Archeologist Extraordinaire, Author and Consultant
The Dinosaur Capital of Texas where the Paluxy River still uncovers secrets from the past
Begin your adventure as we celebrate Texas Archeology Month; travel along the Texas Prehistoric Trail; meet Dr. Eileen Johnson at the Lubbock Lake Landmark; see the Big Bend Fossil Discovery Exhibit, Rock Art, Dinosaur Photo Ops, and More!
DR. JIM BRUSETH
The Texas Heritage Trails pro gram is based on 10 scenic driving trails created as a marketing tool in 1968 by Gov. John Connally and the Texas Highway Department (now the Texas Department of Transportation). In 1997, the State Legislature charged the Texas Historical Commission (THC) to cre ate a statewide heritage tourism pro gram. The THC responded with a program based on local, regional and state partnerships and using the 10 driving routes. These “trails” serve as the nucleus of 10 heritage regions and include heritage tourism attrac tions both on and off the trail.
Old has been made new again across the Lone Star State through the ongoing exploration, discovery, interpretation and research of the prehistoric times. In this issue, Authentic Texas unearths and shares stories of fossils that date back millions of years when ancient creatures roamed the earth. Follow along as we share where Texas travelers and history enthusiasts can visit sites of prehistoric relics and impressions of ancient treasures.
The studies of archeology & pale ontology teach us the immensity of geological time and we are delighted to introduce you to several shining stars within these fields.
BRAZOS TRAIL
TexasBrazosTrail.com
FOREST TRAIL
TexasForestTrail.com
FORTS TRAIL
TexasFortsTrail.com
HILL COUNTRY TRAIL
TxHillCountryTrail.com
INDEPENDENCE TRAIL
TexasIndependenceTrail.com
LAKES TRAIL
TexasLakesTrail.com
MOUNTAIN TRAIL
TexasMountainTrail.com
PECOS TRAIL
TexasPecosTrail.com
PLAINS TRAIL
TexasPlainsTrail.com
TROPICAL TRAIL
TexasTropicalTrail.com
Within these covers, take a 100-million-year journey through the life of Texas’ earliest inhabitants. Explore permanent interactive exhibits and excavation sites featuring the Paleolithic and Clovis eras and much more. The Lone Star State has some of the most popular natural history museum exhibits and many of them include models of well-studied primor dial creatures. Dinosaurs are the uncontested stars of the prehistoric era, and even after millions of years, Tyrannosaurus rex (more commonly known as T-Rex) still has the ability to chill us to our core thanks, in part, to a bit of dramatization from the immense ly popular 1993 movie Jurassic Park
Do you know which Texas community is known as the Dinosaur Capital of Texas? Also, did you know that Texas has an officially designated state dinosaur? Do you know which month is celebrated each year as Texas Archeology Month? Read through this edition to find out answers to these questions and more. No bones about it, you will be amazed!
These prehistoric stories explore a wide variety of natural and social sciences such as anthropology, archeology, paleontolo gy, and many others. We owe a debt of gratitude to the countless scientists, curators, archivists, tour guide specialists, and innu merable volunteers who bring Prehistoric Texas to life.
On behalf of Authentic Texas, I hope you enjoy this trip back in time and are inspired to visit many of the amazing museums and historic sites across the great state of Texas.
ON THE COVER an artist’s concept of the Quetzalcoatlus northropi, the world’s largest flying creature that was as large as a presentday giraffe, with thin limbs, a long sharp beak and a wingspan of up to 36 feet. The genus name refers to the Aztec feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl; the specific name honors John Knudsen Northrop, the found of the Northrop Corporation.
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by the Texas Heritage TrailsDr. Jim Bruseth is a time traveling and deep digging investigator.
30 Glen Rose is where dinosaur tracks continue to intrigue scientists and the public.
37
Arrowheads were tools and weapons vital to every North American tribe.
The Official State Dinosaur of Texas
The Fossil Discovery Exhibit showcases many of the park’s famous fossils
The Museum of the Big Bend tells the stories of those that lived in this region before
Texas icon city lights
A borrow pit becomes a Fossil Park where finders are keepers
Paintings on rock structures in Texas are world-class and can be accessed by the public
Kids of all ages will enjoy spotting these prehistoric creatures throughout the state
Hit the road to travel back in time and visit seven unique sites in Central Texas
The Mayborn Museum Complex has worldrenowned fossil collections
An oil field worker’s discovery is among the oldest human remains found in North America
Campfire or back yard cooking made simple
50 years of service and leadership still drive the work at the Lubbock Lake Landmark
58 Dr. Clark Wernecke directs the Gault School of Archeological Research
STATE LIBRARY & ARCHIVES
There is a myriad of documents, images and artifacts that tell the stories of Texas including collections relevant to the state’s western heritage
52
The New York Hill Restaurant
Enjoy delicious home-made meals while overlooking the ghost town of Thurber
Texas Historical Commission events, activities and awards recognize the role of archeology in the preservation of Texas histor
Sauroposeidon is the state dinosaur of Texas and is the tallest ever.
Big Bend National Park’s Fossil Discovery Exhibit, the Museum of the Big Bend in Alpine and the Mineral Wells Fossil Park
Baylor’s Mayborn Museum Complex in Waco and finding ancient bones in Midland
24
Archeologist Dr. Jim Bruseth, Dinosaurs in Glen Rose, Arrowheads
In a state where every thing bigger is better, it comes as no sur prise that Sauroposeidon, the state dinosaur (adopted June 19, 2009), is the tallest ever. While not the biggest overall, it gives the Argentinosaurus a run for its money in weight and length. The fossil record for this behemoth is relatively scant; however, you can see first-hand the impact this giant made in Glen Rose at Dinosaur Valley State Park.
Sauroposeidon existed near the end of the Early Cretaceous, from around 113 to 110 million years ago. It lived along the Gulf of Mexico, which then washed through Oklahoma. Its head could reach up to 69 feet in height and stretch up to 112 feet in length. Examination of the bones revealed they are thin and honey combed with tiny air cells, much like the bones of an ostrich, mak ing the neck lighter and easier to lift. However, at over sixty tons, Sauroposeidon ranks among the largest dinosaurs ever.
In May 1994, bloodhound trainer Bobby Cross was training his dogs and looking for arrow heads and small relics in the woods of Atoka County, Oklahoma. Stumbling across some fossils, he called the University of Oklahoma Natural History Museum. A team from the University of Oklahoma, led by paleontologist Richard L. Cifelli, uncovered three full verte brae and two-thirds of a fourth. An extrapolation resulted in an estimated 39-foot-long neck, the longest ever discovered.
Dinosaur Valley State Park
1629 Park Road 59 Glen Rose, TX 76043 (254) 897-4588
Mon.-Sun. 8 am-5 pm tpwd.texas.gov/stateparks/dinosaur-valley
Explore Glen Rose exploreglenrose.org
Initially, the fossils were believed to be too large to be ani mal remains and instead noted they were likely petrified tree trunks. Cifelli had the fossils stored until 1999, when he gave them to a graduate student to analyze. Upon further inspection, they realized the significance of their find and went public. It was given the name Sauroposeidon, named for the Greek sea god who is also associated with earth quakes, referring to the ground-shaking that resulted from this dinosaur’s every step.
In 2012, numerous other sau ropod remains, known for decades under a variety of names, got shuffled under the genus Sauroposeidon, including Paluxysaurus jonesi, then Texas’ state dinosaur. Sauropod bones and trackways had long been known, as early as 1908, from the Paluxy River area, particularly from the Glen Rose Formation. A bonebed was discovered in nearby Hood County where subsequent
(left) A giant sauropod
| Courtesy Daniel Eskridge - Adobe Stock (top right and bottom right)
Tracks exposed due to recent drought reveal Sauroposeidon in Glen Rose.
| Courtesy Paul Baker/ LDL Friends
Dinosaur Valley State Park
work by teams from Southern Methodist University, Tarleton State University, and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History resulted in the discovery of a sauropod species named Paluxysaurus jonesi.
The teams found a partial skull specimen, featuring an asso ciated left maxilla, nasal, and teeth. Other bones discovered included a partial neck of seven vertebrae, thirteen from the back, and thirty from the tail, with some examples of all limb and girdle bones minus some of the head and foot. A reanalysis of these specimens in 2012 conclud ed that Paluxysaurus was the same animal as Sauroposeidon, rolling them together and provid ing the name change we have today. In 2009, it replaced anoth er Sauropod, the Pleurocoelus (which had been adopted in 1997), which was originally thought to have made the prints at the Glen Rose site, as the offi cial Lone Star state dinosaur.
DON’T MISSVast, remote, and wild, beautiful Big Bend National Park attracts over 500,000 visitors (mostly Texans) each year. They come to hike, camp, birdwatch, explore the backcountry, float the Rio Grande River, and enjoy the expansive panoramas of the Chihuahuan Desert. Wherever one goes in the park, geology is on full display. Deep canyons, folded layers, and rugged volcanic peaks tell stories of tremendous forces and change over millions of years.
Big Bend National Park’s geologic history is
not only complex and diverse, but also con tains an amazing fossil record, especially of the late Cretaceous and early Tertiary periods. In fact, with over 1,200 known fossil species, Big Bend’s fossil record is one of the most diverse in the National Park System.
The park’s fossil assemblage, including some found nowhere else in the world, record the existence and demise of dinosaurs and the flourishing of mammals, enabling us to ponder evolution and our impermanence in the world. Some of Big Bend’s fossil finds include bones of a giant pterosaur, the largest known flying
by Tom VandenBergcreature of all time with a 36-foot wingspan, as well as the massive skull of the horned dino saur Bravoceratops. Recently discovered in 2013, it is only known from Big Bend. In addi tion to numerous dinosaurs, giant crocodiles, and other reptiles, the park has abundant fos silized wood, early mammals, and a wide vari ety of marine vertebrates and invertebrates.
To help visitors appreciate the paleontolog ical wonders of the area, the National Park Service and the park’s philanthropic partner, Big Bend Conservancy, worked together to develop a world class exhibit to display many of the park’s most famous fossils. Opened in 2017, the Fossil Discovery Exhibit allows visi tors to discover the changes to Big Bend’s plants and animals, and the world they lived in, through 130 million years of geologic time. The exhibit highlights four primary “chapters” in Big Bend’s past. Each chapter is richly rep resented with an array of specimens and pho to-realistic murals to illustrate the fascinating story of Big Bend’s ancient life.
—The story begins at a time when a broad, shallow sea covered Big Bend and much of Texas, leaving behind a fossil record that includes mosasaurs (swimming reptiles), pred atory fish, sharks, and numerous “seashell” fossils, such as clams, oysters, snails, and sea urchins.
