logo
Scrub Hub: IU's new bison mascot links back to a forgotten piece of Indiana history

Scrub Hub: IU's new bison mascot links back to a forgotten piece of Indiana history

After decades with no furry beast repping its athletic department, Indiana University recently adopted an official mascot.
Once again, it's a bison.
The two-thousand-pound animals used to roam the Indiana landscape en masse, packing down the earth beneath their feet and creating paths as they shuffled along. Indiana University referenced perhaps the most famous of these trails — the Buffalo Trace — in their Star-Wars-style announcement video last month.
But after almost 200 years without a bison in sight, it can be hard to imagine how they could have permanently altered the Indiana landscape.
So, this edition of Scrub Hub, we spoke with Clark County Surveyor David Ruckman and Director of the Buffalo Trace Land Trust Elizabeth Winlock to help us answer the questions: What is the Buffalo Trace in Southern Indiana, and why is it so ingrained in our state's history?
Upwards of 60 million bison used to plod across the North American landscape. The enormous, horned beasts were integral to prairie ecosystems: they fed on grasses and sedges, helped create water sources and fed the people living nearby.
They were often on the move. Large herds of hungry buffalo traversed Indiana, constantly sniffing out their next meal.
Bison huffed up upland ridges to graze during the warm months and when the temperatures dropped, they trotted back down into large river valleys toward insulated forests. As they crossed the state, their path was likely directed by where they could find salt licks and water sources.
Over the years — and underneath thousands of hoofprints — paths formed across the southern Indiana landscape. The largest came to be known as the Buffalo Trace.
Indigenous groups, like the Miami Tribe, were likely the first people to move across the region on these trails. But as Europeans began to colonize North America, more humans found the trace, and soon, it became a bustling trail from Louisville to Vincennes.
After President Thomas Jefferson bought 530 million acres through the Louisiana Purchase, he focused on the Buffalo Trace as a way to access it.
'Jefferson immediately saw that and said, 'Hey, we've got to control this buffalo road, whatever it is, because that's our way west,'' said David Ruckman, a surveyor for Clark County, who helped re-plot the trail as part of the Hoosier National Forest Service's effort to preserve state history.
But the trail didn't stay a buffalo road for long. As European immigrants settled in North America and pioneers traveled west, they killed tens of millions of bison. The slaughter coincided with the young nation's plans to eradicate, assimilate, and relocate local Indigenous tribes, many of which relied on the creatures as a food source.
By 1830, the last wild Indiana bison was killed.
The Buffalo Trace became a very different place: pioneers, wagons and horses — but no more buffalo — crossed the trail, heading west.
Settlements and farms cropped up alongside of it. And due to the sheer amount of traffic, pieces of the trace quickly became unrecognizable.
'It was just a dusty path, right? A hard-packed path,' said Ruckman. But as wagons began traveling over wet dirt, ruts began to form. 'And those ruts just kept going deeper and deeper. Some places they're eight and ten feet deep.'
The trace has continued to evolve.
Today, some sections are smothered in concrete or asphalt, underneath county highways. Other chunks pass through rural farmland, alongside high schools and down the main streets of small towns. But the remnants of the trail still connect communities across southern Indiana.
'We kind of take for granted just how special some of this is,' said Elizabeth Winlock, the Director for the Buffalo Trace Land Trust in southern Indiana.
It's not the flashiest natural landscape or a bustling metropolis, she added, but she thinks the long history of buffalo, Indigenous people and settlers using the trail as a trading and migration route is worth paying attention to.
'Just being able to slow down for a second think about the land that you're on and the other animals and other people that came before you,' said Winlock. "I think all of that is valuable.'
IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Carbondale City Hall foyer to get facelift, display donated historic items
Carbondale City Hall foyer to get facelift, display donated historic items

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Carbondale City Hall foyer to get facelift, display donated historic items

