing the site has rewritten history and its been honored in a way that will give it some measure of protection going into the future.

"REFERENCES"

1935, Roberts, Jr., Frank H. H., "A Folsom Complex, Preliminary Report On Investigations At The Lindenmeier Site In Northern Colorado."
1944
, Roberts, Jr., Frank H. H., "The New World Paleo-Indian," The Annual Report Of The Board Of Regents Of The Smithsonian Institution.
1957
, Wormington, H. M., "Ancient Man In North America," p. 31.
1978
, Wilmsen, Edwin N. & Roberts, Jr., Frank H. H., "Lindenmeier, 1934-1974, Concluding Report On Investigations."
2006
, Holliday, Vance T. & Mandel, Rolfe D., "Geoarcheology Of The Plains, Southwest, And Great Lakes," Handbook Of North American Indians, Vol. 4 Environment, Origins, and Population (Smithsonian), p. 30.
1990
Personal Communication with Ed Lohr.

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