Saturday, September 13, 2014

A Mystery Picnic - Part 2

After checking out the Scott Family Cemetery we headed down a path through the woods that led to the Black River. It was here that the Scott Ferry originally crossed. Mom said the woods had a wonderful eerie feel to it - hmmmm we think it was just all the mosquitoes buzzing around and the cicadas making their almost deafening cicada sound. The shade was very welcome though as it was starting to get quite warm.

On we went - the intrepid little explorers we are - until we came to the Black river - which actually looked rather green  :) We did some research and found the Black River was so named because of the black sand found along the banks ......I guess we must be color blind because it sure looked like good old ordinary mud colored to us ! Can you believe Mom tried getting us to put our feet in the water to cool off - "Not likely woman" we both said!













After seeing the river we headed up into the archeological site. Now in past visits there had just been some signs on the grass to indicate where buildings once stood and you really had no visual concept of what they looked like. But now they have built the buildings frames to indicate the size and shape of them. They have used a special kind of iron which rusts to a lovely reddish brown color. So far they have done the post office and the court house. Mom was talking to the park ranger and she was saying they have plans to build some more. I liked the park ranger a lot - she gave me some pawsome ear scratches and said what a boooootiful boy I was. Dweeb of coarse was trying his best to be invisible behind Mom's legs. Come back tomorrow and see our awesome picnic - we were sure ready for it as we had worked up quite an appetite!

A little about Davidsonville - There is evidence that the site was occupied by French colonists prior to the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. Archeologists have discovered evidence of Native American use of the site as early as 4,000 BC. The 1822 courthouse was apparently built on top of an Indian mound which was built before 1,100 AD. Davidsonville was founded in 1815 and rapidly became the most important town in northeast Arkansas Territory, but was abandoned by the 1830s. The community served as a river port town on the west bank of the Black River, near the confluence of the Spring River and Eleven Point River with the Black River. The town was on important stop on the Southwest Trail and featured several important frontier establishments. In 1817 the first post office of Arkansas Territory opened in the town, followed in 1820 by the first federal land office of the territory. In 1822, the first courthouse of Arkansas Territory was built in Davidsonville

15 comments:

  1. Wow what a cool place and gosh that is an old settlement and The French goes way back to the early settlement days. Have a super Saturday.
    Best wishes Molly

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  2. maybe the river looks only black at night? that's so interesting what you found out. maybe that they built the courthouse on a mound is the reason that the people disappeared? I could sit there the whole day pondering about scary stories :o)

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  3. Those are really big buildings! That's neat that they are putting those up to give you a visual, but it also adds to the "ghostly" feeling of the place, I think.

    Monty and Harlow

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  4. This is SO interesting. We think the Building "BONES" look sort of scary.

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  5. Love the idea of the framed buildings! Really cool way to help people (and dogs) visualize what it once looked like.

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  6. Wow - this is just the most beautiful place and it's full of cool history!

    Love ya lots♥
    Mitch and Molly

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  7. What a wonderful way to get a visual!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley
    Check out: "On the Road To The Great Debate" starting Monday!

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  8. What an interesting place. SHE would have loved to be an archaeologist.

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  9. WOWSA!!! I loves that! What a FABulous idea of building the frames of the structures so everyone can really see the size and scale of it all.
    You have some good Park peeps there in your state!
    I can't waits to see the picnic...was there margaritas?? I thinks there were margaritas....
    Kisses,
    Ruby ♥

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  10. We are so impressed with your walk and everything you discovered! We hope everyone takes time to check it out and learn a little of their town's 'back story'!
    oxox
    Daisy

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  11. Sorry we have not been around for awhile guys and glad to see you still look as gorgeous as ever :) what a fab site and an awesome idea to have the frames up for some reference point! and no dip in the water!! goodness me...I would be dragged in by Forrest and Doc haahah :) have a great week :) hugs and loves Fozziemum xx

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  12. I would have been in that water in a second! What a great place to go exploring!

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  13. What wonderful history in your area guys!
    Smileys!
    Dory, Jakey, Arty & Bilbo

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  14. We liked this post, we too like to find old cemetery stones and villages. An Indian Mound built before 1,100 AD WOW. I bet if you searched Ancestery.com you could find how May and Jon Coxs might be related to the Scott linage. Thanks for a great read.
    Sweet William The Scot

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Thank you for woofing at us - we read each and every one of them