Most people in Albert County have heard the story of the Hillsborough Mastodon—a remarkable ice-age discovery made right here in 1936. But fewer people know that this ancient giant, uncovered by pure chance during dam repairs, was given a name: Marmaduke.
Yes, the young mastodon who roamed our region nearly 80,000 years ago has been known for decades by this memorable nickname, adding a surprisingly personal touch to one of New Brunswick’s most iconic paleontological finds.
The discovery took place on the property of Conrad Osman in Hillsborough, when workers encountered unusual bones buried deep in a peat-filled sinkhole. What they had found was extraordinary: the nearly complete remains of a teenage American mastodon—an 8-tonne creature that once browsed the forests of southern New Brunswick.
The site would later reveal more than bones. The surrounding layers of peat, clay, and glacial deposit helped scientists piece together a vivid environmental story: warm interglacial forests, fresh waterways, and the treacherous sinkholes formed by the gypsum bedrock below. Poor Marmaduke likely became trapped in one of these natural pitfalls, preserved by the earth for tens of thousands of years.
Though no one can say with certainty who first coined the name, the newspapers quickly began referring to the Hillsborough Mastodon as Marmaduke—a name that stuck. It gave personality to the prehistoric giant, turning it from an anonymous fossil into a character woven into Albert County’s heritage.
Today, the remains of Marmaduke reside at the New Brunswick Museum in Saint John, but the story belongs to Albert County. It’s one of the most detailed and scientifically valuable mastodon finds in Atlantic Canada—and it happened right in our backyard.
For the Albert County Museum, Marmaduke’s story is a reminder of how rich and surprising our natural history can be. Beneath our feet lies a landscape shaped by glaciers, ancient forests, and creatures that vanished long before humans walked these shores.