Laurel Highlands Native American Gathering - Greenhouse Park

Bushy Run Battlefield

Over the weekend - it was the 252nd annual Battle of Bushy Run in Westmoreland County. Parts of Western Pennsylvania played a key role in the development of our country. Click on the link bushyrunbattlefield.com to learn just how important an event this was in the history of our country.

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In order to protect themselves - Col. Henry Bouquet and his troops used the sacks of flour they were hauling as a form of protection - but from where I was standing - I didn't have the best vantage point for the battle. But the following clip I shot - might help you better understand a feel for what they were doing.

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This marks the spot where the battle was actually fought.

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Out for a Spin

Just a beautiful weekend to take the Ruckus out for a spin...so I decided to visit one of my favorite haunts...

The first time I ever saw this wall - my eyes were drawn to the beauty of it by the reflection of the sun bouncing off the sandstone.

It starts off low - before rising in the center and ending back low again. Both myself and an archaeologist friend of mine - think it's Native American - in the form of a rattlesnake effigy. Much like an similar example at Stonewall Jackson State Park  in West Virginia.

The total length of the wall is about 1/4 mile - pretty nice size.

 The structure as a whole - shows considerable age...

Showing the wall snaking it's way up the hill. As you can see - there is a lot weather related damage to the structure. I had intended to shoot the entire wall - but right about here - it sounded like a coyote den was very close by - you could hear the pups whimpering - so I turned around at this point - because I didn't want to piss the mother off...

So I dug up some old shots of the end section - where it begins to taper down...

To the end here - with the stones leaning against each other - much like a tail.

Right where the wall stops - is this nice size mounds that again - shows considerable age. There are also some other structures at this site that point to Native American - along with another wall of similar size and three other smaller walls.

Early Breakdown of Pa Counties

Early Breakdown of Pennsylvania Counties

Old Haycox Shanty - Early 1900's

Reader Joanne McKinney sent in this photograph of her grandfather and his pals at their hunting cabin somewhere on Red Oak Flat off of Route 271 - here is the before from the early 1900's.

And here is the clipping that appeared in the Tribune-Democrat - 29 March 1978. The names mentioned: W.C. Gates, Gilbert Gates (Gates Alley is now called Gates Avenue). I have a bit of history when it comes to the Gates family only because of their relationship with the Harshbergers and Browns from the mountain.
Other names: Orr Davis, Coley Ben Edwards, George Witt, Charley Clark, Doc Witt and Irish Blawn (street named after him).
I sort of know where this was at and it is on my list of sites to search on Laurel Mountain. so if I am able to hit this spot this year. I will post pictures.

Stone Cabin - Route 271

Reader Joanne McKinney sent in this picture of her dad - Phil Swanger - 1980 - on the roof of this structure known for decades as the 'Stone Cabin'. This is located just off of Route 271. Funny, that out of the blue - she sent these great shots of the structure, because I have been doing some research on. It's known locally as a hunter's cabin - used to have a pot belly stove at one time - but having said that - it's much older - actually considerably older - as in Native American old.
Matching the GPS point with this and some of the other Native American sites I have been investigating at http://laurelhillwalks.blogspot.com/ - it matches up to other spots on Laurel Mountain in regards to keeping track of the seasons. Which means this is most likely a Native Ameican Stone Chamber. You would be amazed at what you can see and do - in regards to GPS points on Google Earth. This used to be a popular GPS cache site - until the neighbors started complaining.

Conemaugh Gap

Conemaugh Gap

Winter Solstice - Indiana County

This is a mound at Evans Hill - Indiana County that I believe is located on a possible Native American Calender site. I just can't seem to stay away from the place. This is what the sunset looked like two days after the Winter Solstice two weeks ago. If you would like to learn more about the site CLICK HERE to go to Laurel Hill Walks - another of my sites.

Naeskahoni Town - Indiana County

I'd orginially planned on checking out what I think could be a possible Monongahela Mound in Indiana County - but we got chased out. So instead - Native American Expert - Butch Laney who came with us -  took us arrowhead hunting in Homer City. We all found flaking debris - but no whole points. But that didn't matter to me - I had the best time!

I finally got to enjoy a tour of his 1750's - Native American Village and Trading Post set during the period of the French and Indian War. Butch's family came over in one of the first waves - in the late 1600's before settling in the Black Lick Area. Butch built and runs Naeskahoni Town - Blairsville - CLICK HERE to see the website or to visit in person.

His village represents five different Native American Cultures. The tarps on the roofs are of course - not Native - they are getting ready for the winter snows.

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These stone axes are a work of art.

Native American Dugout Canoe - this is one solid chunk of log - Butch hollowed out.

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The Trader's Shack - all of the assorted pelts are the real deal.

As are the assorted antlers.

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Believe it or not - that chunk of wood in the center is natural - even though it looks like a skull.

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This fossilized piece of red standstone is tree bark - frozen in time.

Coming up next - an assortment of traps for birds and small game.

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Butch made everything you have been seeing - including this bark basket.

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The start of construction for a typical log cabin.

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Different types of grinding stones - acorns, walnuts and chestnuts would have been ground on stones such as these.

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Butch built this wooden t-pee - it's so interconnected that all you have to do - is walk inside and lift the branches up - they would then have also been covered with either bark or brush.

Some of the items I spend a great deal of time searching for this time of year.

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Food storage pit - the sides packed with clay and the top covered by a blanket of moss - this will keep food sources fresh for quite awhile.

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And for the final picture - my favorite point - that center piece - Butch found along the Clarion River - I think I'd fall over if I found something this graceful.