Earlier this year, Harrison spoke to a group of school students and learned of their interest and of the society’s interest in seeing the bones, so he became involved. However, he didn’t tell anyone in advance of the June 29 program about the college’s decision.

After presenting his program, he asked Bobbie Moyers to come forward, and then presented her with an agreement that gives the society the items on “permanent loan.” Moyers and other members of the society in attendance were surprised and thrilled to add the valuable artifacts to the society’s collection.

What’s in the new collection

Among the items from the college are a curved tusk approximately 60 inches long, a slightly curved tusk, a leg bone, partial mammoth jaw bone, mastodon teeth and more.

Donating the bones back to a Conneaut Lake group “was the right thing to do,” said Ron Cole, head of Allegheny’s geology department. “The fossils are from the Conneaut Lake area. They are valuable to the community to see this geological history of the area. We’d like as many people as possible to have the opportunity to see them.

“It will be good for elementary and middle school students to have an opportunity to see. Some of the bones remain in display at the college. We gave the historical society the bigger ones,” he said.

And it’s a gift the society is determined to now share with as many visitors as it can.

Smith, a retired Meadville Tribune reporter, is a member of the Conneaut Lake Historical Society.

You can go

Conneaut Lake’s mastodon and woolly mammoth bones are on display at the museum during regular hours, Saturdays and Sundays from 2 to 5 p.m., or by special appointment.

These artifacts join a new exhibit of a woolly mammoth figurine, purchased with funds raised by local elementary school children who annually donate pennies for a special project. Through the efforts of teacher Robin Copeland, this year’s project was completed and unveiled in a special ceremony at the museum.

In addition to this exhibit, the museum also has numerous exhibits of various other historical artifacts the society has been given since it was organized in 1999.