The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-01-26
Virginia Yields
Ice Age Relics
Blue Ridge Valley Seen as
Scene of Early North
American Culture.

WASHINGTON.-In a romantic
Virginia mountain valley. at the foot
OF the lofty peaks Of Otter, Smith
sonian institution Psychologists have
uncovered what may be one Of the
Oldest inhabited sites in eastern
North America.
Long before the red men who met
the first white explorers came into
Virginia. three or four groups OF
tribes. each with a distinct culture.
had dwelt in this henlock-shaded
shelter in the bosom Of the Blue
Ridge mountains. the evidence in
dicates.
Among them were men who made
type Of Clipped flint spear point,
almost indistinguishable from arti-
facts found in the West in associs-
ton with bones OF long-extinct ami
mails and in geologic strata laid
down at least 10000 years ago. The
Westerners are believed to have
lived in the continent in the closing
days OF the last ice age.
Workmen Uncover village.
Similar artfacts have been picked
up all over the country, but always
as solitary objects such as might
have been dropped by wandering
hunters. Probably Virginia has fur.
nished more of these than any other
Eastern state. In no case, howev-
er, has one ever been found in as
ISOLATION with other remains that
would indicate even a temporary
bivouac Of these ghostlike nomads
who appear TO have been the first
Americans.
David !. Bushnell Jr., Smithsonian
archeologist. the first to find Fol-
som points in Virginia. has Kept up
an intensive search all over the
state, following every clue that
came to his attention. His efforts
were rewarded when workmen en-
gagged on the picturesque Skyline
drive, the new federal highway
through the Shenandoah National
park. uncovered an Indian village
site with a complex diversity Of srti-
facts.
When Mr.. Bushnell investigated
the site he found objects obviously
from different cultures badly mixed
~. But it was also apparent that
they represented very long cross
section Of North American history.
The valley is an ideal camping site
and presumably was much the same
10000 years ago as it is today. His
torically il has been a crossroads OF
mountain trails.
Mysterious People.
At about the time Of the settle
n.ent Of North America by Euro
peans. the Cherokee and some Sioux
an tribes were there. Before them,
the srtifacts showed. the site had
been occupied by the mysterious
Round Grave people" known
chiefly from sites in Kentucky.
where they were presumably among
the earliest human occupants.
Mixed with the other objects wer>
two Folsom points. Beautiful ex-
amples Of Eastern Folsom points,
Mr.. Bushnell says. have been found
previously in this section OF south
western Virginia.
Says Mr.. Bushnell: The variety
OF objects found at the site should
be accepted as evidence that it had
been frequented by man from the
earliest times and beneath its sur
face may be hidden conclusive proof
that makers Of the Folsom points
once occupied the valley"
An intensive study Of the site is
planned by Mr.. Bushnell and by Dr..
Frank H. H. Roberts Jr., Smithson.
ian archeologist who has excavated
the site in northeastern Colorado
where the greatest quantity and va
riety Of Folsom objects have been
recovered.