Graham Cave, near Mineola, Missouri, became an exceptional archaeological site because its wide sandstone entrance sheltered people for thousands of years while deep deposits preserved evidence of occupation. Finds from the cave include remains associated with Native American Dalton and Archaic cultures dating back as early as 10,000 years ago. The property entered the Graham family in 1847, and artifact discoveries there eventually drew the University of Missouri to investigate in 1930. Formal excavations by the university and the Missouri Archaeological Society from 1949 to 1961 revealed important evidence about the lifeways of early inhabitants, helping make Graham Cave the first archaeological site in the United States designated a National Historic Landmark.

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Danville, Missouri · USA