Big SpringHistoric Rock Carvings on Scenic Mountain |
Guide to Historic Rock Carvings on Scenic Mountain in Big Spring State Park (SP) in Texas. Published by Texas Parks & Wildlife.
featured in
![]() | Texas Pocket Maps | ![]() |
source
Big Spring
State Park
Guide to Historic
Rock Carvings
on Scenic Mountain
Atop Scenic Mountain
A poem by Nancy Michaelie
January 9, 2017
On going to the top of Scenic
Mountain in Big Spring State Park
on the first warm day of the last
three – wanting the sun – strolling
and noticing the names chiseled
in the limestone – graffiti – taking
pictures and wondering:
Did they climb this small peak
To seek
A permanent spot
At the top
Or to feel closer to God
Than on the far stretching sod
Of surrounding plains?
Did they go to the park
On a lark
With chisel and nail
Their names to avail
To set into stone
And claim as their own
A small piece of rock?
Did they stop as their names they did sink
To take a moment to think
Of the heat, rain and wind
That nature would send
To slowly erase their work?
Civilian Conservation Corps members
work on the road in the state park.
TPWD Archives
Yet these many years later I ponder,
As the top of the hill I wander,
That these names carved in stone
Are never alone,
There’s critter scat – and me.
contents
1 JIMMIE GARZA’S SAILOR .......................... 8
12 FROM A FAR-OFF LAND............................ 16
2 MAN IN HAT ..................................................... 8
13 PAVED DESIGN...............................................17
3 WOOD WEAVER OF SAN ANGELO. . ....... 9
14 LOVELY LADY................................................. 18
4 QUARRY ROCK HOLES................................. 9
15 GEOLOGIC ROCK HAMMERS.. ................ 19
5 NEIGHBORS. . ................................................... 10
16 MR. ANDERSON.............................................20
6 BLANK SCROLL . . .............................................11
17 HORNED HEAD. . ............................................ 21
7 CARVED BENCH.............................................11
18 PAINT BRUSH................................................. 22
8 FANCY SCRIPT SIGNATURES.. ................ 12
19 CUP AND SPOON.......................................... 23
9 FLOYD COLLINS. . .......................................... 14
20 SCRIBBLE ROCK BASIN............................. 24
10 CUPULES........................................................... 15
21 GEOMETRIC PATTERN............................... 25
11 CURSIVE SIGNATURES.............................. 16
22 EAGLE................................................................. 26
special thanks
Katie Grimes
James Johnston
Nancy Michaelie
Tammy Burrow Schrecengost – Director and Curator of Big Spring Heritage Museum
Ronald Alton – Big Spring State Park Superintendent
Matt Warren – Big Spring State Park Maintenance Specialist
Cassie Cox – West Texas State Parks Regional Interpretive Specialist
Mark Lockwood – West Texas State Parks Regional Director
Tim Roberts – West Texas State Parks Regional Cultural Resource Coordinator
Price Rumbelow – West Texas State Parks Regional Habitat Conservation Specialist
Robert Mark, Jannie Loubser and Evelyn Billo – Rupestrian CyberServices
for completing the Rock Imagery Inventory
Cover photo by Matt Warren
1
introduction
Scratched deep in Scenic Mountain’s Edwards limestone, 210 feet above
the city of Big Spring, over 300 carvings in Big Spring State Park tell the
stories of past visitors. Scenic Mountain is the center point of Big Spring
State Park with sweeping views of the surrounding area and town of
Big Spring. It’s easy to see why people have been visiting this spot for
hundreds and maybe thousands of years. Some of those visitors left
their mark in the form of rock carvings visible throughout the park.
An oasis in the middle of a semi-arid region, Big Spring is in an ecologically diverse area at
the crossroads of the Edwards Plateau, Llano Estacado and Osage Plains. A mix of grasslands
with juniper, scrub oak and mesquite makes this area unique; bison were spotted here
through the 1880s.
