Prehistoric Salem

The Great Flood: A Geologic Event Which Shaped Salem

Salem is located at the confluence of Mill Creek and the Willamette River. Since its settlement in the 1840’s the city has grown north and east onto the flat valley floor and expanded south and west into the Salem and Eola Hills. Twelve thousand years ago horses, camels, mammoths, bison, deer, bear, panthers, tigers, and lions roamed the valley. Thousands of birds, including giant condors, hawks, eagles, geese… Learn More

Ice Age In The Willamette Valley

Although no glaciers got into the Willamette Valley during the ice ages between 2 million years ago and about 12,000 years ago the effects of this cold interval were profound on this area. Glacial ice is probably the most effective agent to wear and grind down rock ever devised by nature. The ice ages saw incredible amounts of material being flushed into the valley from the east out of the Cascades. As this great mass of sand, silt and gravel flowed into the valley born on streams it began to clog and plug the natural stream system creating a network of shallow ponds…  Learn More

Woolly Mammoths In Salem

A long time ago huge beasts wandered the land on which Salem is built. In 1995 that theory was proven correct by the discovery of the remains of two tusks and a jaw bone on the southeast Salem farm of Tip and Mary Ann Hennessey. The remains were discovered by surprised workmen who were digging a trench for a gas company pipeline. Later, a paleontologist identified the samples as being from a Woolly Mammoth. Learn More

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This article originally appeared on the original Salem Online History site and has not been updated since 2006.