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BADIN, N.C. -- One of the most significant archaeological sites in the country is in North Carolina.

The Hardaway Site, located in Stanly County, provided artifacts dating back 12,000 years ago. UNC has created a traveling exhibit to share information learned from the excavations and it’s now on display in Stanly Co.

The first dig at the site along Badin Lake was in the 1930s. As archaeologists continued to dig they discovered stuff from further and further back in time.

"There’s just enough artifacts in this exhibit to show what it was all about then,” said David Summerlin of Badin Museum. “But the real story is telling you about how the tools were made, how they were used.”

The people who lived in the area are called Paleoindians. Experts say they came because of the ryalite stone at what is now Morrow Mountain State Park and traveled about four miles to the site at Badin Lake to catch shad.

The hands-on exhibits now at the site are geared particularly toward fourth graders and eighth graders because students in those grades across the state are studying North Carolina history.

“Even though it's geared toward the school children, the adults enjoy doing these same things also,” said Summerlin.

Badin’s museum is the first to host The Ancient Carolinians exhibit. It will be on display at that location until April 9. The museum is open Tuesdays and Sunday and admission is free.