Easter The Wakulla Egg Happy Hunt Easter! Photos, Page 14A news Our 117th Year, 13th Issue Published Weekly, Read Daily Two Sections Thursday, April 5, 2012 Serving Wakulla County For More Than A Century 75 Cents Board discusses Dig uncovers evidence wetlands, but no of Ice Age humans decision reached By JENNIFER JENSEN By JENNIFER JENSEN [email protected] [email protected] Although Commissioner Randy Merritt does As part of Florida Archaeol- not have the full support of the Wakulla County ogy Month, the Florida Public Commission to allow variances within the 35-foot Archaeology Network held wetland buffer, some are willing to discuss the several public lectures to en- possibility. courage people to learn more Commissioner Lynn Artz has made it clear she about archaeology and the would not support allowing variances within the history of the state, entitled, buffer. “Creeks, Conquistadors and Artz said most of the people she has spoken Confederates: Archaeology of with are happy with the ways things are. the Big Bend.” “They see risk with changes,” Artz said. One of these lectures fea- Merritt was proposing establishing a mecha- tured retired archaeologist nism for people to apply for a variance to develop with the Florida Bureau of within the Archaeological Research, Jim 35-foot buf- Dunbar, and his work at fer, which two different sites, Wakulla is the part Springs Lodge and Page- of the total Ladson. 75-foot zone The digs performed at that is clos- these sites yielded evidence est to the of the fi rst Ice-Age Floridians, wetlands. dating back to around 14,500 Commis- years ago. sioner Alan “To know where we’re go- Brock said, ing, we have to know where “At this time, we have been,” Dunbar said. as it’s writ- For more than 70 years, it ten, I don’t was believed that the Clovis anticipate FILE PHOTO period, or early Paleo-indian, supporting Commissioner Lynn Artz said most which dates back to 13,000 to it.” people she’s spoken with are happy 13,500 years ago, was the old- Commis- with the way things are. est occupation in the Ameri- sioner Jerry cas, Dunbar said. Moore was on board with Merritt and Commis- That theory has now gone sioner Mike Stewart said he would be willing to away, with several sites all discuss it, but was unsure if he would support over the Americas dating it. older than the Clovis, he Merrit said, “I don’t think this 35 feet is touched added. by God.” The Wakulla Springs and SPECIAL TO THE NEWS Brock pointed out that there are several vari- Page-Ladson sites are two ances for different access already in place, such as of these sites which date to WAKULLA SPRINGS DIG: Watching the progress are Tom Scott of the Florida Geological those for building a boardwalk or dock. pre-Clovis. Survey (now retired), Jim Dunbar of the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research (now retired), Merritt said this would allow someone to build Wakulla Springs has a W. Jack Rink McMaster of the University Hamilton-Canada and, in the pit, Harley Means of the a home inside the buffer, instead of having to long archaeological history, Florida Geological Survey inspecting the stratigraphy and preparing to take samples. build a smaller home. To not allow someone to with 55 recorded sites on build on their own land is a taking of personal the property and a variety property, he said at a previous meeting. of types represented, includ- Continued on Page 3A ing Paleo-indian kill sites, campsites, village areas and a mount/village complex. In OBITUARIES the underwater caves, mast- odon bones have also been Arthur T. Anderson found. Bonnie Marie Linton Mobley In the 1850s, people dis- Frances Lowe Waldby covered mastodon bones at Wakulla Springs and start- ed taking them out of the springs. INDEX “It became a popular Public Notices ...... Page 3A thing,” Dunbar said. The Opinion Page ...... Page 4A In 1930, a Florida Geo- Church...... Page 6A logical Survey was done at Community ...... Page 7A Wakulla Springs and mast- School ...... Page 8A odon bones were discovered. The large animal was put back Sports ...... Page 9A Outdoors ...... Page 10A together and now resides at JENNIFER JENSEN the Florida Museum of Natu- Archaeologist Jim Dunbar at last week’s lecture on fi nds from 2008 dig at Wakulla Springs. Water Ways...... Page 11A ral History, Dunbar said. Sheriff’s Report ...... Page 13A In 1935, two different sites large animals, such as the facts. But because the people “There was great poten- Taking Care of Business ...... Page 1B proved the evidence of Pleis- mastodon roamed. kept the artifacts, Dunbar tial being seen at Wakulla Week in Wakulla ...... Page 2B tocene people in the Ameri- From 1955 to 1957, divers said it isn’t known what Springs, but it never caught Weekly Roundup ...... Page 5B cas, which was 2 million to explored the caves at Wakulla exactly came out of Wakulla fi re,” Dunbar said. Classifi eds ...... Page 7B 10,000 years ago, and when Springs, fi nding many arti- Springs. Continued on Page 2A Legal Notices ...... Page 7B Bike Florida tours Wakulla County, stays at Wildwood Inn
By WILLIAM SNOWDEN bicycles made their way VISIT WAKULLA: A village [email protected] through Wakulla County of tents, left, set up on the last week, stopping off driving range at the Wild- Hundreds of tourists on at the Ochlockonee River wood golf course for the Bike State Park and the City of Florida tourists. Paulette and Sopchoppy on their way to Ed Bernstein, below, from Wildwood Inn and Country Huntsville, Ala., were two Club, where hundreds of of the riders, but said they tents were pitched on the preferred staying in a hotel golf course’s driving range after a day’s ride. and along the cart path on the fi rst hole. Bicyclists also camped in- side at St. Elizabeth Ann Se- ton Catholic Church, while some took it easier with tion on Wakulla, and Cham- The tour trucks luggage accommodations at the ber of Commerce President from spot-to-spot while the Inn at Wildwood and Best Amy Geiger introduced her- bicyclists travel 50 to 60 Western. self and welcomed the rid- miles a day. Several vendors set ers. St. Marks Mayor Chuck There’s outdoor camp- up, and meals were being Shields and City Manager ing, indoor camping or, as served to the bicyclists in Zoe Mansfield were also the Bernsteins do, there’s the country club’s restau- on hand. hotel rooms for those who rant. And numerous local Bike Florida tourists Ed don’t want to rough it after offi cials made the rounds, and Paulette Bernstein from a day’s ride. welcoming the bicyclists to Huntsville, Ala., said they The Bernsteins said that the county. were enjoying themselves. they enjoy the scenery as Tourist Development “All the people in the lit- well as meeting other rid- Council Director Pam Port- tle towns are very friendly,” ers.