(left) Fossil Discovery Exhibit “hall of giants” depicting the Pterosaur Quetzalcoatlus, and T-rex | Courtesy CA Hoyt
(top left) Ranger Jen Vanegas discussing fossils at the Fossil Discovery Exhibit | Courtesy CA Hoyt
(top right) The Fossil Discovery Exhibit is “open air” and offers views of many geologic formations where fossils were actually found. | Courtesy C. Dunn
—As the ancient sea receded, Big Bend became a swampy, coastal environment, much like the coast of Texas today but inhabited by dino saurs and giant crocodiles.
—Later, the coastline moved farther to the east, and Big Bend was crossed by rivers and forests, where dinosaurs roamed and giant pterosaurs soared overhead.
—After the extinction of the dinosaurs, mam mals flourished, including those whose bones were found just a stone’s throw from the Fossil Discovery Exhibit.
Visit Big Bend visitbigbend.com
Big Bend National Park 1 Panther Junction Big Bend National Park (432) 477-2251 nps.gov/bibe/index.htm
Fossil Discovery Exhibit fossildiscoveryexhibit.com
Located 8 miles north of Park Headquarters, the Fossil Discovery Exhibit is a self-guided interpretive experience. The exhibit is open from dawn to dusk daily. A shaded picnic area is nearby, and it has an assortment of fossil-themed climbing structures and engaging displays for children. A vault toilet is available at the site (no water is available). Cellular telephones generally can get reception at the site.
The Fossil Discovery Exhibit is the most significant addition to Big Bend National Park’s visitor services system in the past 50 years. Thanks to the generosity of individuals, corporations, and foundations across the state, this beautiful exhibit gives park visitors the opportunity to meet the past right where actual fossils were found.
DON’T MISS
DON’T MISS
As its name would imply, the Museum of the Big Bend provides an excellent introduction to the Big Bend region. Located in Alpine on the campus of Sul Ross University, the museum’s purpose has remained con stant: to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret the cultural, historic and natural materials that relate to the prehistory, history and cultural diver sity of the Big Bend region of Texas and northern Mexico.
The native rock museum building was built in 1937 with funding from the Texas Centennial Commission and in cooperation with the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Today, the museum is engaged in a major expansion project with comple tion scheduled for early 2023.
The Museum of the Big Bend offers some of the most well-curated fossil, rock art, and interpretive installations of any museum. Perhaps
the museum’s most popular exhibit for dinosaur enthusiasts is the lifesized replica of Quetzalcoatulus northropi is suspended with out spread wings over museum visitors (pictured above). Discovered in Big Bend National Park, it is the world’s largest flying creature to ever live.
There’s more, of course, to ancient Texas than invertebrate fossils and ferocious dinosaurs. The Big Bend region has been home to a variety of human cultures for roughly 12,000 years. One such group known as the Livermore people hunted and gath ered at the highest elevations of the Davis Mountains between 800 to 1350 CE. The museum’s “Tall Rock Shelter” exhibit is an exquisite reveal of how some of the ancient peoples lived.
In addition to the pictographs dis covered at the Tall Rock Shelter, two caches of arrowheads were also found on that site. A cache of 1,700 arrow
heads were uncovered in 1895 by T.A. Merrill and C.C. Janes and were donated to the museum in 1929. Much later, David Means and his two sons unearthed another cache of 1,200 points. Known as the John Z. and Exa Means Cache, it is also in the protec tion and custody of the museum.
Whether it’s dinosaurs or ancient peoples, the Museum of the Big Bend continues to tell the fascinating sto ries of the area.
Visit Alpine visitalpinetx.com Museum of the Big Bend Sul Ross State University campus Alpine, TX (432) 837-8730 museumofthebigbend.comVisit Mineral Wells visitmineralwells.org
Mineral Wells Fossil Park 2375 Indian Creek Road Mineral Wells, TX 76067 (940) 328-7803 mineralwellsfossilpark.com
Dallas Paleontological Society (817) 355-4693 dallaspaleo.org
Tucked away deep in the land scape just beyond the western edge of Mineral Wells is a fossil hunter’s paradise. Everyone from amateur enthusiasts to professional paleontologists enjoy col lecting treasures at this fossiliferous hid den gem.
Though the fossils are more than 300-million years old, they were only just discovered in 2010. The site was for merly the borrow pit to the city’s landfill (not the landfill itself), that closed in 1993. After 20 years of erosion in the pit, tiny fossils began to surface, and fossil lovers took notice.
At the urging of the Dallas Paleontological Society (DPS), the Chamber of Commerce and City of Mineral Wells collaborated with DPS to create the Mineral Wells Fossil Park. This city park is especially appealing because unlike most roadside dig sites, it is large, wide open, clear of cumbersome vegetation and there’s no danger from oncoming traffic.
According to Brittanica.com, finds
from this historic seabed are from the Pennsylvanian Period, a time marked by “significant advance and retreat by shal low sea.” The fossils are of plants and animals that were buried in sediments as the land shifted to create the Palo Pinto Mountains.
Visitors won’t unearth the bones of dinosaurs at this site. Instead, they’ll find an abundance of crinoids (sea lilies), echinoids (urchins), corals and sponges, and trilobites (arthropods). The rare find is a coveted shark’s tooth.
When headed out to the park, there are a few things to keep in mind. While there are some shaded picnic tables up top, the actual “dig” pit is wide open with no shade; use sunscreen and carry plenty of water. The term “dig” is used loosely; digging is less productive than simply collecting the fossils found on the surface, especially after a good rain. That’s why only small hand/garden tools are allowed; shovels or pickaxes are not permitted.
Recently celebrating its 12th anni versary, the Mineral Wells Fossil Park
remains a free city park open daily to the public year-round. Not only are visitors sure to find fossils, once they know what to look for, but visitors get to keep them - for personal use only. It’s one of few places in the United States where visi tors can take their finds home.
Join the fun at the park on the third Saturday of October for the annual Crazy Fossil Dig (pictured above). Dallas
Paleontological Society members share collecting techniques and help visitors identify finds. Visit Mineral Wells has Fossil Explorer Kits, scavenger hunts and more!
DON’T MISS
Baylor University’s Mayborn Museum is one of Central Texas’ preeminent scientific and cultural institutions. Located in Waco on University Parks, the Mayborn opened its cur rent building to the public in 2004, but our story began years earlier. In 1893, Baylor University needed a place to store specimens used in science classes; our collection grew out of these specimens and artifacts donated by missionaries on their travels abroad.
Strecker’s education as a naturalist began as a child. Curious by nature, Strecker collected,
identified and preserved birds, reptiles, and most keenly, amphibian species. His desire to understand the nature around him would lead him to write scholarly articles about Central Texas species for regional newspapers. In 1903 at the age of 28, Strecker had impressed his fel low naturalists and was looking to manage a museum collection, and Baylor University was waiting.
As far back as the 1850s, Baylor University professors collected teaching materials to help students understand biology, physics, chemis try and geology. The paleontology collection contained over 13,500 fossil specimens and over 70% of these are fossils were collected in Texas. The majority are marine invertebrates,
Visit Waco wacoheartoftexas.com
Mayborn Museum
1300 S. University Parks Dr. Waco, TX 76706 (254) 710-1110 baylor.edu/mayborn
Waco Mammoth National Monument
6220 Steinbeck Bend Dr. Waco, TX 76708 (254) 750-7946 nps.gov/waco
DON’T MISSsuch as the oyster Exogyra pon derosa and the sea urchin Heteraster texanus. The collection also includes a 75-million-yearold giant sea turtle, Protostega gigas. Discovered in 1971, it took almost two years to be excavated. The museum obtained the fossil ized remains of a Ceraunosuarus brownorum, a marine reptile that swam in the shallow sea that cov ered Central Texas during the Cretaceous Period.
In his role as curator, Strecker organized and cared for the University’s museum collection, enhancing Baylor’s reputation on a worldwide scale. Strecker served as curator of the Baylor University Museum from 1903 to 1933. In 1940 the museum was renamed the Strecker Museum in his honor.
In 1983, Calvin Smith joined the staff at the Strecker Museum as director. Smith had heard about some mammoth fossils
(left) From humble beginnings: former curator of Baylor University Museum, John K. Strecker in 1926 surrounded by specimens that were the foundation for the Mayborn Museum.
| Courtesy Mayborn Museum Complex
(top left) Celebrating Central Texas’ natural science and cultural history: resources of hands-on discovery rooms and interactive natural science and cultural history galleries, including outdoor exhibits, are brought together in one location at the Mayborn Museum Complex.
(top right) The Waco Mammoth National Monument exhibit gives visitors a unique view of how excavators found the mammoth bones at the site.
some local teenagers had brought in from a local dig site years before but when he arrived, there were no complete specimens. The community was ready to give up on the dig site when Smith decid ed to head out to Steinbeck Road himself.
Smith toured the site and soon resumed the volunteer excava tions. He suspected they had dis covered a Paleoindian mammoth kill site – no such evidence turned up, but as the team unearthed 16 mammoths through the 1980s, a new picture emerged: that of a nursery herd of mammoths that died in a potentially cataclysmic event. Calvin Smith and his team of scientists removed much of the mammoth material from the site to house and research it at the Strecker Museum.
In 2004, the paleontology and geology collections were incorpo rated into the newly named Mayborn Museum Complex. The foundation laid by numerous museum directors from 1893 to
the present helped connect the past to the future. The museum continues to honor their contribu tions through an exhibit called “Strecker’s Cabinets of Curiosities.”
Since 1893, the Mayborn has expanded its mission to include vibrant programs and hands-on experiences. Today, the Mayborn brings together the resources of discovery rooms and natural sci ence and cultural history galleries, including outdoor exhibits. At the Mayborn, we study prehistory in pursuit of creating a better world— whether we’re analyzing objects in our collection or leading conversa tions about what these creatures’ environments would have looked like. Our geological and paleonto logical collections of fossils are world-renowned, drawing researchers from around the globe.
We ask big questions, publish groundbreaking research for the scientific community, and craft exhibitions to capture the imagina tion of a public who share our pas sion for science.
Keith Glasscock, a Permian Basin oilfield worker, often spent his spare time searching the wind swept sandy dunes near Midland for stone artifacts left by the Native American groups who once traveled there thousands of years before. On a June day in 1953 he discov ered something unexpected. Where the winds had eroded the grayish sandy floor of a “blow out,” Glasscock saw several bone fragments. He collected part of a human skull, a rib, and two metacarpals (bones from the hand), all heavily mineralized.
Realizing he had found something signifi cant, Glasscock gathered the exposed bones, disturbing nothing below the surface. He con tacted Dr. Fred Wendorf at the Laboratory of Anthropology in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and
mailed him the bones.
In October 1953 Glasscock, Wendorf, and several other archaeologists returned to the site where they discovered more bones, includ ing additional skull fragments. They also col lected fossilized animal bones from the blow out, including horse remains. Wendorf con ducted another month-long excavation in February 1954.
