Although it probably won't be immediately apparent when you arrive at GZ, there is something else of importance besides that silly little bison tube.
It doesn't matter if it's before or after you SL & grab your smiley but before you leave if you turn & look to the east. See that Big Rock formation way up on the hill?
Exactly! That's why we brought you to this area.
That is the Big Rock shelter
"The ancient hieroglyphics and etchings at Big Rock Shelter, located in northern Henderson County, have held the interest of amateur and professional archeologists for many years. Big Rock is the only known rockshelter in the Caddoan area of East Texas. Because the shelter has protected the archeological deposits, materials such as floral and faunal remains have been well preserved. Excavations by archeologists from Southern Methodist University indicate that the shelter was first occupied about a.d. 600 by prehistoric Indians. The designs carved into the surface of the shelter were made, at least in part, by these people. Later, prehistoric Caddo Indians occupied the shelter.
The site is located on a high ridge that forms the divide among the Trinity, Neches, and Sabine rivers. The shelter overlooks a vast area of hickory and oak uplands that is transitional from the East Texas pine forests to the prairies. The sand hills of the ridge are the site of permanent springs that supplied water for the occupants of the shelter.
The shelter was most likely never a permanent residence but a place for occasional overnight stays that may have had religious significance. It opens to the north and therefore provides poor protection from winter weather. However, during the rest of the year it forms a cool, protected location.
Petroglyphs were carved on both the ceiling and back wall of the rockshelter and to the east of the shelter's drip line. The carvings are of two general categories, representations of animal footprints and clusters of abstract geometrical designs; the latter consist of both rectilinear and curvilinear motifs. The recognizable animal prints, all of which occur outside the shelter, are deer, turkey, and raccoon.
Faunal remains from the shelter indicate that the Caddoan occupants made use of deer, rabbits, turtles, and mussels, the latter two from the permanent springs located only a few hundred feet away. Remains of hickory nuts were also found. Stone tools found at the site were made of pebbles probably brought in from the gravel deposits on the Trinity and Sabine rivers. The most common arrowheads were Scallorn and Alba points. The few prehistoric ceramic fragments recovered in the Caddoan deposits seem to be representative of the Saunders Focus, a prehistoric Caddoan unit."
(The above was quoted from: http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/bbb04")
"Melton Rock" is located several miles on the old Prairieville Athens Road which crosses FM 1861 by the "Big Rock" Ranch. It is on a 46 acre tract of land. The Rock is a few yards off the road on the left. According to an altitude map the "Rock" is 700 feet above sea level. It is easy to climb. One can get a good view of the surrounding area. The view is especially lovely at night when the lights are on.
"According to an abstract deed of the present owner, a patent from the State of Texas was issued on Jan. 10, 1860 by Gov. Sam Houston to Robert H. Pierson located, In Henderson County of the waters of Clear Creek an eastern tributary of the Trinity River about 10 miles N 28\'b0 from Athens." Total acreage, 320 acres. This tract of land was sold five times. The owners were: Thomas Jackwell, Wilkerson Durham, James Crosby, William Melton and wife, and John Melton and wife Margaret Gardener Melton, William Melton and John Melton were not related. The two Melton families kept the land the longest periods of time.
John and Margaret Melton bought the land on Nov. 30, 1901. They had 12 children. Some of them were quite young when they moved onto the land. Margaret Melton died in 1919 and John died in 1926. The land was not divided until July 19, 1934 when 80 acres were separated and deeded to A. C. (Archie) Melton. Mrs. Mattie Melton Justice, one of the twelve children, owned 100 acres of the original tract at her death. The land passed to her only child, John Neal Justice. He is the only Melton descendant owning any of the original 320 acres. He offered the "Rock" with 15 acres of land to the state for a park. The state said they'd accept the offer if the county would agree to maintain the park, but the county refused. John Neal sold 53 acres to Gary Goodell, son of an early pioneer family.
The "Rock" has been through the years and still is, a favorite place for picnics and "Courting Couples." Tradition says that Indians once used it for a lookout and that Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow once hid from the law there. (Information furnished by John Neal Justice and Ruth Cook)
*note: The "Rock" is no longer open to the public."
(The above was quoted from:http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txhender/melton.htm)
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Please, as with all Geocache, remember...
1. CITO if needed
2. When taking an item please trade even or up.
***** Congratulations to rmeyners for being the FTF!! *****