Near Alto in Cherokee County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Natural Spring
Photographed By James Hulse, September 1, 2023
1. Natural Spring Marker
Caption
A Living Tradition
The Caddo created a rich variety of durable ceramics in a range of sizes and styles. In fact, the Caddo produced some of the finest pottery in North America. Few other Native American groups that made pottery could equal the Caddo in terms of variety, quality, and artistic expression in their pottery.
All Caddo vessels began as long coils of clay that were stacked and smoothed into a finished shape. The pot was fired inside a burning pile of branches and sticks, and then designs were engraved or carved into its surface. The resulting pottery ranged in color from light orange to chocolate or dark gray. Today, Caddo artisans continue the practices of their ancestors by creating beautiful pottery according to traditional methods.
Images: Texas Beyond History, TARL, the University of Texas at Austin; Caddo Heritage Museum; Illustration, Howell Golson
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Native Americans.
Location. 31° 35.804′ N, 95° 8.972′ W. Marker is near Alto, Texas, in Cherokee County. Marker is at the intersection of State Highway 21 and Farm to Market Road 2907 on State Highway 21. The marker is located in the central section of the Caddo Mounds State Historic Site near the visitor center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1649 TX-21, Alto TX 75925, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Village Life (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Waystation for Travelers and Traders (about 600 feet away); Burial Mound (about 600 feet away); Zebulon Pike Campsite (approx. 0.2 miles away); Low Platform Mound (approx. 0.2 miles away); El Camino Real de los Tejas (approx. 0.2 miles away); Borrow Pit (approx. 0.2 miles away); Famous and Infamous Journeys (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alto.
More about this marker. The marker is located in the Caddo Mounds State Historic Site and it does require a small entry fee to visit.
Also see . . . Caddo Mounds State Historic Site. Texas
Photographed By James Hulse, September 1, 2023
2. The Natural Spring Marker with the Caddo House in the background
Caddo Mounds State Historic Site, one of the best known and intensively investigated Indian sites in Texas, is on State Highway 21 about six miles southwest of Alto in southern Cherokee County. It comprises much of what is known to archeologists as the George C. Davis Site, the southwesternmost ceremonial center of the Caddoan peoples who flourished on the western edge of the woodlands of eastern North America between 1000 B.C. and A.D. 1550. Caddo Mounds consists of three large earthen mounds, as well as a large portion of a prehistoric village.(Submitted on September 8, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Photographed By James Hulse, September 1, 2023
3. Inside view of the Caddo House
Photographed By James Hulse, September 1, 2023
4. The view of the ceiling of the Caddo House from inside
Credits. This page was last revised on September 8, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 8, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 68 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 8, 2023, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