Scientists began working to learn the age of this find. Dr. Wendorf believed these might be the oldest human remains found in North America at that time. The one-hundred-plus bone fragments were reassembled to form the top of the skull. Tests of the bones, along with analysis of the discovery site, were used to determine their antiquity. The find received national attention, even featured in popular
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Visit Midland visitmidland.com
Midland County History Museum
200 North Main Midland, TX 79701 (432) 688-8947
Thu.-Sat. 11 am-4 pm midlandhistoricalsociety.com
articles in several national magazines, including Time, Life, and National Geographic. Early estimates ranged as high as 20,000-years-old, though that proved to be far too great. The best evi dence would eventually place the age of this skeleton at around some 9,500-yearsold.
For a few years, the find was big news in Midland. Eventually two state historic markers recorded the discovery. In an era less sensitive to displaying human remains, the Midland County History Museum exhibited the skull for a time. Today, the “Midland skull” is with the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of Natural History (see lower right).
ing grit from the stone grinding tools used to process it. Her life might be tough at times, focused on survival, yet it also unfolded at a far more leisurely time frame than the hurried pace of modern times.
Since 1954 several far more ancient human remains have been discovered in North America, eclipsing the fame of the Midland skull. But a bronze cast remains at the Midland Museum to remind visi tors that, in the scale of human time, we are all relatively newcomers.
(left) Keith Glasscock (second from left) returned to the discovery site on October 28, 1953, with (left) Dr. Jesse Nusbaum, Senior Archaeologist with the National Parks Service, Santa Fe, Polly Hughes (right of Glasscock) and Dr. Fred Wendorf (right). The team excavated a sixfoot square around the bone fragments. | Photo courtesy Midland County History Museum
And what of this ancient person and how they had once lived? From the bone size, scientists determined it was a female, some 30 years old at the time of her death. Wear on the few teeth found indicated a diet of abrasive food that ground them down.
She lived in a much wetter climate, perhaps being buried beside a small lake, now only an arid depression. Her nomad ic extended-family group crossed West Texas, hunting the more plentiful game there, perhaps including bison, antelope, and even extinct creatures—mammoth, camels, giant armadillos and the small horses found with her. The plant food gathered was tough and fibrous, contain
Dr. Jim Bruseth likes nothing better than solving a mystery involving Texas history.
BY BOB MCCULLOUGH
he’s crisscrossed the state as sort of a “detective,” gathering artifacts and clues, assessing the evidence and arriv ing at well-thought-out conclusions about matters of historical significance. His most-notable detective work involved the mid-1990s discovery and excavation of the shipwreck La Belle, a 17th-century French vessel under the control of explorer Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle that sank in Matagorda Bay in 1684.
“The spark for my archaeology interest occurred when I was a young boy in the late 1950s,” he says. “I was visiting our family farm in Idaho with my grandmother, and she took me to a place where she said Native Americans had camped. I found an arrowhead and thought that it was so amazing to be touching a piece of ancient history. That incident launched a lifelong interest in archaeology and learning about people of the past.”
Born in Pasco, Washington, Dr. Bruseth spent his formative years in Slidell, Louisiana, knowing he wanted to be an archaeologist. But his parents were afraid he wouldn’t get a job in archaeology, and they would have to support him beyond col lege. So he attended the University of New Orleans and graduated with a degree in business management in 1974. He then moved to Dallas and Southern Methodist University(SMU) to earn both his master’s and doctoral degrees – in archaeology.
While pursuing his graduate degrees, he worked at SMU in the Archaeology Research Program and eventually served as director. There he performed archaeological studies for public works projects, which were required to comply with state and fed eral laws to protect archaeological sites from planned development. In 1987, he moved on to direct the Review and Compliance Department at the Texas Historical Commission (THC). Ten years later, he became the first director of THC’s newly formed Archeology Division.
After almost 25 years at THC, he retired from state employment in 2011, became an independent archaeological consultant and worked in that role for the Friends of the THC support group and the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. For the Friends, he wrote books on archaeology. At the Bullock, he worked to develop the museum’s La Belle shipwreck exhibit. The reconstructed hull of the ship is a focal point in the Bullock’s central atrium.
Dr. Bruseth champions archaeology because it answers so many questions about past civilizations.
“Archaeology is the study of the past through the analysis of artifacts and other
items, such as the places people lived, to learn about early cultures,” he explains. “Texas has more than 15,000 years of human history, yet we only have written records for 4% of that time. If we want to learn about the other 96% of our state’s human history, we have to rely upon archaeology to tell us about what happened.
So the artifacts and occupation sites of early cultures are like a special history book that can only be read and understood by using the methods of archaeology. Normally, this requires the excavation of an archaeological site and the recovery of arti facts and other information, which is then analyzed and interpreted to understand long-lost cultures.”
The La Belle excavation near the coastal community of Palacios proved to be a career-changing moment for Dr. Bruseth. It constituted an entirely new professional adventure into the realm of maritime archaeology, and it immersed him in the era of early European colonization of North America.
“As we recovered the hull remains of La Belle, containing over 1.8 million arti facts, we discovered that beyond the ship wreck we had unlocked an even more important part of history,” he says. “The sinking of La Belle had changed the likely course of Texas history from what very well could have been a French heritage – like that of New Orleans – to what is today our wonderful Hispanic heritage. The presence of the French explorer La Salle and his expedition ships, including La Belle, in land that Spain had claimed, alerted the Spanish king and his council to the importance of doing more than just claiming the eastern two-thirds of today’s Texas on a map. It was
“Texas has more than 15,000 years of human history, yet we only have written records for 4% of that time. “(left) Dr. Bruseth excavating at the James Coryell Texas Ranger grave site. (top) From an early age, Dr. Bruseth knew he wanted to be an archeologist. (right) Dr. Bruseth showing artifacts recovered from the excavation of La Salle’s French fort near Victoria, Texas.
“As we recovered the hull remains of La Belle, containing over 1.8 million artifacts, we discovered that beyond the shipwreck we had unlocked an even more important part of history... The sinking of La Belle had changed the likely course of Texas history...”(top left) The excavation of La Belle inside a cofferdam. Dr. Bruseth is third from the left. Photograph by Robert Clark. (right) Dr. Bruseth assembling La Belle’s hull as part of a live exhibit at the Bullock Texas State History Museum. Photographs by George Ramirez.
time to send an army of men to actually conquer and inhabit the land.”
The discovery of La Belle began one day at THC headquarters when Dr. Bruseth said it was time to make a major shipwreck discovery. He and his team sifted through information on hundreds of shipwrecks known to be lying off the Texas coast. They settled on La Belle and headed out in the summer of 1995 to locate the wreck.
“With this immensely important discov ery, we knew that a full-scale excavation had to be mobilized quickly,” he says. “The problem was that we needed money – a lot of it. With the help of the THC’s Chairman John Nau, former Texas Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock and other state government lead ers, we received an initial $1.75 million. This got us started, but fundraising for much more financial support became a part-time job for me in addition to direct ing the excavation on a daily basis. We ran a crew of 10 to 12 archaeologists seven days a week during the excavation that took place from September 1996 through April 1997.”
The muddy waters of Matagorda Bay necessitated the building of a steel coffer dam around the wreck and the pumping of water back into the bay. This allowed exca vation of the wreck as if it were an archaeo logical site on land. Use of the cofferdam for an archaeological excavation marked the first time it had ever been done in the Western Hemisphere.
Successful recovery of La Belle gained international attention as well as articles in publications such as National Geographic, The New York Times and Smithsonian Magazine. It also prompted Dr. Bruseth to write books about the adventure including From a Watery Grave, coauthored with wife Toni Turner in 2005. They won two national awards for their book.
La Belle isn’t the only archeological achievement during Dr. Bruseth’s almost50-year career. He’s grateful for the oppor tunity he’s had to ensure the preservation of Texas’ most important archaeological sites.
“Right now, I’m primarily focused on wrapping up projects I did in the past that require reports, books and other forms of presentation to the public,” he says. “Probably the current two biggest projects are the excavations I directed at Fort St. Louis in South Texas and the search for the lost grave site of Texas Ranger James Coryell in Central Texas.”
Fort St. Louis was the settlement that La Salle built near Victoria during his 1685-
1687 attempt to build a New World colony in today’s Texas. The first European settle ment in eastern Texas, it’s also the place where the first recorded European birth on Texas soil occurred.
“The James Coryell grave project was an effort to verify the existence of this longlost burial site,” Dr. Bruseth says. “Coryell was an early Texas Ranger who was shot and scalped by Indians in 1837. He sur vived for a few days after his injury and was buried in Falls County. His grave location was unknown until we discovered the writ ten narrative of a former enslaved worker at a mid-19th-century plantation. Based on that narrative, we found and excavated Coryell’s body. Extensive forensic investiga tion confirmed we had found Coryell, and we have produced a documentary film that is currently airing on PBS stations across the U.S.”
Dr. Bruseth still devotes much of his time to advising Texas museums as well as serving on the boards of organizations with interests in archaeology. He’s unique in that he’s a former THC staff member who now serves as a THC commissioner. After retire ment from the THC in 2011, he earned appointment as a THC commissioner in 2018 and won reappointment in 2021. Aside from writing archaeology books, he enjoys gardening and cooking.
He contends that Texas has it all – an amazing archaeological heritage with many more discoveries to be made. In fact, some of the oldest sites in North America are located in Texas. West Texas has multiroom pueblo-like structures. In Central Texas, there are hunter-gatherer campsites. In East Texas, Caddo burial mounds can be found. Along the Texas coast, there are traces of Native Americans who specialized in fishing, hunting and gathering plants, not to mention hundreds of shipwrecks that lie offshore. And along the Rio GrandePecos Canyonlands, some of the finest prehistoric rock art found anywhere in the world is present on dozens of rock art panels.
“My entire career has given me a great sense of pride and professional fulfillment,” Dr. Bruseth says. “I have investigated doz ens of important archaeological sites and informed millions of people about our state’s rich archaeological heritage. And all this time, I’ve had a job that I loved.”
Thankfully, for the good of Texas, he eschewed a career in business management to become a “detective” and ultimately an archaeologist extraordinaire.
