Geology Field Trip

[MountainDon]

In much the same technique as running a herd of bison over a cliff- and a bunch of kangaroos, here-

There are cliff areas in the Dakotas where so many buffalo were run over the cliffs that potash is mined from their base.

The American Indians also used fire as a weapon to burn out enemy camps.

[Amanda_931]

True.  And I'm always annoyed when people romanticize the Native Americans.

On the other hand they took good enough care of the land that we didn't realize how many there had been until the last decades of the 20th century.  (apparently pig-borne diseases decimated whole cities in the middle of the country)  I've heard for years that they did a lot of work "grooming" the land.  Among other things so they didn't have to go farther and farther from home to find deer for supper.

And we certainly approved of sending out trains filled with "sportsmen" to kill as many bison as possible from the trains, the "hunters" didn't ever have to get their feet on the ground.

[glenn-k]

Here's one for you Amanda, --- I was on another trip today to drop off a welder and went the back road home -- not a shortcut, and I was checking out old mines etc,  from a book Harry loaned me.  I found a limestone formation in the Bower Cave area -- and following a worn trail -- I found the cave itself.  Run by the forestry now but very low profile -- it was sacred to the native Americans and was home to the chief and many ancient ones.

Bower Cave and the Me-Wuk people

Bower Cave ( Oo'-tin ) is one of the most significant cultural and spiritual places for the Sierran Me-Wuk people. For thousands of years they inhabited the western slopes and foothills of the Sierra, including villages near Bower Cave ( Sope-nehi ) and present-day Groveland ( Pigliku and Sala ). One traditional legend identifies the cave as the home of chiefs Too'-le , the Evening Star, and He-le'-jah , the Mountain Lion.

           A story notes that the chiefs had a room on the north side of Bower Cave (probably its large chamber), and that many others lived there, including To-lo'-mah (the Wild Cat), Yu'-wel (the Gray Fox), and Kah'-kool (the Raven). One version of the legend suggests that food, left when the animal people abandoned the cave, hardened and turned into stalactites and stalagmites.

           The spiritual and religious significance of the cave carries through the Me-Wuk. Respect for these beliefs is one reason that Bower Cave has limited access and a high level of protection today, after nearly 200 years of developed use.

http://grovelandmuseum.org/Bower-Cave.html

My Pix

[jraabe]

You live in a fascinating area for sidetrips. History and mystery around every bend in the road.

[glenn-k]

That's what I like about it.  I'm in one of the oldest populated  areas of the West Coast.  The gold rush brought the people to the west.

We had miners yelling "Eureka, I've found it" before the Civil War.  

More of them probably lost everything they had in search of the yellow metal, but that side of the story is not told as often.

[MountainDon]

... Respect for these beliefs is one reason that Bower Cave has limited access and a high level of protection today, after nearly 200 years of developed use.

I like finding places like that too. And it's nice that the FS leaves access open, but not publicized. I've visited afew spots in Utah like that; for some there's directions to be found online or in books but others are passed around by word-of-mouth, or stumbled on.

[glenn kangiser]

It was really a discovery when I looked up through the brush to my right and saw that giant gaping maw.

Parties and dances were held there in the old days - It was a community meeting place because it was cool in the bottom.

Bower Cave History

In 1856, gold miners Nicholas Arni and Frederick Schoebel rediscovered the cave. Marble Springs Cave (later named Bower for the maple trees growing at the base of the opening creating a perfect "bower" or twined shelter) became a gathering place for the local community and travelers looking for adventure or a cool resting place. In 1861, Henri Becker purchased the cave intent upon striking it rich, not mining gold but mining pockets–tourism. Becker's intention was to develop the area into a first-rate travelers' retreat. His wife Marie was able to fulfill this dream after his tragic death in 1863. Bower Cave became a prime tourist stop between San Francisco and Yosemite. By 1874, the Yosemite-Coulterville Toll Road was active with stages, buggies and riders. Visitors to the cave paid fifty cents a tour and Marie Becker Pechart (remarried) with assistance from locally hired staff, administered their every need.

In 1898, the cave again changed hands, but not families. Caroline Becker Wenger, Marie's daughter, inherited the cave and surrounding properties. Within two years, the Wenger family settled in and became active participants in the growing Bull Creek society. Stories abound of social activities and special visitors coming to stay at the hotel and visit the cave. A pot of hot beans always sat on the stove for family and strangers alike and few friends left without carrying away a fresh-baked bread loaf.


             


The Big Oak Flat Road (today's Highway 120) replaced the Yosemite-Coulterville Road as the main entry to Yosemite. What had been a lively and active community soon became a ghost town. Despite the efforts of the Wenger Family, the cave and surrounding lands no longer provided a means of earning a living. In 1945, they sold he property to James and Ida Rice who had desires to create a Disabled Veterans' Recreation Facility. This admirable goal was never achieved.

Jack and Barbara Linkletter (Linkletter Properties) became the last private owners of Bower Cave in 1981. The family shared the cave with friends and fellow divers, but kept it out of the public eye. In 1991, through the efforts of Trust for Public Land, Friends of Bower Cave and the desires of the Linkletter family, the USDA Forest Service acquired Bower Cave. It remains under USDA Forest Service administration today.

http://grovelandmuseum.org/Bower-Cave-History.html