Saturday, February 27, 2010

Another Rock Pile with Rectangle Anchor Stone - Double Sunken Mound

This is another example of a type of rockpile that seems to use a 'rectangle like' rock as a type of anchor or signature. Along with a triangle shape on the other end. If this is a rock clearing pile, why would you take the time and effort to do something like this.
Could it be that maybe it was made by the same person? Almost like an artist signing his work or could it instead have some religious meaning? For more on this subject of Native American symbolism - http://stonestructures.org/html/symbolism.html.
Or could it be a type of burial or remembrance pile? Here is an example from a wall I talked about here.
These rock piles are all located in the same area off of Decker - just before you would head up to the transmitter. They all sit on the hillside that faces Conemaugh Gap - if this area was clear cut - it would offer a nice view straight into the valley.
There is so much to see on this site. Everytime I go I spot something different. Things like this double sunken mound or rock pile:
This strikes me as a burial type mound/cairn. You can learn more about this cairn here. There is also another type of rock pile like this up there:
I've written about this site alot. From the walls that snake up and down the ravine to things like this:
You can learn more about this structure here
Most of the records here in Johnstown state that the Native American's had abandoned the area by the 1700's. I don't believe that in the least. If anything, I believe that alot of would be remnants are long gone because of our history of floods. Indians weren't stupid, I believe they just headed up higher. I will be posting more on this subject soon. But until then if you would like to learn more about the history of Indians especially the Monogohela Culture in Cambria County - just check out my other blog at: http://cambriahistory.blogspot.com/2010/02/browns-farm-johnstown-lower-yoder.html.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Circle of Rock with Bottle

I ran across this in an area near the stone walls I have been posting pictures off. It seemed a little too on the mark. The land has been abandoned since the 1950's. The owner who was half black and half white also from my research had some Native American ancestry.
I thought I spotted an upside down half sticking out. And in the words of Tweetie Bird....I did see a bottle...I did see a bottle.
The small bottle is no later than the late 40's to early 50's.
Nice feet!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Turtle Rock

I know this is subjective, but I see a turtle walking - this is located very near this main-of-old-spring-decker-avenue.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Part 1 - Trapezoid Wall - Burnt Standing Stone - Decker Avenue

I'm still trying to get a read on this wall. It's a couple of hundred feet long. There is a lot of damage with most of it is in bad shape. Being this high up, sections of this mountain make their own weather at times. Add to this that it looks like different phases on construction. Parts look trapezoid with a 'farm' look while other sections remind me of an 'indian' look. But having said this, I will be showing a unique standing stone at one end that sits at the beginning of a very large rock pile - mound would be a better word for it.
The wall winds it's way up the hillside which is steep at times. The mound I showed yesterday anchors one end of it. This shows the beginning of the wall in a relatively flat section of land before it makes it way up. I have other examples of this circle-like rock pile which looks anchored by a flat stone (from other sites) you can see in the front - but this is the first I've seen this used in a wall.
With this photo I'm trying to show you the wall curving it's way up along the top of the photo.
This is by far the widest section of the wall and it's also in the best shape, before it gets to sections like this that as you can see have a lot of tree debris. Considering the amount of flooding past and present Johnstown gets, it's easy to imagine alot of rain water rolling off this side of the mountain.


There are some nice size trees growing in the middle of parts of this wall.
I'm now heading to the other end of the wall towards the very large rock pile - mound and the burnt standing stone that seems to anchor this end. As you can tell from the picture the uniform construction of the wall is becoming disorganized. The wall sort of ends with the two trees on the right hand side of the frame before turning into a rock pile - mound area.
This section which sits on a steep section of the hill looks like the rocks were just dumped as in a field clearing pile.
But this section looks intentional to me.
Like I said this rock pile - mound is quite large. This picture shows part of what looks like a sunken area within the mound.



This rather plain looking area with a stone that kind of looks like a mantiou stone is at the tail end of this section of the wall. This angle is from the side.
Heading around to the front of this section you see then this unique small standing stone. It's in the center of the frame.


I have no idea what geologic force could have produced this - since the other side of the stone looks normal.
This is intentional.

I walked around to what is the front of the standing stone.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Small Mound Near Wall

It's probably hard to tell from this photo, but this mound is at the end of a rather long and wide stone wall just off of Decker that I will be posting pictures of soon.
 
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Stone Wall in Fog

This wall is located just off of Decker Avenue - the turn before you head up to the transmitter.
For more on this wall click here.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Browns Farm - Johnstown - Lower Yoder Township - John Smith Obit

This is the obituary of John Smith (died January 1895) - he was the son of Ebinburg Smith who settled this part of the Laurel Hill back in the late 1700's to early 1800's. He was of African-American/Native American heritage, which makes this story even more interesting. This aspect of the history I will be writing about in future posts.

This is the burial plot - it's hard to tell just how many people are buried here. My last count was at least 77 burials if not more. That is not a mound in the background - but a small pond put in by Elmer Brown (the last owner of the farm). Many a Morrellville kid enjoyed a summer swim in this popular waterhole.

Coming up in future posts. I will be talking about John Smith's Civil War Service.
For more history on the Browns and Smiths click http://cambriahistory.blogspot.com/

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Stone Wall - Milk Jug

As in parts of New England. I have been finding in Johnstown (Western Pennsylvania) things like this early 20th Century milk jug half buried in the foreground near this possible Native American Serpent shaped wall.
I've posted more about this wall here, here and here. These two pictures just don't do justice to the beauty of this section of the wall.