Go Dig in the Field
The Texas Story Project.
As a young boy spending my summer's along the Frio river in Leakey, Texas, my uncle would tell me, "if you want to find arrowheads, go and dig in the field between Highway 83 and the river."
My uncle had worked many years for the Texas Highway Department. He was on the crew that put the highway in years before. He knew there were arrowheads in the field because as the crew cleared the earth for the highway, they excavated numerous points. However, as a young boy, my definition of "dig" was to kick dirt around with my shoe. I never did find much in that field.
FAST FORWARD to the early 2000's...My cousin and brother were overseeing the backhoe operation that was digging trenches for cabin piping. As they were coming to the end of a productive day, they decided to ask the operator if he would be willing to dig a few test holes in the field by the river. He asked two questions..."where"... "how deep"...My brother went to a spot and said, here! 4 feet!
The claws went in...the bucket came out...dumped the dirt...out of the first hole came over 40 artifacts...yes, you read that correctly...40...for almost 80 years, my family had been sitting on a cache of ancient artifacts left by archaic Texas Indians thousands of years before...What has come out of the field is beyond amazing!!!!!
T. Holmes, Dirt Kicker and rock hound
Posted September 19, 2021