As the limestone cliffs of Scenic Mountain can be seen for miles, many people were drawn to
the area. Most visitation to the area recorded before 1881 is tied to the “big spring” located a
half-mile southeast of the state park and now in the Comanche Trail Park. Many Native
American artifacts and carvings have been found near the spring’s life-giving waters.
One rock carving on Scenic Mountain is thought to be Native American (see page 21).
A prominent branch of the Comanche War Trail followed Sulphur Springs Draw to Big
Spring, but Apache and Jumano peoples also roamed the area.
After 1881 Anglo-Americans began to move into the
area, and with the laid tracks of the railroad, the city
of Big Spring began to flourish. Most of the carvings
on Scenic Mountain were made after that time.
Another generation of carvings appeared between
1934 and 1936 with the Civilian Conservation Corps
(CCC). CCC Company 1857 developed many of the
roads, rock buildings and structures in the park
using locally quarried limestone and hand tools.
You can see their handiwork all over the park.
Check out the rocks making up the park headquarters and pavilion to see hand-chiseled marks on
the rock and the long scars from the quarrying
techniques they used.
Rock quarry marks
2
Civilian Conservation Corps hand-chiseled marks on Scenic Mountain Road
Now, the park is appreciated by city residents for family picnics, community events and
exercise. It’s also an easy stop-off Interstate 20 for day visitors. The legacy of Big Spring
State Park is to share and preserve the stories of our great country and local community.
We hope you enjoy the wonderful views, a glimpse of the area’s history and the lovely native
plants and wildlife that call Big Spring State Park home.
Only a few of the 300 plus carvings are mentioned in this guide, but with some exploring and
a good eye, you’ll be able to spot many more!
we need your help
Please help protect these carvings by only enjoying
them with your eyes, camera or sketchpad.
Report any vandalism to park staff:
Ronald Alton, Park Superintendent
ronald.alton@tpwd.texas.gov
(806) 241-5741
3
4
5
6
7
1
JIMMIE GARZA’S SAILOR
“Jimmy Garza” is listed on the Civilian Conservation Corps Company 1857 roster. From
1934–35 this company quarried limestone blocks nearby for the construction of buildings in
the park. As you walk around the old pavilion, park headquarters and other structures, look
for the long rod and chisel marks from the quarrying and masonry process. Was Jimmie
previously a sailor? Did he want to be a sailor? Was he about to ship off? We do not know
for sure, but we can see what he was working on in his free time after completing daily
duties with Company 1857.
2
MAN IN HAT
In between Mr. Garza and Mr. Weaver is a very lightly etched man in a tall hat.
Some might call it a “10-gallon” cowboy hat. We weren’t able to get a good
image of this carving, but we hope you can spot it for yourself. As you go up into
the northern part of the park, you’ll notice many more carvings than are in this
guide. There are likely many others that have not yet been discovered. Our goal
is to preserve these carvings for future generations to discover and explore.
Help us out by treading lightly and not adding your own carvings.
8
WOOD WEAVER OF SAN ANGELO
Another Civilian Conservation
Corps member from nearby San
Angelo, Texas signed his name
and date of arrival, 7-24-34. He
planned to add his departure
date but left without doing so.
Can you imagine the life of a CCC
corpsman? What do you think
they did for fun in this area?
3
4 QUARRY ROCK HOLES
9
5
NEIGHBORS
It looks like Edgar Dikes from nearby Brownwood,
Texas visited Scenic Mountain in 1915. Perhaps he
and Paul Crank visited at the same time. Is Paul
from Texarkana? Where are you visiting from?
10
BLANK
SCROLL
This scroll was carefully
crafted, but its message was
never completed. It’s likely
100+ years old. What do you
think the creator wanted to
say? A love poem? Their
name? What would you write
if this was your scroll? Luckily
no one has attempted to add
to the carving. It’s best left as
the original artist did, with
story untold. We can use our
imaginations to think about
what they might have said.
CARVED
BENCH
6
We wonder how long carving this “bench”
or seat must have taken? You can see the
chisel marks throughout.
