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Visit These Non-Profit Web Sites:
Alliance For Native American Indian Rights
Native American Educational Association
Tennessee Trail of Tears Association
Books about Indians:
Loud Hawk : The United States Versus the American Indian Movement
Exploration
of Ancient Key-Dweller Remains on the Gulf Coast of Florida
TOUR GUIDE
Clee's Ferry Today
Culture Periods Represented: Paleo, Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian
Erosion is still a serious problem at Clee's Ferry, but recent checks revealed no signs of the large scale looting that was occurring a decade ago. The large grave robber's holes visible in the previous pages have been obliterated by erosion. One hopeful sign are some young trees growing on the level portion of the river bank, visible in the photographs below, that may help slow down the erosion a bit if they survive to maturity. These trees and other vegetation would never have had the chance to take root in this spot ten years ago because the foot traffic on the sight was so heavy.
The photographs below were taken on February 6, 2005, the 10th anniversary of the Alliance for Native American Indian Rights vigil led by Peto Trejo that led to the site being listed on the Tennessee Archaeological Registry.
By
comparing the photograph on the left to the one on the first
Clee's Ferry page, taken in almost the same spot, you can clearly see how
erosion has change the contour of the river bank at Clee's Ferry. The part of
the bank visible in on the middle left of this photograph once extended much
farther out in to the river, and several of the large trees are now gone.
The
warning signs are made of plastic and have been replaced many times over the
past 10 years. Plastic signs were a good idea at the time because it's
inexpensive and we knew from past experience that the looters would destroy them
practically as soon they were put up, which in fact they did. But the state
Division of Archaeology provided us with a good supply and we replaced them as
soon as the looters took them down. After a couple of looters were prosecuted
for trespassing and theft of artifacts they finally got the message and stayed
away for the most part. However, the river levels often rise well above the
level of the signs and they get torn away. Metal signs would now do a better
job.
One of the large trees visible standing tall on the bank 10 years ago lies in the river, a victim of erosion. This is just one of the five or six we've seen slowly slip away.
The small trees visible in the foreground might one day play a major role in protecting the burial ground from the river's constant flow.
Clee's Ferry Site Map
Previous Page - Clee's
Ferry Erosion Next
Page - The Ganier Site