Bullock Texas State History Museum 1800 Congress Avenue Austin, TX 78701 (512) 936-8746 thestoryoftexas.com
For More Information on the La Belle Explore the Odyssey Trail Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, Corpus Christi 1900 N Chaparral St. Corpus Christi, TX 78401 (361) 826-4667 ccmuseum.com
Texas Maritime Museum 1202 Navigation Circle Rockport, Texas 78382 (361) 729-1289 texasmaritimemuseum.org
Texana Museum, Edna 403 N. Wells St. Edna, TX 77957 (361) 782-5431 facebook.com/texanamuseum
Calhoun County Museum 301 S. Ann Port Lavaca, Texas 77979 (361) 553-4689 calhouncountymuseum.org
Museum of the Coastal Bend 2200 E Red River Street Victoria, TX 77901 (361) 582-2511 museumofthecoastalbend.org
Matagorda County Museum
2100 Avenue F, Bay City, TX 77414 (979) 245-7502 matagordamuseum.org
La Petit Belle Homeport and Palacios Area Historical Museum 401 Commerce Street Palacios, Texas 77465 (361) 972-1148 citybytheseamuseum.org
DON’T MISS1997 – House Resolution No. 1299 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby designates Glen Rose as the Dinosaur Capital of Texas in recognition of its historic tradition and legacy.
BY KELLY HARRIS
what is known today as the Glen Rose area was along an ancient sea coastline. Dinosaurs roamed the area and left their imprints on what is now known as the Paluxy River. Their footprints were preserved and buried under sediment to be discovered millions of years later. Geologists classify this layer as Lower Cretaceous limestone. Few fossil dino saur bones have been found in the area, but dinosaur tracks have left a legacy for others to discover.
Covering the area in and around the Paluxy River, two main dinosaur tracks were discovered. Most of these tracks are thought to be juvenile tracks. The Acrocanthosaurus and the Sauroposeidon proteles were the two most prominent dinosaurs in the area. One, a meat eater and the other a plant eater. This discovery of tracks led to new scientific thinking on many levels in researching what dinosaurs made these tracks.
The Acrocanthosaurus was a meat-eating creature, known as a carnivore, with strong back legs, strong jaws, sharp teeth and claws.
The Acrocanthosaurus (meaning “high-spined lizard”) is said to be the fourth largest meat-eating dinosaur of the Mesozoic Era. Their neck and spine were punctuated with foot-long “neural spines,” which clearly supported some kind of hump, ridge or short sail. The function of this accessory is unclear: it may have been a sexually selected characteristic (males with bigger humps got to mate with more females), or perhaps it was employed as an intra-pack signaling device.
Acrocanthosaurus is one of the few dinosaurs for which we know the detailed structure of its brain – thanks to an “endo cast” of its skull created by computed tomography. This predator’s brain was roughly S-shaped, with prominent olfactory lobes that show a highly developed sense of smell. Intriguingly, the orientation of this theropod’s semicircular canals (the organs in the inner ears responsible for balance) implies that it tilted its head a full 25 per cent below the horizontal position.
These dinosaurs were typically around 35 feet long and weighed five to six tons; they could be considered the “great-greatgrandfather” of the more common dinosaur known as Tyrannosaurus rex (T-rex). The three-toed theropod track marks can be found all along the area. For millions of years, they were considered the apex predator of North America. A dinosaur of this size needed to subsist on comparably big prey, which leads us to our second dinosaur.
The Sauroposeidon proteles (meaning “lizard earthquake god”) has had many names since its discovery, but scientists have ultimately decided upon this term. The local popular name of its past was the Pauluxysaurus jonesi, being that their tracks were discovered in the Paluxy River. Its neck was about a third longer than its closest relative, the Brachiosaurus. The individual vertebrae in his neck measured four foot long and looked more like tree trunks than spinal bones. It is thought that when these creatures walked, the whole earth shook.
Sauroposeidon was a plant eater. Due to the vast neck length, it is believed these creatures would not have been able to feed off the tops of trees but, instead swung their necks side to side to feed off the for est floor like a vacuum cleaner.
Typically 64 feet in length and weigh ing around 12.5 tons, this dinosaur is the largest known of the species. In the begin ning, scientists believed that Sauropods lived in water due to their size. The Paluxy River tracks proved otherwise. Their tracks are large, rounded tracks much like those of an elephant. It is believed that once the dinosaurs reached full maturity, they would have been virtually safe from any carnivorous predator.
(Upper right) Ancient footprints from an Acrocanthosaurus were found in the Paluxy riverbed.
(Lower right) Fossils of the Sauroposeidon legs were so large they were originally thought to be tree trunks. Their footprints are similar to those of elephants.
(Top) About twenty years after the 1909 discovery of dinosaur footprints in the Paluxy River, largescale scientific excavations and documentation were done.
(Middle) One of the shortest rivers in Texas, the Paluxy is among the most picturesque. Starting near Bluff Dale, it flows about 30 miles before joining the Brazos River.
(Bottom) Generations of young Texans have had their pictures taken at the Dinosaur Valley State Park while comparing the size of their hands to the footprints left by prehistoric creatures.
In 1908, a flood roared down the Paluxy River and washed out almost everything in its way. A year later, 9-year-old George Adams was playing down by the river when he found large three-toed tracks.
R.T. Bird, a fossil collector from New York, came to the area around twenty years later and discovered Sauropod tracks along with the Theropod tracks. The tracks were the first proof that Sauropods walked on land. Many scientists came to the area to research and excavate some of these tracks. Some of the original tracks are on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
In 1972, approximately 1,587 acres of land in this area was dedicated and became Dinosaur Valley State Park, one of Texas’ premier state parks. Its mission: to pre serve these valuable dinosaur track sites and allow people to learn from them.
Because the Paluxy River is one of the fastest rivers in Texas, the tracks constantly face erosion and being covered up. Park staff and volunteers keep the tracks cleaned out and maintained for visitors to explore when the river allows. As the river runs its course it also uncovers new secrets of the past. Just this past summer severe drought conditions exposed dinosaur tracks that were previously hidden.
Dinosaur Valley State Park has two main track sites. The first one is the “Main Track Site.” Here, visitors can see examples of the two types of dinosaurs that left tracks in the river. The second track site is called “The Ballroom” because of the hundreds of tracks moving about in all different direc tions as if the dinosaurs had been dancing when the prints were left. Both the Acrocanthosaurus and the Sauroposeidon tracks are found here. The best time of year for visibility is in the summer when the river is low or dried up.
Also featured at the state park near the gift shop are models of a 70-foot Apatosaurus and a 45-foot Tyrannosaurus rex. These fiberglass models were displayed at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair and then donated to the park in 1970 where they remain on display today.
In September 2000, Dr. Don Patton pumped the remaining water out of a sec tion of the Paluxy River near Dinosaur Valley State Park and began excavating. A hot Texas drought brought to light a
“THE TRACKS WERE THE FIRST PROOF THAT SAUROPODS WALKED ON LAND.”
new discovery of dinosaur tracks in the Paluxy riverbed. Dr. Patton and volunteers revealed three dramatic trails of dinosaur tracks.
The primary trail consisted of 136 con secutive tracks extending over 400 feet. The prints are deep and very detailed. The uncovering and cleaning of these trails was done between September and October 2000. Leading dinosaur track authorities have acknowledged that they do not know of any other single consecutive trail in North America that are this long. The length and preservation of this trackway makes this one of the best displays of dino saur tracks in the world. The trail eventual ly ran out upstream due to erosion for about 30 feet, then the trail picks up again with another twenty-one consecutive tracks. This makes a total of 157 tracks, extending over 500 feet. A second trail of twenty consecutive tracks was discovered beside the first trail downstream going the opposite direction. A third trail of twelve tracks was found below the first two.
Notes from investigations of the area in 1971 indicate that Mike Turnage detected the long trail with his feet while wading chest deep in the river. He was able to place his feet in 100 of the dinosaur tracks at the time. The average depth of each track was approximately 6 inches, and the average length is 15 inches. The discovery by these two people, appropriately inspired the name “The Turnage Patton Trail.”
Just around the corner from Dinosaur Valley State Park, your prehistoric imagina tion can run wild at Dinosaur World. This attraction features 150 life-size dinosaurs along a meandering paved path; signage displays the name of the dinosaur with details about the type of dinosaur, when they existed and where they roamed. The site also boasts indoor animatronic dino saur displays, fossil replicas and natural fossils, a dinosaur dig for the kids and a playground.
The Creation Evidence Museum has an impressive collection of artifacts and fossils which provide evidence for a young earth; hosts annual “Dino Digs” for students of all ages; presents a monthly Director’s Lecture Series; and features a Noah’s Ark Replica. The Museum is nearing completion of the Dino Discovery Lab, a high-tech lab to study dinosaur bones.
Think of Glen Rose as your “Dinosaur Destination” with a few fossils thrown in! The historic Gazebo on the Courthouse Square has a track from the Acrocanthosaurus. The Somervell County Museum, also on the square, is another great place to not only check out our primordial history but discover more recent aspects of our rich heritage. Plan your stay now and come play where the dinosaurs roamed!
Glen Rose CVB & Visitors Center
100 NE Barnard Street
Glen Rose, TX 76043 (254) 897-3081
Download the free “Explore Glen Rose” app on Google Play or iTunes exploreglenrose.org
Dinosaur Valley State Park 1629 Park Road 59 Glen Rose, TX 76043 (254) 897-4588 tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/dinosaur-valley
Annual Dino Dive at Dinosaur Valley State Park Held for the past 6 years on New Year’s Day, participants jump into the frigid Paluxy River to kick off the new year! fdvsp.com
Dinosaur World 1058 Park Road 59 Glen Rose, TX 76043 (254) 898-1526 dinosaurworld.com/texas
Kids of all ages can enjoy an educational and up-close experience with over 150 life-sized dinosaur models at Dinosaur World,
Creation Evidence Museum 3102 FM 205 Glen Rose, TX 76043 (254) 897-3200 creationevidence.org
Somervell County Historical Society Museum 101 S.W. Vernon Street Glen Rose, TX 76043 (254)898-0640 schsmuseum.com
Barnard’s Mill & Art Museum / Somervell History Foundation
The Mill was the first permanent structure in the Glen Rose Area.
barnardsmill.org
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
Where Africa comes to Texas and visitors drive along a safari trail through this 1,800-acre wildlife preserve. fossilrim.org
The Promise
A one-of-a-kind outdoor musical production telling the story of the life of Jesus Christ. thepromiseglenrose.com
DON’T MISS
It’s quite an amazing experience to run your fingers over an area of dirt, sift through pebbles and soil, feel a shaped piece of stone and then upon examination realize you’ve found an arrowhead! Your imagination runs wild with the questions tumbling through your mind: who made the arrowhead? how did it come to be in this particular place? how long has it been waiting to be found?
Since prehistoric times, arrowheads were used by Native Americans as tools and weapons. An arrowhead is a tip, usually crafted to form a sharpened V-shaped point, to be used as a tool in hunting for food and as a weapon in warfare. The point, so to speak, was to be deadly when it hit an animal or person. When attached securely to a shaft, the points could be thrown as a spear or shot from a bow. Most arrowheads were made from stone such as flint, obsidian and chert; however, arrowheads have also been made from bone, wood, antlers and metal. Native Americans made arrowheads using a chipping process called flint knapping.
