My family has had a weekend full of fun and amazement. There will be several posts about our adventures at Cullowhee, NC.

My daughter graduated from Western Carolina University on Saturday.

This first post covers an historic site of the Cherokee Indians. These native Americans have my admiration. This carved soapstone relic is covered in petroglyphs dating back 300 to 1,500 years.

Soapstone was quarried by native Americans to make stone bowls. This form of stone is carvable. Over 1,500 petroglyphs have been mapped on the rock’s surface.

It is fortunate that the family of Milas Parker has guarded the rock from damage since discovering it in the 1930’s. The family has donated one acre to the Judaculla site and more of the surrounding land for conservation. We all should be grateful that this family has protected this national treasure from damage.

Judaculla is the name of the giant guarding the Balsam Mountains. The foot prints of Judaculla are on the lower right of the huge stone. Legend says Judaculla swooped down to defend the land around Caney Fork from disrespectful hunters and landed on the rock, forming the prints.

It is easy to travel back in time while silently admiring this treasure. I can envision Cherokee people thoughtfully and carefully leaving a message for others to find in the huge soapstone boulder. I am grateful for their vision.

I intend to do more research about Judaculla later.

Stay tuned for my next post ‘A Teepee in Cullowhee.’

FLOWER