When Tony and Nancy Ayer decided to put in a pond at their new property near Olga, no one could have guessed that the excavation would yield a 14,000-year-old “Bison Antiquus” skull and bones.

The Ayers have donated this artifact to the Orcas Island Historical Museum, where it will be available for further study. The museum has on display a detailed replica of the skull and two prominent bones for museum visitors, school children and the general public to view and touch. To celebrate this incredible find, the museum is throwing a party called the “Bison Bash” on Sunday, July 17 at the Ayers’ pond.

Workmen digging out the Ayers’ peaty wetland in 2003 came across a large bone sticking out the side of the excavation. Digging into the ancient peat with their bare hands, they recovered the well-preserved skull and 97 other bones. When this find came to the attention of a team of local archeologists, they found evidence indicating that the bison had been butchered for food by Ice Age hunters, pushing back the date of first human activity in North America some 400-800 years.

The Bison Bash will start at 4 p.m. and includes music by Martin Lund and Gene Nery, food catered by Orcas Village Store, a table layout by Orcas Events, and an ample bar. The team of scientists, Steve Kenady, Dr. Michael Wilson and Dr. Randall Schalk, will speak and be available for discussions as to how they arrived at the human intervention conclusion. “Boggy Bison,” the museum’s skull replica, will also attend.

Admission is $100 per person and will benefit museum programs and exhibits, such as an expanded display area for the bison replica and educational materials.  Call the museum at 376-4849 for tickets by July 11 to attend the party.