According to numerous sources, arrowheads were vital to all Native American tribes regardless of geographic location. In many tribes, older men were responsible for teaching boys the art of making arrowheads.
While the Comanche and Apache tribes are probably the most well-known Native American tribes of Texas, dozens of other Indigenous people lived here for thousands of years before the arrival of the Spanish, French and Anglos. This accounts for the variety of arrowheads found across different sites within the Lone Star state.
There are many places around the state where you can search for arrowheads. However, it’s been my experience that the easiest and best place for finding and learn ing about arrowheads is typically at your county museum.
AUTHENTIC THING
5,000 years of history painted on rock walls, and you can see it
Options for getting up close abound across the Lone Star state Dinosaur Encounters
Sites in Central Texas offer mammoths, dinosaurs, early man and more
An overview of the Silver Turtle plus good eating at New York Hill in Thurber
There’s no better way to peer into the distant past than to walk into a rock shelter in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands, just west of Del Rio. The concave limestone walls are covered in ancient paint. There are over 300 murals, in fact, painted between 5,000 and 1,000 years ago. Now a National Historic Landmark, these Texas murals are on par with the famous paleolithic paintings in the French caves of Lascaux and Chauvet.
Don’t believe me? Ask the French!
Dr. Jean Clottes himself, a promi nent French prehistorian, visited Texas and proclaimed, “It is my considered opinion – after having seen rock art on all continents – that the Pecos River rock art is second to none and ranks among the top bodies of rock art any where in the world.” That’s right, Texas’ ancient art is up there with the best in the world. You don’t have to get on a plane to see ancient wonders, just hop in the car!
Pecos River Style art is highly com plex, multi-colored and often monu mental. It takes scaffolding to docu ment and study the paintings, just as it took scaffolding to paint them thou sands of years ago. What’s more, the art depicts beliefs and rituals that closely parallel those of the Aztec peo ple who lived in Mexico and Central America long after the art in Texas was painted. Just like an Aztec codex, the Pecos River Style murals are composi tions painted to communicate. They are like books. Books we are learning to read.
5,000 years of history painted on the rock walls of Southwest Texas
At Shumla Archaeological Research & Education Center (or just Shumla), we work to preserve this critically endan gered library of ancient “books” through documentation, research, stewardship and education. Shumla founder Dr. Carolyn Boyd, now an endowed professor at Texas State University, and her students are deciphering the meanings of the murals through archaeological science, formal art analysis and indigenous consultation. And archaeological chemist Dr. Karen Steelman uses advanced chemistry and a process called plasma oxidation in her lab at Shumla to study and radiocarbon date the paint.
Everything we discover about the art increases our amazement at the skill of the archaic artists and the rich ness of their culture and beliefs. But you don’t have to take my word for it. You can come experience the art for your self! Shumla offers guided treks to rock art sites through our Shumla Treks program. You will trek with a Shumla archae ologist and have the benefit of the 25 years of study and experience as you encounter the mind-blowing art and landscape of the Lower Pecos Canyonlands. Our wonderful partners at Seminole Canyon State Park and the Witte Museum also offer rock art tours. This is one library that no one in your family could call boring or stuffy.
28 Langtry St. Comstock, TX 78837 (432)292-4848 info@shumla.org shumla.org
Trek itineraries, schedules and registration are available at: shumla.org/shumlatreks
Established in 1926 with an extensive nat ural history collection, the Witte Museum in San Antonio has a long history with the Canyonlands of the Lower Pecos. The Witte Museum supported and staffed archeological expeditions throughout Texas in the 1930s. Research, study and excavation in the canyons of the Lower Pecos area and Big Bend region led to important findings and an increase in the Witte’s collections and exhibits. Today, the Witte houses more than 20,000 arti facts from these ancient historic sites and their collections are considered the finest of their kind in the world.
From early Fall to late Spring the Witte provides weekly tours for the public to visit the White Shaman Preserve; public tours to other sites in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands are offered at various times during the year.
A tour of the White Shaman Preserve involves a two-hour trek through a land scape filled with Chihuahuan Desert plants and stunning views of the Pecos River where it converges with the Rio Grande. The Preserve is one of the most remarkable and well-photographed rock art sites in the Lower Pecos.
Painted thousands of years ago, the White Shaman mural’s meaning and the techniques used to create it have been the subject of intense research and many publications.
Reservations are required and spaces are limited. Participants must be ages 12 & up. All minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
The Witte Museum
3801 Broadway Street San Antonio, TX 78209 (210) 357-1900 wittemuseum.org
See rock art excursion details at: wittemuseum.org/white-shaman-preserve. For reservations, call (210) 357-1910.
(above left) Shumla’s Veronica Hackett demonstrates the joy of seeing the art for yourself. (above right) Dr. Carolyn Boyd (Texas State University) and Dr. Phil Dering (Shumla) gather data for a recent project. (above) From left: Dr. Diana Radillo Rolon, Ashely Busby, Seamus Anderson and Dr Carolyn Boyd gather data for a recent project. | Photos courtesy Shumla
Roughly 30 miles east of El Paso, the Hueco Tanks State Park is a high-altitude desert basin set between the Franklin Mountains and the Hueco Mountains. Hueco is the Spanish word for hollows and refers to the numerous depressions and deep natural cisterns in the boulders and rock faces in the region.
Inhabited for more than 10,000 years, the area has an abundant and varied assort ment of pictographs and petroglyphs that provide clues to the activities and lives of those earlier peoples. Images include geometric designs, handprints, birds, horses, dancing figures and more. Hueco Tanks has the largest grouping of “mask” or face design paintings. The Kiowa, Mescalero Apache, Comanche, Tigua and the people of Isleta del Norte Pueblo consider the area to be culturally and spiritually significant.
To protect and preserve this unique area and its fragile resources while also pro viding public access, park visitation is lim ited. Guided tours are offered Wednesday through Sunday if a guide is available; advance reservations are needed. Selfguided tours are also available.
6900 Hueco Tanks Road No. 1
El Paso, TX 79938
(915) 857-1135
tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/ hueco-tanks
Call (512) 389-8911 to reserve a day for your visit. Before your visit, call (915) 849-6684 to make arrangements for a guided tour.
Just east of the Pecos River Bridge, the Seminole Canyon State Park is located 9 miles west of Comstock on U.S. Hwy 90. Near the confluence of the Pecos River with the Rio Grande River, portions of the park are on the Rio Grande River. Seminole Canyon and the state park are named in honor of the U.S. Army Seminole-Negro Scouts that were stationed at Fort Clark between 1872 and 1914.
According to the park’s interpretive guide, prehistoric peoples “left their mark in several ways, most notably through rock paintings called pictographs. The park contains some of the most outstand ing examples not only in Texas, but in the world. Extensive pictographs of the Lower Pecos River Style, attributed to the Middle Archaic period of 4,000 years ago, adorn rock-shelters throughout its canyons.”
In addition to the tours offered by Shumla, the following guided hiking tours to remote rock art sites are available with park rangers: the Fate Bell Shelter Tour; the Presa Day Hike; and the Upper Canyon Hike. When planning a trip to Seminole Canyon State Park, be sure to call the state park customer service cen ter to make a reservation and consult the online visitation guidelines and details.
P.O. Box 820 Comstock, TX 77837 (432) 292-4464
tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/ seminole-canyon
To guarantee park entry, call (512) 3898900 to make reservations for your visit.
by Allison Kendrick
In our youth, most of us cherished dinosaurs, or a spe cific character from a book, movie or television show that was a dinosaur. Dino from the Flintstones, the Dinosaurs TV series with the Sinclair family, Barney, Littlefoot from the Land Before Time, Disney’s Dinosaur featuring Aladar, Rex from Toy Story, and more recent ly, Blue from Jurassic World’s raptor squad, to name just a few.
One might ask, how and why did dinosaurs become so popu lar? Paleontologist Stephen Brinkman shares the late Stephen Gould’s insight into why. In his interview with National Geographic: “The late paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould wrote that the popularity of dinosaurs is due to three virtues: big, fierce and extinct.”
There is something enchanting and remarkable about being able to encounter these creatures that are larger than life, and in
Visit Bastrop visitbastrop.com
The Dinosaur Park thedinopark.com
Visit Canadian canadiantexas.com/visitors
Visit Fort Worth fortworth.com
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History fwmusuem.org
Visit Henrietta cityofhenrietta.com/visithenrietta
Texas Best Smokehouse and Travel Center - Henrietta 101 U.S. 287 and Hwy 148
Visit Iraan iraantx.com
Visit McKinney visitmckinney.com
Heard Museum Natural Science Museum & Wildlife
Sanctuary heardmuseum.org
Dinosaurs Live! Exhibit Sept 3, 2022 thru Feb 20, 2023
Texas, these experiences are easier to have than you might think.
As you drive north on US Highway 83 in the eastern Panhandle, to bring you into Canadian, a unique sight waits for you at the top of a bluff. She is none other than Aud the Dinosaur, Canadian’s offi cial greeter for residents and visitors, in all her bright green and con crete glory. Aud, short for Audrey, is the artwork of the late Bobby Gene Cockrell, who created the dinosaur for his wife, Audrey. It’s said that Cockrell wanted children to know they were almost home when they saw Aud from the highway. She still stands proudly today and serves as a mascot for the community, and a roadside attraction for travelers in the state.
In Fort Worth, or Cowtown as many locals fondly call it, you can find more than just the legacy of the west. In fact, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History boasts DinoLabs and DinoDig® exhibits. These experiences bring the fascinating story of dinosaurs discovered in North Texas to life with full articulations of dinosaur skeletons native to the region and a dig site replicating a local paleon tological field site. Come face to face with Paluxysaurus jonesi, the State Dinosaur of Texas, plus life-sized models of Acrocanthosaurus and Tenontosaurus dossi.
Near Bastrop in the Wyldwood area, kids of all ages can enjoy an outdoor, dinosaur encounter at The Dinosaur Park. The realistic lifesize dinosaur replicas show skin and color variations to give a better understanding as to how they may have looked when alive. These statues range in size from the 2-foot long Compsognathus to the 123foot Diplodocus, the longest dinosaur that ever lived. The dinosaurs are back from a tree-lined nature trail, situated among plants, trees and rocks, making it easy to imagine real dinosaurs in a natural envi ronment.
Another notable dinosaur that stole the hearts of many morning newspaper readers can be found in the West Texas Town of Iraan. In May of 1964, the town held the first Alley Oop Day, to celebrate the popular comic strip about a time-traveling caveman, and his pet dinosaur Dinny. The comic was created by Vincent Trout Hamlin, who was inspired by the Trans-Pecos region during his work travels.