7
11
8
FANCY SCRIPT SIGNATURES
This area has several signatures. The Gothic-style font
for Leonard Fisher and
Barney Russell are some of
the best in the park. Mark
Harwell’s is impressive as
well. Note that the dates of
the signatures are from the
early 1900s. Both Leonard
and Barney were residents
of the city of Big Spring.
Leonard Fisher is very likely
a member of the well-known
Fisher family who were
dry-good merchants in
town. According to local
historian, Tammy Schrecengost, Barney Russell is on
the right in the 1902 photograph working on a carving
of his initials on top of
Scenic Mountain (see page
13). Also in that photo is
Peter W. Agnell, Barney’s
brother-in-law, who is likely
carving a tribute on his
wedding day for his new
wife, Della Russell. The
picture below is of Peter
and Della’s wedding on top
of Scenic Mountain that was
followed by a big picnic.
And well over 100 years
later, the park is still used
for all sorts of family events!
12
Peter Agnell and Barney Russell leave their mark on Scenic Mountain. Courtesy of Big Spring Heritage Museum.
Peter and Della are married on top of Scenic Mountain. Courtesy of Big Spring Heritage Museum.
13
9
FLOYD COLLINS
Floyd Collins was a spelunker (cave explorer) from Kentucky who visited Scenic Mountain
and Big Spring in search of a cave in the area. We don’t know if he found what he was looking
for or how long he stayed, but we know it was long enough to leave his mark in the rock.
Floyd Collins discovered and claimed Crystal Cave in 1917 which is now a part of Mammoth
Cave National Park in Kentucky, the longest known cave system in the world. In 1925,
Collins was exploring Crystal Cave, also known as Sand Cave, when a fallen rock trapped his
leg. The attempted rescue of Collins was a national newspaper sensation and one of the first
news stories shared through nationwide radio broadcasting technology. All of America was
listening when his death was announced after two weeks trapped in the cave. “The Death of
Floyd Collins” is a song written by Vernon Dalhart to commemorate the fallen adventurer.
Collins’ news story made him famous, and on his tombstone in Mammoth Cave National
Park, he’s memorialized as being the “Greatest Cave Explorer Ever Known.”
14
CUPULES
These carved dots, known by archeologists as cupules, were
likely made before 1881 and possibly by Native Americans.
Cupules are man-made historic and prehistoric rock art that
have been found on every continent except Antarctica. We don’t
know what they mean, but we know that they were significant to
the people making them as a lot of time and effort goes into
their creation. What do you think this series of cupules means?
10
15
11
FROM A FAR-OFF LAND
Bobie and friend J.A. from New Mexico visited Scenic Mountain in 1917.
What do you think brought them to the area?
CURSIVE SIGNATURES
Clay and Lillie appear to have been carved in 1883 which is when the courthouse in
Big Spring was built. The delicate and curvy nature of the names took considerable
time and care to complete. What other carvings do you see in this area?
16
12
13
PAVED DESIGN
Per county records, a Mr. G.H. Brown married Fannie Leatherwood on
October 1, 1903. Perhaps Mr. Brown made this carving a few years before?
As you can see, some of the carvings along the road edge have been
covered by asphalt. Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) crews
try to take better care nowadays to prevent more of the carvings from
being covered up. Vehicle and foot traffic have also damaged several
carvings. How many other rock carvings do you think are hidden up
under the road asphalt? We may never know, but our job now is to protect
the rest of these carvings for others to discover and enjoy in the future.
Watch where you step, please and park in designated parking spots.
17
14
LOVELY LADY
Unfortunately, foot and vehicle traffic has damaged our lovely lady. It is a complex
bas-relief style carving which means it was sculpted into the rock to create a threedimensional figure, almost like a statue. There are no other carvings that are sculpted
in this way in the park. You can imagine the difficulty and precision needed to sculpt
such a delicate figure. Was it a CCC boy dreaming of a girl back home? Is it a memorial
to a loved one who passed? We don’t know the story but we do know that it was a very
difficult figure to sculpt that took a lot of imagination, time and care to create.
18
15
GEOLOGIC ROCK HAMMERS
J.J. O’Connor added some geologic rock hammers above his carved name. Did
this mean J.J. was a part of the Civilian Conservation Corps local Company 1857?