Carbondale native Frank 'Chauncey' Zazzera donated four handmade models of historic Carbondale buildings to the city to honor his late best friend and share the history of his hometown. While the 81-year-old who now lives in Fell Twp. hoped the city would display the replicas — the former Carbondale viaduct, a Delaware and Hudson Gravity Railroad roundhouse that was once in the city, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and the Pugliano building at Enterprise Drive and Dundaff Street — his donation inspired a renovation project to give Carbondale's 130-year-old-plus City Hall a revitalized foyer. The replicas were all handcrafted by fellow Carbondale native Harold Ort, and Zazzera donated them to the city in honor of his longtime best friend, Roy Miley of Carbondale, who died in 2023. 'I'd just like the people of Carbondale to really enjoy it. I just don't want them to stay in my attic. Who's going to see them up there?' Zazzera said. 'This way, everybody can see them and reminisce.' Models that were inspired by churches in Carbondale will be displayed in the foyer of Carbondale City Hall Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Built in 1892-1894, Carbondale City Hall at 1 N. Main St. is a Romanesque Revival-style brick and bluestone building that has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983, according to a building study in January by Martina Bacarella Architect, a Scranton-based architecture studio. City Hall underwent a comprehensive renovation project in 1996 that included upgrading the fire-suppression system, redesigning the council chambers, installing an elevator and enclosing a staircase in the rear of the building for accessibility, but the improvements didn't touch the foyer aside from adding the current oak doors into City Hall, Mayor Michele Bannon said. The front of Carbondale City Hall Tuesday. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) When Zazzera approached her about donating his collection of replicas to display in City Hall, Bannon thought it would be the perfect opportunity to upgrade the foyer. 'When you walk into a grand building like City Hall … you want it to be beautiful. You want it to be opulent,' she said. 'I thought that'd be a great way to show off our history, but at the same time, make it an elegant piece of the building.' Now, work is underway to upgrade the foyer's interior, with Bannon hoping to finish the improvements by the end of the month using a $3,000 grant from the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority. The city is also in the engineering phase of a project to upgrade its police station, which is in City Hall, including upgraded workstations for officers and enhanced security, she said. The police station project will use $300,000 in funds from the state's Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, or RACP, Bannon said. She hopes to complete the police station project this year, though it could spill over into 2026. A view of the interior of Carbondale City Hall Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) City Hall's foyer is currently being repainted, with other work including new furniture like railroad-style benches, displays for Zazzera's donations, revitalized tile flooring and potentially more lighting, said Bannon, who lauded the donated labor the city has received. For interior design, a local woman, Lynn Wallis, toured the foyer and gave the city suggestions for color palettes, furniture and displays. Adams Cable donated large, framed prints of historic Carbondale scenes to display; Councilman Walter Martzen refurbished and re-plastered a water-damaged wall; city zoning and code enforcement officer Doug Calzola, who is also a contractor, is overseeing the project; residents Margie Famularo and Marjanie Hellman provided technical assistance and support; and inmates from SCI Waymart are painting the interior, Bannon said. 'Everything is volunteer — the only thing we've paid for are materials,' she said. 'Every single person has donated their time, their treasures and their talent.' For Zazzera, displaying the replicas will showcase pieces of Carbondale's history that younger generations never got to see, especially regarding the D&H Railroad and its history. 'It's part of our history, and it's never going to go away,' Zazzera said. Zazzera recalled Ort, who he knew since the 1960s, building the models himself as part of a sprawling Lionel model train collection. Ort was a master electrician, Zazzera said. 'He was a very clever fellow,' he said, noting the viaduct and roundhouse were both made to scale. 'He had so many switches and components in that roundhouse that the actual turntable inside the roundhouse would turn.' After Ort died in 2018, Zazzera and his late best friend, Miley, approached Ort's wife to buy some of the buildings from his collection. When Miley passed away in 2023, Zazzera reached out to the Carbondale Historical Society about donating the items, but with the society tucked away on the third floor of City Hall, he hoped more people could see them, prompting him to contact Bannon. 'I want them someplace that people could see and appreciate what this is,' he said. The displays will be in memory of Miley while crediting Ort for making them, Zazzera said. In the future, Bannon wants to seek grant funding to address City Hall's exterior, with the largest expense being to replace its single-pane windows, which are original to the building. Several years ago, the city received an estimate that replacing the windows would cost nearly $1 million, she said. 'How can we expect developers and investors and existing business owners to make improvements in their properties if we're not willing to do them in ours?' Bannon said, emphasizing the need to use grants, donations and volunteerism to avoid overburdening taxpayers. 'I can't embellish enough how blessed we are to have so many people who want to see us thrive.'

