I am a Heritage tourist. I plan our adventures.
I pack a picnic basket and an overnight bag.
I pack our books and our cameras.
My husband plots our route always leaving room for serendipity.
The Kimmswick Bone Bed contains bones of mastodons.
Not only is this site an important paleontological site
but also a significant archaeological site.
I am interested in learning about those that were here before me.
The museum tells the natural and cultural story of this ancient site.
Hiking trails lead to the Bone Bed.
The history of this area includes a limestone-quarry
and many amateur excavations.
I was amazed by the rocks.
Ferns and other flora were growing right out of the rocks.
The Purple Cliff-Brake Fern is well named.
Along the trail information boards are set up.I wonder how I fit in this history.
Stepping off the trail I was instantly part of this living diorama.
In the 1970's, during the construction of a near by interstate, public interest was revived in the Kimmswick Bone Bed. Preserving the bone bed became a mission for many local people who understood the importance of this site. In 1976 the Missouri Department of Natural Resources purchased 418 acres including the bone bed. In 1979 a "Clovis" type spear point was found in association with some mastodon bones. This find is a rare example of ice age Paleo-Indian Clovis culture ( over 10,000 years ago) hunting in this area. In 1987, the Kimmswick Bone Bed was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
On the trail I saw a Crow's feather.Crow is always a teacher for me.
Near our car a Crow cawed.
There was just enough light left in the day to visit one more Historic site.We drove south to the Trail of Tears.
5 comments:
Dear Sherry....such wonderful history....the bone bed is so important, it is wonderful that it is being cared for and honoured.
Your journey is opening up more and more avenues.....where will they take you next I wonder.....
Thank you for a very interesting post.
I, too, prefer vacations and outings which educate. When my children were younger, our vacations usually included national parks and geologic interest points like Mt Saint Helens Volcano, lava tubes, and limestone caves.
The last time I was able to visit any place like that was about 3 years ago, when we took a side trip to Hannibal, Missouri after helping our daughter and son-in-law move to Indiana. It was really interesting!
I'm glad to read of educational places that others have visited, such as the bone bed. There is no way I would ever be able to get to all of them...
Thanks again!
Dearest Sherry,
What a nice trip, I felt like if I was there with you.
many changes are ahead for me, and I will share it with my friends soon.
I just want you to know that you inspire me in many ways and for that, I'm very grateful.
Besos,
Mel
What an interesting tour. There is a lot of coal mining in our area. They dug up some mastadon bones just 15 feet down. The company donated them to the museum. It made me wonder if there were more there. We will never know.
You go to some fascinating places! That mastodon looks so fierce.
Crow is symbolic of magic (according to what I've read). Interesting that crow should leave you a feather and then a message. I think he's telling you to "stay tuned", you're on to something!
Thanks for bringing us along with you.
Stay strong.
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