Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village

Meadowcroft Rockshelter, the oldest site of human habitation in North America, provides a unique glimpse into the lives of prehistoric hunters and gathers. This National Historic Landmark, located in Avella, Washington County, Pa., features a massive rock overhang used 19,000 years ago for shelter by the first people in North America. The enclosure at Meadowcroft Rockshelter provides visitors with a unique, never-before-seen perspective into the oldest and deepest parts of this internationally-renowned archeological excavation.

In addition to ancient history at the Rockshelter, visitors to Meadowcroft can also step back in time to experience rural life over the past 500 years through a series of interpretive villages, including a 16th century Eastern Woodland Indian Village, an 18th century log cabin and open-sided trading post, and a 19th century village that includes a church, one-room schoolhouse, and blacksmith shop.