The Most Popular Pasta Shapes in Every State — And It's Not All Spaghetti
The Most Popular Pasta Shapes in Every State — And It's Not All Spaghetti

Yahoo

time14 hours ago

  • Yahoo

The Most Popular Pasta Shapes in Every State — And It's Not All Spaghetti

A new map of America's pasta preferences is stirring the pot—literally. Inspired Taste just dropped a state-by-state breakdown of the most searched pasta shapes across the U.S., and while spaghetti still holds the national title, the local picks get way more interesting. We're talking regional loyalties to rigatoni, cult followings for fettuccine, and one surprising state that gave rotini the majority of its vote. And sorry to elbows—no state gave the mac-and-cheese classic their top spot. Regardless it's fresh pasta or dried, here's what stood out. Idaho: Rotini Rules With 44% of Idahoans choosing rotini, the Gem State showed the strongest loyalty to any pasta shape nationwide. It makes sense: rotini's spiral shape is a red sauce magnet, ideal for hearty meat sauces or creamy ranch pasta salads—two staples in cold-weather comfort food culture. Both states crowned rigatoni as their favorite—a tube-shaped pasta known for its ridged exterior and sturdy structure. It's a natural pick for baked pasta dishes and rich Southern-style casseroles, offering plenty of bite and sauce-holding power. These states might not seem similar on the surface, but all three share a love for fettuccine. Long, flat, and famously paired with Alfredo sauce, fettuccine holds up well to cream- and seafood-based sauces, both of which are popular in coastal cuisines. The Great Elbow Snub Elbow macaroni—despite ranking #4 overall—wasn't the top pick in any single state. A surprise, considering its role in iconic dishes like mac and cheese and pasta salad. It's beloved, but not enough to be anyone's number one. Orzo and Angel Hair: Least Loved Nationwide At the bottom of the barrel? Orzo and angel hair, with 18% of respondents naming them their least favorite pasta types. Orzo's rice-like shape can be confusing to some eaters, and angel hair often gets knocked for turning mushy too fast. National Winner: Spaghetti Still Reigns Despite all the regional quirks, spaghetti held onto its crown as the country's favorite shape, topping the list in 20 states. Its classic status and versatility make it a crowd-pleaser—equally at home in a quick weeknight dinner or a long-simmered Sunday sauce. Pasta is more than just pantry stock—it's identity food. The shape you reach for reflects how you cook, what you crave, and what recipes feel like home. A box of penne might mean baked pasta passed down from grandma. Spaghetti might mean Tuesday night comfort or a go-to cheap dinner. And that state loyalty? It says a lot. New Jersey going hard for penne? Feels on brand. Idaho's love for rotini? Unexpected but kind of charming. These picks reveal little snapshots of how Americans really eat. How to See Your State's Pick Check out the full pasta shape map at Inspired Taste or search your state's breakdown online. Then look at your pantry—are you in the pasta majority or marching to your own noodle beat? Whether you're team spaghetti or flying the rigatoni flag, there's no wrong answer—just more excuses to boil some water.

