When it was first discovered in 1947, the site was seen as the first evidence of human habitation of Washington older than about 2,000–4,000 years.

Richard Daugherty (then a graduate student at the University of Washington) was informed of the existence of bones and stone tools about 14 feet (4.3 m) underground, and he began visiting the site in 1948.

and 6568 BCE) between human tools in the Columbia Basin and extinct bison remains.

Work was primarily directed towards recording the sedimentary stratigraphy at the site in relation to the cultural deposits.

Based on this new information it is believed that the site was occupied by humans more than half a dozen times, over a period of 10–150 years, but that it was mainly a spring camp, due to the preponderance of remains of young bison and unborn elk.