Sam Houston Memorial Museum
Celebrates Texas
Archeology Month
Sandra E. Rogers
Collections Registrar Sam Houston
Memorial Museum
Archeological Steward Texas
Historical Commission
Dark Canyon, Dead
Man’s Creek, and Satan Canyon are just a few of the tributaries that flow
into the Devil’s River located in far west Texas.
It is reported that when Texas Ranger Jack Hayes first viewed the river
many settlers called San Pedro, he said that it looked more like the Devil’s
river than St. Peter’s. In this writer’s
opinion, the Devil’s River is the most
beautiful and pristine of all Texas’
rivers. It is certainly the most
inaccessible and least visited river. The river begins in Sutton
County and runs southwest for 94 miles
to the Amistad Reservoir on the Rio Grande in Val Verde
County. For most of its
course it is bordered by private land; not
many Texans have ever seen it.
On Wednesday, October 10, Texas Parks
and Wildlife Department (TPWD) archeologist Luis Alvarado will present for the
public a review of the latest survey along the Devil’s River. In June of this year the TPWD invited members
of the Texas Archeological Society and the Texas Historical Commission (THC) to
participate in a survey of the newly acquired 17,000 acre TPWD south unit of
the Devil’s River. Approximately 300 people fanned out across the mesas and
canyons searching for archeological sites in preparation for the establishment
of a new state natural area. It was a survey only for the most adventurous,
those willing to battle extreme heat, steep canyons, pit vipers, and more thorny
plants than can be named, but the rewards were worth the blood, sweat, and
fear. The view of the canyon walls from the middle of the swiftly flowing river
was reward enough. The public is invited to Alvarado’s presentation, free of
charge, from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Katy & E. Don Walker, Sr. Education Center at 1402 19th Street; doors
will open at 6:30 p.m. for a reception.
As part of Texas Archeology
Month, the Museum will also host some of Huntsville’s 4th graders at
the annual archeology fair held on the Museum grounds. Students will participate in making pottery,
flint knapping, spear throwing, artifact digging, and hot rock cooking. Museum staff will be assisted by members of
the Texas Archeological Society and archeological stewards of the Texas
Historical Commission. Students will
learn about past cultures and the importance of protecting and preserving
significant historical sites in our state.
For a list of Texas
Archeology Month activities across the state check out the TAM Calendar on the
THC website: www.thc.state.tx.us.
The Texas Historical
Commission works with county commissions and land owners in all parts of the
state in an effort to locate and document significant historical sites on
public and private property. Thousands
of private landowners have called upon the THC to help them record and
interpret sites. The documentation of a
site on private property does NOT endanger the rights of a land owner. The process simply records the site so that
it is not lost to history.
The Sam
Houston Memorial Museum (SHMM) is
certified by the Texas Historical Commission as a Curatorial Facility. The Antiquities Code of Texas designates the
THC as the entity charged with ensuring the proper care and management of
archeological collections obtained under a Texas Antiquities Permit on
non-federal public lands. These public lands
include land owned by the sate of Texas
or by political subdivisions of the state such as cities, counties, school
districts, and other special districts.
The Curatorial Facility Certification Program ensures that Sam Houston Memorial
Museum meets current museum standards pertinent to the care and management of
collections. SHMM cares for “held-in-trust” collections from Walker and
surrounding counties. The San Jacinto
Battleground exhibit currently on display at the Museum is an example of a
“held-in-trust” collection. These
artifacts were recovered with the help of THC archeological stewards on state
property managed by the TPWD.
Please join us on Wednesday,
October 10, to celebrate Archeology Month.
For additional information call Sandy
at 936.661.9882.
Ms. Rogers, I was given your name by someone at the museum in Huntsville. My husband found an arrowhead in a ravine on some property we own a little bit out of Fairfield, Tx. We have about 15 acres with people around us owning similar tracts of land. Most of it is still wooded. We were trying to find a way to verify its authenticity. I looked on line a texasarrowheads.com and I found some similar but not sure. I have pictures I could forward you if that's possible or if you could tell me someone to contact I would appreciate it. We live a little south of Conroe, TX. Thank you, Joleene Custer. e-mail: cdonjo@swbell.net
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