The fourth site to be discussed is referred to as Hell Creek in other references done by the Corps of Engineers and the Kansas Historical Society. This manuscript will call it the Hell Creek-Wilson Dam site because sites up and down the area for more than one petroglyph location are included. The letters HD are used to designate petroglyphs from this area. Because the site was close to the dam construction, it is reasonable to expect all the petroglyphs to be underwater and probably destroyed, even though some were several feet above ground level. Overhangs and shelter caves are part of the cultural formations in this area. Many of them were small and several had petroglyphs. From records made by various surveyors, few seem to be as dramatic as HD1.
HD7 to HD10 and HD11
to HD13 are all from one area. Witty (1962:87) describes the cliff at
this site as follows: "a massive exposure of sandstone some
30 to 40 feet high...to bear at least six separate areas of
petroglyphs carved into the stone along some 1,000 feet of
outcrop...panels some 20 feet long and from 4 to 8 feet above the
valley floor." The face of the cliffs is almost solidly
carved with lines and symbols including several squares with dots
in the center. Few English letters are found here.
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Last updated 10/13/1996. ©1996, American Rock Art Research Association Archive.