NEW ULM — A fossil bison horn found by Ron Bolduan in August 1994 led to the creation of the Riverside History & Nature Learning Center in Riverside Park.

Bolduan, now the center curator, was walking along a nearby creek that feeds into the Minnesota River a year later when he found a partial bison skull cap and horn. He said the fossil, about 100 yards from the one he found in 1994, is estimated to be at least 9,000 years old, based on its size and degree of calcification.

Fifteen years later, the former Franklin School building in Riverside Park was established as a place to share river history and nature learning with the public.

Considered kid-friendly with a “pirate ship” playground outside, the Center hosts many hands-on displays for visitors — information and photos of riverboats, the clamming business, river fishing, fossilized bones and skulls, even old wasp nests.

Closed now due to COVID-19, the Center is normally open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. It’s hours are noon to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Since opening the Center, Bolduan has collected, donated and received donated items including photos of large or unusual fish caught in the Minnesota or nearby rivers.

Just last fall, the history and nature center hosted the showing of a large Columbian mammoth tusk and piece of the animal’s hip bone estimated to weigh about four tons.

The tusk, about five feet long and weighing about 50 pounds, was found in a gravel site near New Ulm High School.

Science Museum of Minnesota Fitzpatrick Chair of Paleontology Alex Hastings attended the local show and suggested it be temporarily brought to the Science Museum to stabilize it before returning it for local display.

Hastings said the rivers around New Ulm are a great place to find bones on shore.

Bolduan received the 2019 Roger J. Wolfe Achievement Award for his efforts to teach children and adults about nature and dedication to the Minnesota River.

Bolduan received the award at the Minnesota Valley Action Council’s (MVAC) 53rd Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner.

The award was established in honor of Wolfe, a former MVAC board member, who contributed his time and energy towards improving the lives of others. The award goes to someone who symbolizes the ideas Wolfe represented.

Using his photographical talents, Bolduan introduced many people to ecosystem wonders in school presentations and other programs. He organized a youth program called the River Rangers for area youth.

Last summer, the City of New Ulm contracted with A.R.R. Construction of New Ulm to build a large, wheelchair accessible deck with a ramp on the north side of the learning center and a spacious deck overlooking Riverside Park and the Minnesota River on the east side of the building.

Bolduan said three new benches will be added to the deck this year. One will be dedicated to Bolduan’s wife Linda, who enjoyed fishing and had great success doing it. Other benches will be dedicated to Mike Grausam and Rick Beyer’s parents, Harry “Hucky” and Pauline Beyer.