War on rats gets ugly as hundreds of ‘eyesore' Empire Bins gobble up parking spaces in Harlem
War on rats gets ugly as hundreds of ‘eyesore' Empire Bins gobble up parking spaces in Harlem

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

War on rats gets ugly as hundreds of ‘eyesore' Empire Bins gobble up parking spaces in Harlem

These drivers are in for rat-ical change. West Harlem has become the first neighborhood in the United States to have all of its trash containerized in order to squash uptown rats' curbside trash feasts, City Hall officials said Monday – but the hundreds of UFO-like 'Empire Bins' are now permanently taking some coveted parking spots, The Post has learned. The latest cohort of European-style bins, which are mandatory for all residential properties with more than 30 units, were installed over the weekend — and have gobbled up about 4% of parking spaces in the neighborhood overnight, a city sanitation department rep told The Post. 'It takes up parking spots that were already hard to find,' said Harlem resident Erica Lamont, who claims she circled the blocks of Broadway and West 149th Street for a half-hour on Tuesday morning. 'The bins are the size of small cars and when you put two and three on a residential street, you are ultimately forcing people to force blocks away,' Lamont, 46, said. 'It's not placed in no standing or truck loading zones – they are placed in the few actual parking spots that residents could get,' said Michelle R., a 40-year-old dog sitter in the neighborhood. 'I like the garbage cans, but I feel bad for the people that normally park their cars there.' Other locals, like Harlem resident David Jones, simply blasted the bizarre look of the gargantuan containers. 'It's an eyesore,' said Jones, 40. 'It's right there in front of your face. I'm neutral. If it does the job then let's applaud it — If it doesn't, then let's get rid of them and come up with something else.' Some locals previously told The Post the massive receptacles clash with the neighborhood's aesthetic, even though they may be needed to scare away rats. The pilot program, which spans Manhattan's Community Board 9, includes 1,100 on-street containers for about 29,000 residents living in properties with over 30 units, as well as about half of properties with 10 to 30 units that opted to use the bins. The locked bins are accessible to building staff and waste managers via 'access cards,' and have been serviced by automated side-loading trucks since Monday. 'Rat sightings in NYC are down six months in a row,' a DSNY rep told The Post. 'This is the exact same period that residential bin requirements have been in effect. Containerization WORKS, and there is no reason that other cities can have it and New York can't.' But while citywide rat sightings are down, Manhattan's Community Board 9 has seen a 7.8% jump in rat sightings compared to this time last year, according to a Post analysis of 311 data. Still, City Hall hopes the new bins will end the curbside rat buffet fueled by garbage bags lingering on residential streets — which uptown residents say have made it nearly impossible to walk on some streets at night. 'When there's trash on the sidewalk, there's rats—plain and simple. And yet for years, City Hall acted like trash cans were some sort of sci-fi/fantasy invention,' said Council Member Shaun Abreu, Chair of the Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management. 'Now with full containerization in West Harlem and Morningside Heights, we've got clean bins, no more sidewalk piles, and fewer rats. We fought like hell to make this happen, and now we're proving it works.' Harlem resident Rick M. said he hopes the new containers are effective as residents have historically had to move quickly past piles of street side trash 'because you don't know what may run out. 'I've seen rats run from one big pile to another so it's nice to not have to walk by piles of trash,' the 30-year-old said. 'The rat problem was so bad here that humans couldn't be living here — they'd be attacking you right here,' lifelong Harlem resident Shanice Day told The Post at Morningside Avenue and 124th Street. Day, 39, recalls rats as big as cats 'like Master Splinter rats from Ninja Turtles' that would chew wires off people's cars — and attributes the Empire Bins to a rapid decrease in rodent sightings. 'What I can honestly say is we are almost rat free,' she added. 'If people are upset about the bins they're crazy, because they are a big help.' But Harlem resident Wise Grant, 64, warns the containers are only as effective as those who use them. 'It slows them down but it's not a way to get rid of them,' the retired voting machine technician said. 'It's up to the individual people. People throw food on the floor and it feeds them.' 'That's what people do on the streets. They don't care … They have to care about where they live.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store