Utah Centennial County History Series - Grand County 1996

EARLYHUMANS IN THE REGION H u m a n beings are thought by many anthropologists to have entered the Western Hemisphere by way of the Bering land bridge between Russia and Alaska during the last ice age when water locked up in the great ice fields of the earth resulted in the exposure of more of the land, providing a dry, though very cold, crossing platform from one continent to the other. Geologists have determined that the land bridge was exposed during a timeframe between 25,000 and 11,000 years ago, and that there were periods when climatic conditions would have made movement of hardy peoples between the two continents possible. They also believe from genetic studies of Native American peoples that the migration was not an isolated event: different groups probably crossed the land bridge at various times during the period when it was exposed above the ocean level. These migrations may have taken place as early as 20,000 years ago-evidence indicates that people were well established on the continent some 12,000 to 14,000 years ago, and that they generally migrated to the south and east in search of game and better living conditions.'

Though it was not likely one of the first areas settled, it is pos-