Archaeologists working at a Department of Transportation (DOT) construction site earlier this year uncovered the earliest evidence of humans in Connecticut. DOT is replacing the bridge that carries Old Farms Road over the Farmington River, and construction will impact the site. To glean as much information as possible before construction, the site was excavated by the archaeological and consulting firm AHS, Inc., of Storrs, contractors to DOT. Radiocarbon dating indicates the site was occupied as much as 12,500 years ago, in the Paleoindian period. There was evidence of stone tool-making using stone from as far away as New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. With excavation completed, the site is closed to the public for construction. It also will take some time to process and analyze the findings, but CTDOT and SHPO plan eventually to have an exhibit at or near the site to explain its significance.
The Earliest Evidence of Humans in Connecticut!
