An 1899 clipping from the Ohio State Journal, a Columbus daily newspaper. Former Grove City Police Chief Steven Robinette did research at the Ohio Historical Connection and uncovered additional information about the historic Mastodon find.

Look closely at this picture and the shovel in the upper left corner. That gives you a visual impression of the size of the Mastodon tusks. Want to learn more? Visit the Grove City Welcome Center and Museum, 3378 Park Street.

The Mastodon discovery mentioned last week were found about 12 feet below ground level. The bones were identified while still in the ground by a museum curator and students from OSU. The Mastodon was an elephant like animal that lived here near the end of the Ice Age.

Two 12-foot Mastodon tusks, a few bones and partial skull were uncovered in a clay pit by workers at the old brick and tile factory once located on property behind St. John’s Lutheran Church on Columbus Street. A large crowd gathered to witness the discovery. The date was 1899 and the property was owned by Edward Darnell.

Huldah Witteman Rader liked to tell a story that occurred in 1911 about her father, Henry Witteman. He owned the first auto in Grove City. There was a big fire in Harrisburg and Henry was asked to tie the Grove City fire wagon to his vehicle and haul it to Harrisburg. The firewagon was built to be pulled by “man-power”. It was mainly a hand pump unit with hose intended for small fires. The wagon swayed back and forth behind the car and arrived too late to assist in fighting the fire.