(far left) A Tyrannosaurus rex terrorizes visitors at The Dinosaur Park near Bastrop in the Wyldwood area.
(top left) Aud the Dinosaur welcomes visitors to Canadian. |
Photo courtesy Terry Henderson
(bottom left) Meet Dinny, Alley Oop’s pet dinosaur, in Iraan.
| Photo courtesy Alley Oop Fantasy Land
(right) DinoLabs provide delight and education. | Photo courtesy Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
Visitors today can head to Alley Oop Fantasy Land and take their photo with Dinny, or mark their calendars for the Alley Oop Festival, held in early summer.
In McKinney, step back in time on a nature trail that fea tures a 46-foot T-Rex and other life-size animatronic dinosaurs. For the 16th year, the Heard Museum Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary offers a popular seasonal Dinosaurs Live! exhibit. In addi tion to the nature trail experience, the museum also offers photo op and play area dinosaurs along with an outdoor fossil dig area.
Traveling across our great state to see these attractions requires fuel for the car and body,
and who knew you could also experience a Dinosaur Parade of sorts at a popular refueling sta tion in Henrietta. This popular roadside attraction can be found at the Texas Best Smokehouse and Travel Center, where you can stretch your legs and wander among the likes of Allosaurus, Spinosaurus, and a huge Brachiosaurus
As we all know, everything is bigger in Texas. Everywhere you go and whatever you get to see in the state is usually big and fierce but when you add the require ment to experience “extinct” you can best fulfill it with checking off these dinosaur encounters from your “gotta see and do in Texas” bucket list.
(left) A few of the many dinosaurs you can see up close at the Dinosaur Parade in Henrietta. | Photos courtesy Laci McGee
Many people are surprised to learn that in various prehistoric eras much of Texas was underwater or that Central Texas is full of prehistoric sites. In February 2010, thirteen individuals repre senting six locations from Glen Rose to Florence gathered to organize and estab lish the “Prehistoric Texas Trail.”
In the beginning, the trail was made up of six sites that featured a variety of pre historic materials, artifacts, archeological digs, and exhibits dedicated to prehistory in Texas. The purpose of the Trail was to contribute to the Central Texas economy through heritage tourism and to provide a rewarding and educational learning expe rience for families traveling in Texas.
Today the mission of the Prehistoric Texas Trail (officially known as the Prehistoric Texas Education Initiative) is “to promote knowledge, appreciation, and tourism surrounding the rich prehistoric heritage in the Central Texas region.” Although the organization has seen some changes in the past twelve years, the mis sion and purpose remain the same.
The Texas Brazos Trail Region and the Texas Lakes Trail Region are partners. The organization, a registered non-profit, pro duces brochures and banners, maintains a website and keeps the public informed through social media. These efforts contin ue the original focus on heritage tourism, education, and a positive visitor experi ence.
Make your plans to get in the car and travel back in time – way back – along the Prehistoric Texas Trail!
Glen Rose is known as the “Dinosaur Capital of Texas.” One step into the 113-million-year-old dinosaur footprints at the Dinosaur Valley State Park and you’ll see why. With some of the best-pre served dinosaur tracks in North America, this paleontological find provides import
(left) The mammoth dig site at the Waco Mammoth National Monument. | Courtesy Troy Myatt
(right) Visitors touring the Gault Archaelogical Site near Florence. | Courtesy Gault School
(far right) A bust of the oldest-known Texas resident from the Horn Shelter exhibit in the Bosque Museum
| Courtesy Wyatt McSpadden
(bottom right) Visitors enjoy different displays in the Williamson Museum | Courtesy photo
Visit Prehistoric Texas prehistorictexas.org
Dinosaur Valley State Park 1629 Park Road 59 Glen Rose, TX 76043 (254) 897-4588 tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/ dinosaur-valley
Dinosaur World 1058 Park Road 59 Glen Rose, TX 76043 (254) 898-1526 dinosaurworld.com/texas
Bosque Museum 301 South Avenue Q Clifton, TX 76634 (254)675-3845 bosquemuseum.org
Waco Mammoth National Monument
6220 Steinbeck Bend Rd. Waco, TX 76708
(254) 750-7946 wacomammoth.com
Mayborn Museum Complex
1300 S. University Drive Waco, TX 76706 (254) 710-1110 baylor.edu/mayborn
Belton County Museum
201 North Main Belton, TX 76513 (254) 933-5243 bellcountymuseum.org
The Williamson Museum 716 South Austin Avenue Georgetown, TX 78626 (512) 943-1670 williamsonmuseum.org
ant clues as to how and where dinosaurs walked. Located just outside Dinosaur Valley State Park, Dinosaur World features over 100 life-size dinosaur models nestled among a lush assortment of native vegetation.
The Bosque Museum in Clifton, features a recently updated Horn Shelter exhibit. The Horn Shelter, discovered in Bosque County, is a rare 11,200-year-old Paleo-American archeological site where two skeletons and an array of buri al goods were found.
The Waco Mammoth National Monument on the out skirts of Waco contains fossil specimens of the nation’s first and only recorded evidence of a nursery herd of ice age Columbian mammoths. The site features a climate-con trolled dig shelter and a suspended walkway that provides an overhead view of several specimens, including a bull mammoth and a camel that lived approximately 68,000 years ago.
Also in Waco, visitors can travel through millions of years by exploring ancient fossils of Central Texas at Baylor University’s Mayborn Museum Complex. Exciting and interactive exhibits invite visitors to touch a palm tree stump from the Tertiary Period and see one of the largest fossil marine turtles found in the United States.
The award-winning Bell County Museum, located in Belton, features a permanent interactive exhibit on the Gault Site that offers an in-depth look at this important archaeological excavation. The museum also offers bi-monthly tours of the Gault Site and outdoor dig pits for visitors.
The Gault Archaeological Site near Florence is one of the largest excavated sites of the Clovis culture (13,500 years ago) and a Texas State Archeological Landmark. Gault has more than 2 million artifacts, some of the earliest art and the oldest architecture in North America.
At the Williamson Museum in Georgetown, “The Tech in Ancient Texas” exhibit about the Gault site is open through January 2024. The Williamson Museum also offers bimonthly tours of the Gault Site. Also, check out a Leander Dinosaur Tracks hike on the South San Gabriel riverbed –no reservations required!
Whether you’re visiting Glen Rose or Florence, we look forward to seeing you on the Prehistoric Texas Trail!
If you were a Girl Scout or Boy Scout, the odds of this sparking your tastebuds and bringing back memories are high. Meet the “hobo packet,” “foil dinner,” or if you will, the “silver turtle.” For the uninitiated, this cooking tradition involves stuffing a tin foil packet to the brim with potatoes, carrots, and a big ‘ole onion slice as the base, the meat of your choice (custom arily ground beef), and some sea soning (if you’re lucky) and then cooking your little pouch friend
on hot coals (shown above right).
Silver turtles are best done when turned upside down and buried in coals which allows the juices of the meat to cook the veg etables so they get properly soft. Also, rather than just folding the tin foil over, twist the corners to look like little “legs”; be sure there are no gaps or openings with the packet. Once removed from the fire, there’s no need for plates since you can eat straight out of the foil packet! This simply pre pared meal is most appreciated after a long day of outdoor activi
Photo by Caleb Fisher on Unsplash
ties such as camping, hiking and getting lost in the forest with your friends.
Silver turtles are an economi cal and easy meal to make. It’s an excellent activity for a large group or the whole family since each turtle can be made to individual portions and tastes. It’s also an easy meal to prepare ahead of time. For kids, creating their own silver turtle can be a creative exercise: sticking in carrot “legs” and smothering the body in ketchup to their heart’s desire (or until mom says “enough”). While you can make silver turtles with different ingredients, the tradi tional way sits pretty in my heart.
The idea that generations of Texans have grown up eating this around campfires is a nod to a simpler lifestyle that once was and still can be! Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts continue to pass along this tradition, and the little silver turtle is still well-loved by taste buds everywhere. A trick that my Girl Scout leader taught me when
I was younger is to use lots of but ter and garlic salt and some Worcester sauce. Hearing the sizzle and crackle in the tin foil, you’ll find yourself getting excit ed to pull these little packets off the coals and dig in to enjoy your old-fashioned dinner that didn’t involve a stove, just like days gone by.
This culinary delight provides a nutritious meal whether you’re out camping or gathered with friends around the backyard fire pit. My family recently enjoyed a trip down memory lane with me and I recommend you put the sil ver turtle on your list of outdoor activity. Perhaps you’re an out doorsy type of person and this is already a staple in your cooking regimen but maybe you weren’t as familiar with all the details and possibilities.
Our sparkling turtle friend has quite the past, and I suspect it doesn’t plan on going anywhere soon!
• Meat Options – ground beef, beef patties, boneless chicken breasts, boneless pork chops, pre-cooked ham, steak, salmon, tilapia
• Vegetable Options – carrots, celery, potatoes, onions, peppers, summer squash, zucchini, tomatoes, asparagus
• Fruit Options – apple slices, lemon slices, pineapple or orange pieces
• Seasoning Options – Salt and Pepper, Garlic Salt, Ketchup, Butter, Olive Oil, Worcester sauce, barbecue sauce, a dollop of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
• Tin Foil – heavy duty is best, or layer more than one sheet; pieces should be 18” to 24” long
• Tongs – for placing silver turtles in the coals and grabbing the silver turtles when they’re done!
circle-1 Roll ground beef into small meatballs or create a small patty. circle-2 Boneless chicken breasts, boneless pork chops, ham and steak are best when cut into bite-sized pieces before cooking. circle-3 Vegetables and fruit should also be cut into bite-sized portions.
circle-1 Lay tin foil sheet(s) on flat surface. circle-2 First, layer your choice of vegetables circle-3 Second, top vegetables with choice of meat circle-4 Next, add seasoning(s) circle-5 Fold the foil tightly around the ingredients; be sure there are no gaps or openings. Using the four corners, crimp and create “legs”. circle-6 Place the silver turtles upside down and directly into hot coals of a campfire, fire pit or charcoal grill. circle-7 Cooking time can vary; 10-20 minutes is typical – it really depends on the meat and vegetables. circle-8 Start checking the silver turtles when you hear them sizzle and smell them cooking. circle-9 Using the tongs, remove silver turtles from the coals. circle-exclamation Be careful of hot steam and ingredients when opening the silver turtle.
Courtesy Katerina CotroneoMany of those traveling on Interstate 20 about an hour (or 70 miles) west of Fort Worth take the opportunity to enjoy a meal at the New York Hill Restaurant in one of Texas’ most noted “ghost towns” – Thurber. This community thrived for five decades as a mining, brick making and oil exploration boomtown; and back then, “The Hill” was home to the upper classes of society.
