A Giant among Mammoths...

My team and I have been lucky enough to visit the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, South Dakota these past few field seasons. This is a one of the natural wonders of the prehistoric world. The site provides a remarkable glimpse into South Dakota's past, some 26,000 years ago. A vast sink hole became the untimely grave for many Ice Age beasties that took too close a look into the steaming waters of the hot springs feeding the sink hole.

The site has been excavated since 1974, and it was Dr. Larry Agenbroad and his remarkable team who undoubtedly put this paleontological gem firmly on the map. Larry always greeted my team and I with a big smile that was only matched by his splendid hospitality. Each year he would ask us "How is the lizard-digging coming along", as he knew my team and I were excavating dinosaurs in the north of the State. So, it is with a heavy heart that I relay some very sad news. I have just learnt that Larry died on October 31st of this year. He will be missed by all who knew him, but also by future generations who did not get the opportunity to meet this remarkable scientist, splendid human being and kind friend. His volunteer scheme at the Mammoth site has spawned many career scientists, generating a legacy that has touched the lives of countless people. Larry was a wonderful man with a heart as big as the mammoths that he choose to study.

Dr. Larry Agenbroad (1933-2014)