archeology

Exhibitions / Permanent Exhibits / Archeology

Great Excavations

For 14,000 years, people have lived in the Texas Panhandle, and much of the proof for that awe-inspiring statement can be found in our permanent archeological collection. Full of rare and important archeological finds—many of which were acquired by museum personnel—the bulk of this collection focuses on prehistoric American Indian artifacts of the Southern Plains.

You’ll learn about the activities and behaviors of Clovis and Folsom big-game hunters, who came this way while tracking extinct mammoth. You’ll encounter tribes who foraged for food and those who lived in semi-permanent villages. You’ll meet hunters of bison and farmers of corn, beans, and squash. You’ll even be introduced to cultures who created tools from Alibates flint, which they mined and traded to support their families. Recent efforts from federal and museum personnel have recovered Southern Plains Villager material from sites like Lake Meredith, Chimney Rock, Alibates Flint Quarry, and Antelope Creek, along with perishable material from a local dry rock shelter.

In addition to these artifacts, you’ll find collections from significant moments in Panhandle history, including the Second Battle of Adobe Walls and many battle sites of the Red River War. Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum serves as a repository for National Park Service artifacts and other entities, and we own and maintain local historical sites at Adobe Walls and Buffalo Wallow.