National Register of Historic Places

Wardell Buffalo Trap

Big Piney, Sublette County, Wyoming
Listed
August 11, 1971
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
71000892

About this property

The Wardell Buffalo Trap in Sublette County, Wyoming, is a small box canyon used by Native Americans for 500 years during the Late Prehistoric Period. Nearly 55 feet (17 m) of bison bones were found at the site. A campsite and butchering area is located nearby, and evidence has been found for a fence at the entrance to the canyon. Bison were herded into the canyon's confined space and killed, the earliest known example of such a place where bison were killed with bow and arrow. The site was first excavated in 1970-71 by Wyoming State Archeologist George Carr Frison, producing about three tons of bison bones mixed with projectile points and fragments of pottery. More excavation was undertaken in 2005 after evidence emerged of artifact poaching. The 2005 expedition produced an estimated ton of bison bones from an area measuring 18 square metres (190 ft2) by 2 metres (6.6 ft) in depth. Studies suggest that the hunters were Athabascans from Canada. Following excavation the site was stabilized and placed under surveillance.

Location

Big Piney, Sublette County, Wyoming

Categories

PREHISTORIC
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Questions about this property

When was Wardell Buffalo Trap listed on the National Register?

Wardell Buffalo Trap was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 11, 1971.

What type of historic resource is Wardell Buffalo Trap?

Wardell Buffalo Trap is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Wardell Buffalo Trap?

The period of significance for Wardell Buffalo Trap is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Wardell Buffalo Trap?

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