Today I went to a creek located off of 24th Street. It is directly behind the historical site of Stonewall Jackson’s cabin. It was a slightly breezy day and the temperature was in the low 70s. I arrived at the location around 4 PM and sat quietly atop a small waterfall.
Here is a picture of the small waterfall. While there was only a small stream of water flowing off the rock, it made for a very tranquil scene. Vegetation sprouts from the banks of the stream and the surrounding trees provide enough shade to escape the direct heat from the sun.
Moss grows around the entire area and adds a bit of color to the rocks.
While I saw little animal activity there was an abundant amount of water-bugs.
Another interesting aspect of the area is the overhanging rock that almost forms a miniature cave. There are numerous small rocks around the base showing clear evidence of erosion.
All in all, I enjoyed my time in the area. Being in such a historical place, I couldn’t help but be reminded of a quote from A Sand County Almanac. While writing about a oak tree Leopold states “It shows 80 growth rings, hence the seedling from which it originated must have laid its first ring of wood in 1865, at the end of the Civil War”. I found myself wondering about the history of this site as well. Did Stonewall Jackson drink from the waters of this stream? Could he have possibly sat on the same rock in which I did? I found this site to be very intriguing and look forward to returning soon.
-Evan Holley