Columbus in Lowndes County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)
Wood of the Bow
Photographed by Tom Bosse, July 30, 2021
1. Wood of the Bow Marker
The large tree that you see here is known by several common names, including Osage orange and hedge apple. We will use a colloquial name, Bodock (bodark), based upon the original French name, bois darc (wood of the bow). The Osage Indians made extensive use of bodock wood for their bows because of its strength and flexibility.
Bodock is well armed with sharp thorns and has been used in hedgerows as a living fence. According to some, it made agriculture in the prairies possible and led directly to the invention of barbwire. Because of its durability, it then served as posts on which to string the wire. It also has been used extensively as windbreaks. The heartwood of bodock is reported to be the most decay-resistant of all native American woods and is immune to termites (J.D. Burton).
Courtesy of Dr. Gerry Jeffcoat
Erected by Plymouth Bluff Environmental Center.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Anthropology & Archaeology • Horticulture & Forestry • Indigenous Peoples and Communities.
Location. 33° 30.912′ N, 88° 29.829′ W. Marker is in Columbus, Mississippi, in Lowndes County. It can
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in East Mississippi, in the Black Prairie, and in the Golden Triangle. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Black Belt. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Plymouth (a few steps from this marker); Henry Armstrong (approx. 2½ miles away); Robinson Road (approx. 4 miles away); Columbus (approx. 4 miles away); The Tennessee Williams Visitors Center (approx. 4.1 miles away); First Home of Tennessee Williams (approx. 4.1 miles away); Errolton (approx. 4.1 miles away); Franklin Academy (approx. 4.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbus.
Photographed by Tom Bosse, July 30, 2021
2. Wood of the Bow Marker
Photographed by Tom Bosse, July 30, 2021
3. Wood of the Bow Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on August 10, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 6, 2021, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 646 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 6, 2021, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
