Dubois County, Indiana - Chapter 4: Natural Scenery in Dubois County, 1910

Chapter 4: Natural Scenery in Dubois County

An ideal spot for the artist, the poet, the scientist, and the novelist - Buffalo trace, and Buckingham's base line - Southern railroad ; unfair to judge county from car window - Totem rocks and Saltpeter cave with Indian relics - Raven rocks near the line betw^een Columbia and Hall townships; size and color; nests of ravens - Raven rock near the line between Dubois and Martin counties: discovered in 1804 - Description of Wild Cat Rock - Blue Bird Rock and Hanging Rock - Piankishaw Rock - Indian Kitchen Rock in Hall township; Indian relics and mortars - Cliffs in their winter beauty .

An ideal spot for the Indiana artist, a dreamland for the Hoosier poet, a place where the young scientist would revel and delight his soul, is surely amid the natural rocks and scenery in Dubois county. Here the future romancer may find abundant material for his novel, for here have been enacted wild scenes of adventure both in the exciting chase for game and in the study of the Indian. Here for years burned the camp fires of the red men and their trails traversed the hunting grounds over which their sway was undisputed until the white man came with the march of civilization and drove them toward the setting sun. Farewell to the Pianki.shaw!

Here, also, is the "Buffalo Trace" - that mysterious, yet once plain and beaten path that guided the white man through the forest fastnesses of southern Indiana and blazed the way for the government surveyors. Instrumental in locating the "Buckingham Base Line," it gave the technical name and number to millions of acres of Indiana farms and forests.

The building of the Southern, between Jasper and French Lick, opened up to public travel places hereinafter mentioned. All are within thirty minutes ride from Jasper or French Lick, and an hour's ride by carriage, from their nearest railroad station. In the hands of skillful management these places could be made interesting spots to visitors at the Springs. Nature has made them attractive; the press can make them known.

The railroads of Dubois county pass through its roughest territory. Its valuable lands lie beyond the eye of the railroad traveler, and visitors to the county misinform themselves, if they judge the county from what they see from the car window.

There are many interesting rocks, caves, paths, bear wallows, springs, and mounds in Dubois county that are worth a careful study. Space forbids a description of all, but among them maybe mentioned the following:

Totem Rocks

Up on the side of "Pilot Knob," in Hall township, near the Hall schoolhouse, projects the cliff known as "Saltpeter Cave." Properly speaking it is a cliff of Mansfield sandstone about thirty feet high and two hundred feet long. It is situated about sixty rods south of the center of section twenty-four, town one, south, range three, west. The cliff projects beyond its base and nian}^ large rocks have broken themselves from its face, and gone tumbling down the hill-side. The cliff faces the east and extends north and south. It gets the name "Saltpeter" from the amount of nitrate of potash, or saltpeter, found in the rock, or in the dry sand which dropped from the side of the rock. Indians and early settlers were

An old settler, by the name of Houston, would gather up the dry dirt from under the rock and put it in a hopper, like our old-fashioned ash-hoppers, and after pouring water on it, catch the drippings and boil them, thus securing saltpeter. Much saltpeter remains in the hard rock to-daj-. Its taste is cooling and very salty. However, much of the rock has lost its original appearance, because men and boys would fill the large fissures in the rocks with kindling, apply the torch, run away, listen to the loud crackling, and look at the saltpeter flashing briskly. Sheep and other animals frequently stand under the projecting rocks as a protection to the inclemency of the weather. Many years ago, an old settler, who had a terrible dread of cyclones and tornadoes, would rush under this rock for protection, whenever dark clouds hung in majestic awe and terrible outline in the western sky. The names of many early settlers may be seen carved, in rustic fashion and sprawling hand, upon the bare faces of the rock.

Hunters after Indian relics while digging about this rock have found earthen ware, shells, arrow heads and other Indian makeshifts. On trees about this cliff are cut outlines of turtles. Upon a large rock that has fallen from the main body are distinctly cut in outline three turtles. They appear to be traveling in one direction, and maj' indicate, in the Indian language, some historical fact relative to the tribe of Indians that frequented the spot. Each totem, as cut in the rock, is twelve inches long and nine inches wide. There are other figures, not recognizable to any who have latehvisited the spot. Not far away, but upon another rock, are holes in which the Indians ground their corn.

Raven Rocks

discovered a large rock near the line between Columbia and Hall townships. It is located by him as being on the line dividing section sixteen and seven- teen, township one, south, range three, west, and sixty chains north of the south lines of said sections. The rock is in longitude 86°, 45', 43" west of Greenwich, and 38°, 26', 26" north latitude This rock is known as Raven Rock. It is about seventy-five feet high, shelving out from the base to the top, which projects about thirty-five feet beyond the base. The rock is massive, dark buff to brownish in color, composed of coarse, loosely cemented sand with some mica.

The lower part of the ledge is characterized by numerous thin, wavy bands of iron ore running through the ledge in a most intricate fashion.

In this rock are shelves, very difficult to reach, and on these, or, rather, in the crevices, the ravens built their nests up to the year, 1894. These nests were rough, constructed of large weeds, and sticks, and lined with hair or wool. Ravens resemble crows, but they are very much larger, being two feet from bill to tip of tail, which is round in shape. They feed on rabbits, eggs, etc. The people in the neighborhood did not like them and looked upon them as an ill omen. They were often seen five miles from the rock. "Arch Rock" and "Straight Rock," near by, are also worth a visit. Their names indicate their general outline.

