(gentle music) (birds chirping) -[Narrator] In the western part of Nebraska, iconic landmarks like Chimney Rock, (gentle music) (birds chirping) Scotts Bluff Monument, (gentle music) and Courthouse and Jail Rock dominate the landscape.

(gentle music) Yet, a lesser known butte lies quietly in the shadows of these giants.

(gentle music) (birds chirping) Nestled in Scotts Bluff County, Signal Butte stands as a watchful presence over the plains, holding secrets that date back thousands of years.

(gentle music) (birds chirping) Designated a national historic landmark in 1961, this site is one of Nebraska's most significant archeological treasures.

(gentle music) (birds chirping) Rising about 120 feet above the plains at the western edge of the Wildcat Hills, Signal Butte has captivated archeologists for nearly a century.

(gentle music) Its layered history is encapsulated in the gravel and windblown soil that cover it.

(gentle music) (car engine whirring) The historical discoveries of Signal Butte began in 1931 when archeologists from the Smithsonian Bureau of American Ethnology, in collaboration with the University of Nebraska Archeological Survey Field Party, conducted the first official excavations.

(gentle music) They uncovered not just artifacts, but windows into the lives of those who inhabited this land thousands of years ago.

(gentle music) Three distinct cultural horizons were identified at Signal Butte, with the two deepest layers dating from 5,000 to 1,500 years ago.

(gentle music) These layers revealed stone projectile points, bone tools, (gentle music) and the remnants of ancient hearths and storage pits.

(gentle music) The significance of Signal Butte extends beyond its artifacts.

It was one of the first sites in the world to use the groundbreaking radiocarbon dating method, helping to establish a timeline for human activity in the region.

(gentle music) In the 1940s and 50s, archeologists from the University of Nebraska Lincoln returned to further explore the site, deepening our understanding of the prehistoric peoples who once roamed the Central Plains.

(gentle music) Though Signal Butte sits on private land and might not be widely known to most Nebraskans, its towering presence and the secrets it holds preserve the history of those who lived here long ago.

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