Indians, or So They Say

---

Russell Cave National Monument, Northeastern corner Alabama

I think sometimes that, in their haste to create some of these monuments, Presidents don't consider the expectations they are setting up. I am sure that the preservation effort is worthwhile, and we definitely have to extend protective umbrellas to national treasures, or otherwise the natural impulses of greed will simply walk right through them and destroy our only chance at achieving scientific understanding. As I write this, there are all kinds of anti-science, anti-mind, forces stirring who, unwilling to move their minds towards illuminating and comprehending nature, are instead seeking to dismantle our Park system and put up these treasures for monetary sacrifice. I have to trust that these are one shot, brainless idiots and that they won't prevail. If they do, then maybe the human species is just not as advanced as we think it is and we deserve a more animal existence.

But, having said all that in defense of our park system, we've been to several National Monuments that are not really worth a visit at all. Russell Cave, our first park stop on this trip, is, unfortunately one of them. Like Hagerman Fossil Beds in Idaho, or Agate Fossil Beds in Nebraska, there just isn't much to see. You can take a pleasant hike through the surrounding country side, and you can view a very small, and not so good, sample of what they have found in the visitor center, and you can look at the center of all the commotion from a distance, but you can't really SEE anything. It is a dissatisfying experience, especially if you've traveled a fair distance to get there.

Russell Cave was named after a revolutionary war fighter who owned the land on which Russell Cave was discovered. The cave itself grew out of a series of collapsed sinkholes, caused by underground water flows through the limestone deposits that are everywhere in this corner of the Appalachians. The cave conveniently opens to the east, allowing morning sunshine in it without getting baked in the afternoon sun. There is a large and active stream of pure underground water running through part of the cave, which floods periodically. Over time, the deposits of the flooding, reinforced by rocks from falling layers of the ceiling, have built up a bed in the cave that is now 30 feet above the water line.

But it isn't the cave that's important part of this story. Its what went on inside of it. People lived here for thousands of years because of all of its attractive features, including a lush deciduous forest with all kinds of eating and medicinal plants. Archeologists have discovered human artifacts here dating back at least 10,000 years and, digging through the thirty feet of silt, they have established a record of human activity with samples of artifacts pretty much continuously since then. So in this one site is a record of human history through a huge chunk of our span on this continent. It is, apparently, the only such site in the eastern half of our country. They are able to trace human history through the Stone Age (Paleo-Indian), Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian ages, right up to the time history begins with the European invasions.

None of that, of course, is visible from the short boardwalk and railings which take you right up to the mouth of the cave and then prevent you from entering the floor of the cave itself. You can see the current dig hole, framed by a square border, but that's about it. I bought a book about the Indian history of Alabama and I'm hoping it will fill in the gaps.

If you are in the area for other reasons, though, it is certainly worth a visit here, just to appreciate the forest and mountain setting. The road in includes a mile or two of one-lane dirt roads, threading up and down hills and valleys, which makes for some fun driving. Before you get that far, you find yourself in neighborhoods of well manicured mansions, even a few plantations (although I'm not sure exactly what a 'plantation' is, except maybe a mansion with a name and a sign!)

After doing the ten minute look-see at the cave, the highlight of the trip, for us and for the dogs, was the 1.5 mile hike up and around the sinkhole. The paved path took us through dense forests of the most varied set of trees I've ever seen. They have signs to help us westerners understand what we are looking at, so we saw ash, hickory, poplar, oak, beech, chestnut, mayapple, and many more. Maybe there are that many evergreens in a Rocky Mountain forest, but I don't think so. The path ascends 500 feet up to the top of a mountain where, when the trees are leafless, you can make out the topography of the area.

The girls had a blast. Violating the rules, we let them off their leashes and they enjoyed the walk at least as much as we did. Staying on the path most of the time, Fleur would take point and stop every now and then to wait for us to catch up. Smooch kept looking back at us to make sure we were still coming. (There was no-one else on the trail, and we take great efforts to clean up after our dogs, so I don't feel too guilty.)

After the nature walk, we enjoyed a picnic lunch at a table in the sun. Managed to get home early enough for a short nap, followed by a dinner of grilled ribs. Needless to say, everyone, especially the dogs, slept like logs.

Clearly, this is not a destination park. But if you want a pleasant morning or afternoon walk and you are in the area, pay Russell Cave a Visit. 2 Stars(17.1.9)

---

Photos

IMG_0071
Mouth of Russell Cave

IMG_0072
Underground Stream

IMG_0073
Research Site - Indians Were Here

IMG_0075
On the Nature Hike with Smooch

IMG_0076
Fleur Checking up on us

IMG_0077
View from the Top

IMG_0079
Flowering Tree

IMG_0078
Another Viewof the Valley

Comments

[mickey]

Idiots--and evolution
I have to trust that these are one shot, brainless idiots and that they won't prevail. If they do, then maybe the human species is just not as advanced as we think it is and we deserve a more animal existence. ... But the nice walk.. A spelling correction (typo)..It's:Its what went on inside of it.

[Missy]

I'm so glad Joan rebelled. You seem to have enjoyed that vastly more than the cave. The hike pictures are gorgeous tho!