Another Raven Rock

At Thales P. O. about ten miles w^est of French Lick, up near the line between Dubois and Martin counties, and on the line between Columbia and Harbison townships, is one of the greatest natural objects of interest in Dubois county. For beauty and majesty this rock is unsurpassed in the county. It is known to inhabitants of that neighborhood as Raven Rock, from the fact that ravens were known to have built their nests in the crevices of the rock up to about 1820, and perhaps later. The greater part of the rock is in Columbia township. The rock is sixty-one feet high and three hundred fifty-five feet long. It is in the shape of an arc cut from a large circle. The top extends fifty or sixty feet beyond the base and could afford protection for a battalion of infantry, if necessary. A bed of coal fourteen inches thick exposes itself from the base of the rock. A spring of water flows from the floor of the cave. Under the extending eaves are found large rocks that have fallen from the main body above. When struck with the foot one of these rocks echoes and re-echoes throughout the cave, producing a feeling akin to solemnity. On the side of this rock, water has worn a perfect circle, about two feet in diameter, in such a manner as to make it appear, at a distance, as a perfect large seal of the state of Indiana. Raven Rock is worth going a long distance to see. This rock was also discovered, in 1804, by L,evi Barber, United States government surveyor. It is situated thirty-eight chains north of the southwest corner of section eighteen, township one north, range three, west, in longitude 86°, 47', 54" west of Greenwich, and 38°, 31', 17" north latitude.

Wild Cat Rock

This rock, which is, no doubt, a continuation of " Raven Rock," just mentioned above, is a vast wall of stone, beginning at a point one-fourth mile north of the latter and extending northward one-fourth mile. This wall, or precipice, averages fifty feet in height. At the southern extremity there is a sheer fall of sixty feet. Here is the part of the rock which is most interesting and from which the name is derived. Long ages ago a large bowlder one hundred fifty feet in length and of nearly like thickness fell from the main ledge, leaving a yawning chasm, or gorge, sixty feet deep and one hundred seventy-five feet in length. The walls of this gorge are truly grand to behold, and remind the visitor of descriptions and illustrations of old castles, towers, etc., portrayed in ancient history. At the extreme southern part of this gorge, is a cave or cavern sixty feet in length. One can pass from the gorge to the outside, by going through this cavern. In here is a room which is perhaps twelve by fifteen feet in size. Its walls are of perfect stone, which one cannot help but think were wrought and finished by human hands. The huge bowlder, which reminds one of a miniature Pisa, inclines slightly westward from the ledge. Its top is covered with a thin coat of soil, and various shrubs and vines, and a few fair sized saplings cling there despite the forces which are constantly operating to remove them. From underneath the bowlder bubbles an everlasting spring of excellent water. / Farther down the ledge, is another spring equally as good. Extending backwards from the gorge are great cracks or crevices varying in width from eight to eighteen inches; in depth from forty to sixty feet ; and in length from seventy-five to one hundred feet. A fall into one of these chasms would certainly mean death. Old settlers say that at one time wild cats frequented this rock. There is no rea.son why it should not afford a safe retreat. While Raven Rock strikes the eye and fills the visitor with wonder and excitement, he is no less amazed when standing in the solemn silence of the gorge of Wild Cat Rock.

Blue Bird Rock is located on Dillon creek, in Columbia township and faces the new town of Cuzco. It is on the side of a very steep hill. It is so named because blue birds in great numbers used to build their nests about or near it. This rock is seventy feet long, twenty wide and thirty high. It is located on a high hill, and overlooks Union Valley. It thus forms a very prominent landmark, and will be seen by thousands of people from the car windows on the Southern.

Hanging Rock

Not far away, and in the same neighborhood, is Hanging Rock, on the Simmon's farm. The top projects twenty-four feet over the base. This rock is fifty feet high and one hundred twenty feet long. In the early days the pioneers, with their hounds, would run deer over the precipice, the fall killing them. A spring flows from the base of this rock.

This is an overhanging rock about two hundred yards in length and about twenty feet thick, on the farm of Joseph Dudine, about a quarter of a mile southwest of Patoka river and about three hundred fifty yards south of the Southern railroad track. Many Indian relics have been found about this rock, indicating its use for camping purposes.

quarter of section twenty-six and the northeast quarter of section twentyseven, township one, south, range three, west, and about one-half mile west of Roberts' Chapel. It is known as the Sand Cave or the Indian Kitchen Rock. This rock is forty-five feet high and projects thirty-six feet. It is several hundred feet long, and in the shape of a horse- shoe; really in shape of Niagara Falls. Springs of fine water flow from its base. The over-hanging rocks with massive trees growing near their edges, give the place a majestic appearance, while the prevailing quietness aids one in the study of its beauty, in recalling its history, and in imagining Indian rites there enacted. Many Indian relics have been found buried in the sand at the base of the rocks. Mortars cut into the large stones that fell from the main body ages ago may yet be seen. The largest measures about eighteen inches in depth and ten inches in diameter. Occasionally some faithful paleontologist finds a pestle in the sand nearby.

In the winter time when ice hangs from the projecting cliffs of these rocks, in great white sheets finally forming gigantic pillars, and glistening in the light of the cold, pale December moon, in an awful stillness, broken only by the whistle of the wintry blast, one sees nature wrapt in an apparently endless sleep.