Did he work on rock quarrying or masonry? When you spot this carving in person,
just to the left, you’ll notice that J.W.F. appears to have carved a six-sided diamond
shape with a faint arrow inside. What do you think that represents? A compass
pointing the way home? A family crest?
19
MR. ANDERSON
This carving of Alf. Anderson with year 1888 is one of the oldest dated in the park.
We haven’t discovered any information about Mr. Anderson, but we know his story is
important and in need of protection. He made his way to the top of Scenic Mountain and
gazed at the same horizon as you. Things were certainly different at that time, but the
mountain, the view and the sunsets remain the same. People have long flocked to this
spot and always will.
16
20
17
HORNED HEAD
Archeologists think this carving was made before
1881. It’s possible Comanche peoples made it, but
another Native American tribe could have been the
artists. Jumano and Apache peoples also roamed the
area. The carving may represent a bison skull or
have a spiritual meaning. What do you think it looks
like? Archeologist Kay Sutherland thinks the carving
might represent a mask like those painted on rock
walls at Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site
in El Paso, Texas. This could mean that Jumano
peoples carved it over 600 years ago. Though we
may never know the true age of and meaning behind
the “horned head” carving, we do know that it took
considerable time and effort to make. Look closely at
all the lines and details. What tools do you think
they used to make this carving?
21
18
PAINT BRUSH
We think this carving represents a wide paint brush. Do you agree?
Perhaps it was carved by a CCC boy whose job was to paint?
Nonetheless, we thought it was an interesting carving!
22
CUP AND SPOON
This is an interesting carving that we are guessing is a cup or bowl and spoon. Was it a
Civilian Conservation Corps carving? The CCC was organized because of the Great
Depression. People were out of work and hungry, many starving. Times were so lean for
many families that there were even recipes circulating for how to best cook grass and
many people were foraging and hunting to feed themselves. President Franklin D.
Roosevelt’s “New Deal” provided jobs for young men so they could send money back
home. They built bridges, parks and many other public projects that still stand to this
day. Not only did they get paid, they also got three hot meals a day which was a great
boost for morale. We can’t be certain that this carving is one from a CCC boy, but when
we saw it, it definitely reminded us of dining equipment the young men would have.
19
23
20
SCRIBBLE ROCK BASIN
These carvings are unique because the artists chose this naturally occurring
rock basin as their canvas. In a heavy rain, the basin will fill with water and
slowly pour out the small gap in the bottom creating a mini-waterfall. The
rectangular shape with little “ears” could be a tombstone. What else can you
find in this scribble rock basin?
24
GEOMETRIC PATTERN
This pattern might appear to be a vehicle tire tread in concrete,
but it is actually a design carved into the rock by an unknown
artist. Their lines are straight, and their shapes are carved with
precision. Whoever worked on this carving took time to make
sure it came out perfectly. One hit too hard on the chisel and
your line would be ruined!
21
25
22
EAGLE
This great American symbol was likely carved by a Civilian Conservation Corps trooper of Company
1857 stationed in Big Spring. Many of the rock buildings and structures in the park, including the
main park road, were projects of the CCC. In 1933 when president Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated, more than 25% of Americans were unemployed, hungry and without hope due to the ravages of
the Great Depression. F.D.R.’s New Deal programs helped energize the economy by providing jobs.
The CCC was one of these programs. The goals of the program were conservation of America’s
natural resources and strengthening the economy. The men were fed three hot meals a day, provided
uniforms, did daily drills and learned skills such as masonry and carpentry that would make them
competitive in the workforce. The young men were paid $30 a month, $5 of which they got to keep
and the rest they sent back home. Help preserve their life and legacy by reporting any vandalism to
state park staff.
26
NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS
27
NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS
28
© 2019 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
PWD BK P4506-0003J (5/19)
In accordance with Texas State Depository Law, this publication is available at
the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries.
TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion,
national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or
obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915
or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you
have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744,
or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls
Church, VA 22041.