Coal was mined by the Texas and Pacific Coal Company at Thurber beginning in 1887. Around 1900, the company sent many officials
and executives from their New York office to work on site. Residential construction for these employees was perched on a hilltop overlook ing the town. For this reason, it became known as New York Hill.
The homes on New York Hill were of much higher quality than those in the rest of Thurber. Large two-story homes, landscaped yards, and brick sidewalks characterized this area. The official’s homes cost the company around $8,000 each, while the workers and miner’s houses were each built for a mere $150. A mile-long brick sidewalk stretched from downtown Thurber all the way up New
THURBER Ghost Town Good EatsYork Hill and into the residential area further south. The steps of this sidewalk can still be seen on the northern slope of the hill.
The New York Hill area was also home to three different churches. In fact, the street that ran up the hill was called “Church Street” because it passed the Baptist Church and the Negro Church at the bottom and the Episcopal Church at the top.
What was once a thriving, company-owned boomtown is now a ghost town. On New York Hill today you can see the Thurber Historic Association’s collection of surviving historic structures from Thurber’s past. The small house is a typical resi dence for a miner and his family. Saint Barbara’s Catholic Church was a ministry to the eastern European immigrants (shown above right). Community social events and celebrations surround ed the bandstand in the heart of the town. The caboose was part of the train that transported miners from Thurber to work in the mines. Bocci ball courts were pro vided for all neighbors to enjoy.
Today, visitors drive to New York Hill Restaurant on top of that same hill to enjoy the sweep
New York Hill Restaurant 292 County Road 107 Mingus, TX (254) 672-5848
Sun-Thu 7:30am-9pm
Fri-Sat 7:30am-10pm thurbernewyorkhill.com
W K. Gordon Museum 65258 I-20 Mingus, TX 76463 (254) 968-1886
Tue-Sat 10am-4pm Sun 1pm-4pm gordoncenter@ tarleton.edu
ing views of Erath and Palo Pinto counties while eating a tasty and filling meal. The restaurant was established in 1989 by Les and Janis Mills. When their son Randy Mills grew tired of corpo rate life, he moved back to Gordon to carry on the family leg acy with the New York Hill Restaurant. Now Randy and his son Ryan focus on the basics to make every customer experience perfect.
Ryan Mills was asked what he would like people to know about the New York Hill Restaurant. Faster than a New York minute he said, “We have been family-owned for three generations. . . We bake yeast rolls from scratch, cut our own steaks and pork chops, grind our own hamburger and tenderize chicken fried steak daily. It’s all home made.”
Visitors to the restaurant are welcomed as part of the family. Bring your own bottle of wine or beer anytime, and enjoy the deli cious specialties – steaks, ham burgers, chicken fried steak and chicken livers as well as fresh sal ads, seasonal vegetables and other meatless options. The Hill has Sunday lunch specials and serves breakfast daily until 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast options of grilled pork chops, hash-brown omelets, or sirloin with eggs and all the trim mings will stick to your ribs a long time. The Friday special is always fried catfish, beans, cole slaw, jalapeno hush puppies and dessert.
The restaurant’s décor dis plays historical pictures and arti facts from the booming days of Thurber (1880’s to 1930’s). There are even a few of grandma’s quilts adding to the comfortable atmo sphere in the main dining area (shown above center). The gift shop offers souvenirs like Thurber bricks, t-shirts, caps, peanut brit tle, homemade jams and other treats. The banquet room can be scheduled for meetings and social gatherings. The facility is proudly non-smoking since 2013 and makes Wi-Fi available.
So, if you are driving on I-20 and in need of a break, or just looking for an enriching after noon out, take exit 367 to find New York Hill Restaurant. Enjoy the homey setting, delicious home-made food, the historical displays and in summer months, delight in the hummingbirds feeding on the patio.
DON’T MISS
Meet Dr. Eileen Johnson at Lubbock Lake Landmark and Dr. Clark Wernecke at the Gault Site
Out on the range with documentation of Texas’ western heritage
Celebrating Texas Archeology Month and state wide archeological work
In the late 1800s, cat tlemen and settlers entered Lubbock County along trails that followed the Brazos River. Near a point where the Brazos splits into two separate channels, Blackwater Draw and Yellow House Draw, a 12-acre spring-fed lake, situated in the sharp bend of the Yellow House, was a welcome site for thirsty travelers.
Spanish explorers from the 1540s, named the site “Punta de Agua,” or Place of Water. Four hundred years later, archaeolo gists from Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University) found evidence that placed ancient humans and extinct animals in this exact spot dating back thousands of years.
In the 1920s, locals enjoyed
the Lubbock Lake for picnics, hik ing, and swimming, but by the 1930s the lake had disappeared. Lubbock city officials used Depression-era federal funding to dredge the river channel in the hopes of replenishing the lake.
First by hand, and then by machines, the laborers were not successful at reclaiming the spring waters. However, archeolo gists from the college, soon dis covered ancient artifacts in the trench walls.
Within each layer of the exposed strata, tools, bones, char coal, and flint arrow points were found including a 12,000-year-old Folsom point. Curry Holden, of the Museum of Texas Technological College, was the first scientist to excavate the site in 1938. Holden, who led many regional archeological investiga
tions, discovered artifacts that would propel animals and plants back millions of years.
The site received a 1971 des ignation on the National Register of Historic Places, and in 1977, was declared a National Historic Landmark. The research center became the Lubbock Lake National Historic Landmark, or just the “Landmark.”
Today, visitors to the Landmark will see that Holden’s “hole in the canyon wall” has been transformed into an amazing research and visitor-friendly cam pus covering 336 acres. Many credit the transformation of the Landmark to Eileen Johnson, Holden’s graduate assistant who came to Texas Tech from the University of Kansas in 1972 to complete her doctoral studies. Johnson was soon selected as the
Lubbock Lake Landmark 2401 Landmark Dr. Lubbock, TX 79415
(806) 742-1116
Tue-Sat 9am-5pm
Sun 1-5pm
Closed Mondays www.depts.ttu.edu/ museumttu/lll/
(above) Dr. Eileen Johnson directing research in the field.
(far right) Dr. Johnson comparing a real found object to its 3d-printed replica. | Courtesy Lubbock Lake Historic Landmark
Visit Lubbock visitlubbock.org
new director of the Lubbock Lake Site.
Johnson stated that she was practically “helped up off the floor” when the archae ological site was offered to her. She was thrilled to lead the reorganization of the 1939 archeological excavation, or “dig,” just north of the Tech campus because the site held clues to how ancient humans lived on the vast Plains of North America. Tours began in 1974 with huge army tents used for public programming.
Even after fifty years of her celebrated leadership at the Landmark, Johnson is quick to redirect the Landmark’s legacy. “The landmark would not be here today without Curry Holden. He’s probably one of the greatest visionaries I ever knew. He was very committed to community involvement, preservation, education, interpretation and research. Those princi ples and concepts have guided me. I fully believe in all of them, then and now.”
Johnson described herself in 1972 as being just “another person in time…when I came…it was thought you will be here 3-4 years and then gone.” However, the magnitude of her work at the Landmark is not lost to Deborah Bigness, site manager and long-time friend and colleague to Johnson, who says, “Everything you see here today she built.”
Things have certainly changed in fifty years. Now gigantic replicas of the extinct mammals welcome you to the Nash Interpretive Center to see how scientists work in a “Dig” and to experience a land from the past with colorful murals and artifacts. Landmark trails (approximately 2 miles) guide you to where ancient lions, tigers, camels, horses, bison and mam moths once roamed. Monthly programs for all ages are organized by the staff. A Summer Field School attracts scholars and volunteers from around the world.
Johnson continues to be honored as the driving force behind the international recognition garnered by the archeological site and natural history preserve. Vance T. Holliday, Koffler Professor at the University of Arizona’s School of Anthropology in Tucson was kind enough to share his thoughts with Authentic Texas on working with Eileen Johnson.
“Eileen’s impact on my career as a mentor, colleague and friend is hard to overstate. I heard about the Lubbock Lake Project starting up…it sounded very inter esting, so I volunteered to help. Eileen and her team were doing exactly the sorts of things I was interested in learning more about, including archaeology, geology,
working with bones (zooarchaeology) and trying to reconstruct the environments of the archaeological past.”
“The next year (1974), Eileen offered me an assistantship if I wanted to pursue an M.A. and work on the project…it was a career- and life-changing move. Classwork at Tech, along with my work at Lubbock Lake, honed my interests in geology and soils along with museum work that led to a PhD in Geology (University of Colorado, 1982) based on field studies at Lubbock Lake.”
“Eileen and I worked together on a number of publications dealing with archaeology (especially the older “Paleoindian” record), geology and past environments at the site and across the region. From my first arrival until today she has been a strong supporter of my work and my career, providing every opportunity she could. I also learned more about paleontology, the archaeological analysis of bone, museum curation and general professionalism. I owe Eileen more that I can ever repay.”
When asked to reflect on her career and significant moments, Johnson was very candid. “I don’t think of myself as an archeologist at all. I’m a quaternary research scientist. Another term would be a paleo biologist. I’m interested in the entire quaternary – the last 2.6 million years. That’s a lot of time before people.”
“I just published a paper on a locality in the area that is the beginning of the Pleistocene. Early Pleistocene localities in this country are as scarce as hen’s teeth. It’s very significant – all the animals we are dealing with are extinct. We have the ancestor to the modern coyote, sister lin eages to the modern puma, and 18-20 dif ferent species of birds most of which are going to prove to be extinct. It’s an amaz ing locality.”
“I’m highly vested in this region. To me, the heritage of this region deserves people that will be highly invested in it and actually be here to contribute to vari ous aspects. I’ve spent so much time here and yet I’ve only scratched the surface.”
“We found the American lion [in Garza County]. The American lion is native to North America, but related to the African lion…we know they were on the Plains in the late Pleistocene. We did find some remains – not the complete skeleton. That was really high on my list to chase down. We are revamping the Ice Age gallery in the Texas Tech Museum, and it will have an American Lion skeleton in it, and this
A unit of the Museum of Texas Tech University, the Lubbock Lake Landmark is an archaeological and natural history preserve at the northern edge of the city of Lubbock, Texas. The Landmark contains evidence of almost 12,000 years of occupation by ancient peoples on the Southern High Plains. The Landmark welcomes visitors of all ages year round. The Landmark is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a desig nated National Historic and State Archeological Landmark.
time next year the second one will be here at the Landmark.”
Reflecting back, Johnson is still excit ed to expand the scope of the Landmark, “I don’t have any plans to retire. I’ve still got things to do.” Dr. Eileen Johnson, and her friendly staff, invite you to visit the Lubbock Lake Landmark to experience this one-of-a-kind archaeological research center, one of the most important places in the world!
Many people spend a small fortune to spend an evening with a musical rock star; in Central Texas, you can spend several hours rubbing shoulders with a true rock star – archeologist Dr. Carl Wernicke.
