Rockin’ In Waitsburg

During the 1950s, a group of us in Waitsburg started a group called the Rock Club. Some of the members had been "rock hounds," and we decided to form a group to share our adventures.

We split up the party into small family groups, sometimes going to separate areas where we could explore for rocks or arrowheads and other artifacts, such as bowls and pestles or scrapers, for example.

We went to Whitman County one of the first times searching for arrowheads. We had permission from the farmer to search as it was in trust with the bank.

This is where I found my first arrowhead. I was so excited and rubbed it to make sure. It was a perfect specimen of an agate stone, whitish in color. I was excited!

Looking at the bank in that field, there appeared to be three charcoal layers. It was unbelievable that Indians had been there one thousand, two thousand and three thousand years before - or maybe it was just a few hundred?

The glittering piece (arrowhead) picked up from that bank was a genuine thrill. We didn't go back to Whitman County because the WSC archeological class went there later.

The Hubbards and our Butler family all went up the Wilson Hollow Road on the spot across Whiskey Creek where the Hubbards had found an obsidian spear point earlier.

Henry Vollman rigged up a power sifter with mesh from a lawn mower motor that was quite an invention - better than sifting the sand or dirt. He also went with us.

These adventures were a lot of fun - good companions - always stimulating.

Anyone could join in on the fun and find their treasures.

We all came back with arrowheads. The arrowheads we found were agate of different colors.

We wanted to take picnic lunches or our barbecue grill for hamburgers and all the fixings.

The specimens are prized possessions cherished for their aesthetic value.

The memories of pleasant trips often with good companions was always stimulating.