Whether leading a tour of the Gault Site or speaking to a group of civic leaders regarding some of the earliest humans who settled in the western hemisphere, it becomes readi ly apparent Wernecke knows and loves what he is talking about – and he always leaves the audience wanting more. When Dr. Wernecke speaks, he weaves a delightful tale of human evo lution sharing information gleaned from his three decades long career as a researcher, educator and archeologist.
Dr. Wernecke possesses impressive scholarly credentials with a wide range of experiences. His academic career began with a degree in history from Southern Methodist University fol lowed by master’s degrees in business
from Northwestern University and in anthropology from Florida Atlantic, and finally his doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin. His vast personal knowledge of archeology and architecture comes from working at sites around the world including the Middle East, Guatemala, Belize and in the United States from Wisconsin to Colorado to Florida. One could say he certainly gets around!
Over the course of his career, Wernecke has written extensively about Mayan sites, Clovis culture, excavations at the Gault Site and archeology outreach and education. Highlighting the significance of the research and information gained from the places he worked, he has presented papers at conferences not just across the country but around the world.
While his first days as a teaching assistant at Florida Atlantic University in the early nineties led to teaching at UT Austin today, his educational expertise has been shared with stu dents of all age groups. The classes he teaches today for Senior University in Georgetown and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Texas at Austin are just as fun and engaging as the lessons he taught for elementary students at Archeology Day events in years past as well as the high school field trips he conducts at the Gault School. Spreading the word about the findings of those who peo pled this area 18,000 years ago is his passion and it shows.
When Wernecke is not serving as the Project Director for The Prehistory
Research Project at the University of Texas at Austin, he works as the Executive Director of the Gault School of Archeological Research, a role he has enjoyed since 2006. And, one in which during his tenure, he has worked with more than 6,000 volun teers and engaged with the outreach programs touching more than 65,000 people. According to Wernecke, those programs have helped people better understand what archaeology is and what it can tell us.
The Gault Site experienced its first excavation on the farm owned by Henry Gault in 1929, and archeolo gists and anthropologists have been interested in the site ever since. The first crew working the site found sev eral Paleoindian artifacts during their eight-week excavation, and for some time the site was a pay-to-dig opera tion. During the first major research excavation from 1999-2002 more than 1.4 million artifacts were found. The land had changed hands numerous times, but in 2006 Michael Collins bought the land and donated the site to the Archaeological Conservancy – a nonprofit that protects some 500 sites nationwide. The Gault School of Archeological Research (GSAR) was formed that same year.
Today the Gault School enjoys world-wide acclaim for its contribu tions to our understanding of how humans evolved over time, and Wernecke has been the major force in making that happen. Tours of the Gault Site are arranged through the Gault School of Archeological Research, the Bell County Museum, and the Williamson Museum.
At every opportunity, Dr. Carl Wernecke takes archeology, a deep subject with many layers, and makes it fascinating for all kinds of audiences. Wernecke recently shared, “I get asked all the time, ‘Why should we care about archaeology? Why is it import ant?’” He continued, “Who we were is an important part of who we are and who we will become. Archaeology helps us to better understand our past in order to help us understand where we are headed as a species.”
This rock star truly sparkles when he speaks – reserve your spot on a Gault Site tour as soon as you can and be prepared for an entertaining and educational experience.
As the official repository for the records of the government, the Texas State Archives are robust in materials documenting the western heritage of the state—and before that, the Republic, Mexican state and Spanish colony.
With millions of collection items, including documents, cor respondence, photographs, and artifacts, from early 20th century spurs with intricate leatherwork to 18th century Spanish census records to state tourism photographs from the last few decades—there is almost as much for a researcher to explore as there are acres in Texas!
Several manuscript collections include fascinating pho tographs of cowboys at work on the range, such as the Richard Niles Graham collection, spanning 1846 to 1958. The Grahams were prominent members of Texas business and society in Austin. The collection sheds light on the fam ily’s history, social activities, interests and business transac tions, as well as including a large cache of memorabilia col lected by the Graham family over the course of their lives.
Richard Niles Graham also compiled a large collection of photographs that speak to his interests and document the
activities of himself and his family, including 855 photo graphs, several of which document late early 20th century ranching, farming and cowboy life.
Another collection providing a window into Texas’ west ern heritage through photographs is the Owen Wister col lection, which consists of 115 images taken by Wister during his trip to Texas in 1893. Prominent in the collection are Texas ranch scenes from the Savage, Colton and Conover ranches, as well as the San Antonio missions of Concepción de Acuña and San José. Subjects covered include cowboys, horses, polo ponies, polo players and games, stables, architecture, the San Fernando cathedral in San Antonio, towns, residents and landscape.
A government record collection that is also a particularly rich source of related visual research material is the Texas Tourist Development Agency (TTDA) Photographs and Audiovisual Materials collection. The TTDA worked to increase the state’s share of the national tourist market using a variety of mass media. The materials include photo graphic color slides, transparencies, negatives, photographic prints, videotapes, motion picture films, and audio tapes
Slaughter Ranch: Bob Simpson standing beside chuck wagon from which he prepared meals for trail drivers on the Long S Ranch, about 1900-1920. | Courtesy TSLACdating from 1964 to 1997. This collec tion documents the state government’s efforts to promote Texas ranching, farming, food, and related cultural activities throughout the late 20th cen tury, preserving through photo and video the work of agricultural workers, producers, promoters, cooks, and oth ers. Most Texans will recognize these more recent and familiar but quintes sential images of cowboys, chili cookoffs, fishing boats, peach queens, pit masters and more—from all corners of the state.
The State Archives’ Artifacts collec tion consists of nearly 600 objects relating to Texas history. Spanning the Cretaceous Period to the 21st century, artifacts date primarily from 1860 to 1970. This wide assortment of items helps directly document in material form the lives of those who have resid ed in Texas over the centuries, and many artifacts reflect our Western leg acy—the State Archives preserves cow bells, bridles, branding irons, clothing, spurs, cookery, ox-yokes, saddles, arrowheads, china, ceramics and more. Every artifact in the collection has been photographed and is avail able to view online.
These and millions more records can be accessed, browsed and down loaded for free in the Texas Digital Archive at www.tsl.texas.gov/texasdig italarchive.
Researchers and the public are also invited to visit in person at the
Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library Building in Austin, next door to the Capitol. View the six flags flown over Texas, our six Texas seal mosaics, the panoramic Texas history mural in our lobby, and our Texas history
exhibits. Open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (research hours 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.).
Beginning in 2022, reading rooms are also open the second Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
(above left) Modern-day cowboy at South Double Diamond Ranch; (above right) Owen Wister Photograph Collection: Three riders and train of pack horses crossing a river, about 1895. | Courtesy TSLAC
Each October, dozens of historic sites, museums, universities, county historical commissions and archeological facilities across Texas host public events and activities focused on archeology. Texas Archeology Month (TAM) takes a look at the broad sweep of human history in Texas and makes it accessible, fun and relevant to audiences of all ages today.
Archeology is the discovery and study of the impacts humans have made on the land throughout millennia. The annual TAM commemoration celebrates that spirit of dis covery and the richness of the history archeology informs— from uncovering dwelling sites of prehistoric hunters and gatherers to discovering historic shipwrecks and research
ing artifacts found at historic sites.
During TAM events, participants not only learn about the significance of archeological sites and discoveries, but also often see firsthand how professional and avocational archeologists do their work through demonstrations and hands-on activities. Some of the many diverse TAM activi ties include flint-knapping, basket weaving and atlatl demonstrations; presentations on native edible plants; spe cial museum exhibits; and mock excavations that allow chil dren to sift through sand for “artifacts.”
As part of TAM last year, the Texas Historical Commission (THC) partnered with the University of Texas at Austin’s Texas Archeological Research Laboratory to dis
Texas Historical Commission events, activities, and awards recognize the role of archeology in the preservation of Texas history
tribute more than 2,000 archeology activity kits for children containing pinch pots, color ing pages, and more. In 2022, more of these kits have been planned and prepared.
TAM is presented by the THC along with longtime partners such as the Texas Archeological Society, the Council of Texas Archeologists, universities, and local and regional archeological societies. The origins of the annual celebration date to April 1989, when the first Texas Archeology Awareness Week was held. The successful commemora tion was then expanded to a full month and moved to October, which coincides with the Archeological Institute of America’s International Archaeology Day, held the third Saturday of October.
Another way the THC commemorates archeology in Texas is with the Curtis D. Tunnell Lifetime Achievement Award in Archeology. Named in honor of a former state archeologist and THC executive director, the award recognizes an individual for outstanding lifetime accomplishments in archeological research or preservation. It is presented each year at the THC’s Real Places conference, along with the other prestigious THC Preservation Awards, which recognize worthy accomplish ments and exemplary leadership in the preser vation of Texas’ heritage.
Last year’s recipient of the Tunnell Award was Christopher Lintz of Austin, a former archeologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and specialist in archeology of the southern High Plains region. He is currently a research associate at the Center for Archaeological Studies at Texas State University in San Marcos, as well as a THC archeological steward. Archeological stewards are avocational archeologists who volunteer to help the THC’s small staff preserve and inter pret the vast archeological landscape of Texas, which covers 266,807 square miles and 254 counties.
Much of the THC’s current archeological work takes place at the agency’s 34 state his toric sites, many of which exhibit archeological collections. Field work has been conducted at many of the sites, including San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site in San Felipe (seen above right) and Levi Jordan Plantation State Historic Site in Brazoria
(seen above left). At San Felipe—the location of the headquarters of Stephen F. Austin’s colony in Mexican Texas—archeological work has revealed the locations of some buildings that were lost during the Runaway Scrape, when citizens intentionally burned San Felipe de Austin in March 1836 during the Texas Revolution, rather than let the town be captured by the advancing Mexican Army. Visitors to the site today can now see exactly where this iconic event took place.
At Levi Jordan Plantation State Historic Site, which opened to the public in June, investigations are helping tell the undertold stories of enslaved African Americans in Brazoria County. While the only remain ing historic structure at the site is the plantation house, the property is archeologically rich, with more than 600,000 artifacts uncovered and ongoing investigations turning up a large cache of items that belonged to the enslaved workers.
The recently opened visitors center houses temporary exhibits and artifacts from the site, while an archeology lab allows visitors to see some of the daily work necessary to archive and preserve archeological and historical artifacts. The new lab features dormitories, a kitchen, and a classroom, allowing students and archeologists to stay onsite while con ducting field work and public programming.
During TAM, visit Levi Jordan Plantation, San Felipe de Austin, addi tional THC state historic sites, and other participating sites and muse ums across Texas. To see the TAM calendar of events and learn about other THC archeological activities and resources, visit thc.texas.gov.