wood was offering informa- said Ed Bernstein. Continued on Page 2A PHOTOS BY WILLIAM SNOWDEN Page 2A – THE WAKULLA NEWS, Thursday, April 5, 2012 www.thewakullanews.com Bike Florida tours Wakulla County, stays at Wildwood Inn
Continued from Page 1A took part in the more than heading to Apalachicola in 400 mile tour. The tour Franklin County for Tues- They said they’ve met included multiple days in day, March 27 and Wednes- riders on this tour who Wakulla County including a day, March 28. are from Wisconsin, Michi- segment from Tallahassee On Thursday, March 29, gan, Ohio, California and to Wakulla Springs State the riders came to Wakulla Canada. Park and the finishing County and used U.S. High- “It’s wonderful,” said days through the heart of way 319 to pass through Paulette Bernstein. She Wakulla County. Sopchoppy on the way to added that she always feels On Saturday, March 24, Medart. safe on the tours. the tour began with several On Friday, March 30, This was day 6 of the ride options including one the riders left Medart and SPECIAL TO THE NEWS weeklong Forgotten Coast that took place on the St. returned to Tallahassee WORKERS ON DIG: A group shot of those who participated in the 2008 dig, including Tour, and featured a ride Marks Rail Trail. after an optional stop in Phil Gerrell, Rachael Porter, Grayal Farr, Jim Dunbar, Jessi Halligan, Ed Green, Tom Kel- from Apalachicola to Med- On Sunday, March 25, St. Marks. ley, Micah P. Mones, Madeleine Carr, John Roberts, C. Andrew Hemmings, Kevin Porter, art, a 58-mile ride. off duty Wakulla County In total, the bicycles trav- Palmer Carr and David Thulman. There were rest stops Sheriff’s Office deputies eled more than 400 miles at Ochlockonee State Park, provided traffi c control at depending on what extra where Keep Wakulla Coun- Wakulla Springs State Park ride options they selected ty Beautiful was on hand to as the tour traveled from in Tallahassee and Apala- Dig uncovers new evidence of Ice provide water and food. Tallahassee to Quincy by chicola. At Posh Java in Sop- way of the state park and choppy, riders were treated Highway 267. – Keith Blackmar and Jo Age humans at Wakulla Springs to a bit of worm gruntin’ by On Monday, March 26 Ann Palmer contributed to Continued from Page 1A form. This was used to ever thought to be,” Dunbar the Revells. the tour went from Quincy this report. make tools. Dunbar said said. More than 600 bicyclists to Wewahitchka before From 1984 to 1997, Dun- the people would fl ake a Dunbar said the distri- bar worked the site at Page- rock, called fl int knapping, bution of sites across the Ladson. They found tusks to form tools. This pre-form Panhandle suggests a very with cut marks, fl int, gourd was never finished, but healthy human population seeds, and lithics – which looks like it was probably a in North Florida during the are artifacts made out of skinning knife, he said. In pre-Clovis time period. stone. that same pit, they found a Dunbar said he will re- The gourd seeds dated scraper that was diagnostic turn to the Page-Ladson site back 14,500 years ago, Dun- with Paleo-indian. this summer to confi rm the bar said. All these items were dates of the artifacts. In the Aucilla River at dated and Dunbar said the During the Ice Age and Page-Ladson, they found youngest possible age the Pleistocene period, Dunbar fl int blades that were not Clovis point could be was said Wakulla Springs looked diagnostic of a certain time 12,700 years ago. The young- a lot different than it does period, Dunbar said. They est possible date of the today. also found spearheads. deeper artifact was 13,500 “What Wakulla Springs is In 1995, Calvin Jones years ago. today, was probably a sink found a large stone blade “Those dates are the hole,” Dunbar. WILLIAM SNOWDEN and Clovis spear points youngest possible,” Dunbar The water tables were Tents along the cart path on the fi rst hole at Wildwood. used during the Paleo-indi- said. much lower and there was an period while the Wakulla If the median age is tak- no flowing river and the Springs Lodge was being en, that would date them at sink hole acted as a water- renovated. ing hole for animals and Dunbar said after fi nd- prime hunting ground for ing artifacts at Page-Ladson, ‘Th ere’s not too many plac- predators, he said. they wanted to see if there When the glaciers start- were any artifacts like what es in the Americas where ed receding, environments they found somewhere else, you can say pre-Clovis didn’t stay the same. Cli- some that were diagnostic people stood,’ Dunbar said. mates probably changed enough. every 200 to 1,000 years, So, in 2008, Dunbar and But the Page-Ladson and Dunbar said. his team set out to date the Wakulla Springs sites are “We’re spoiled today piece Jones had found at two of those places. with a constant environ- Wakulla Springs and also ment,” Dunbar said. look for other artifacts. The The environmental Public Lands Archaeology change, stress and effi ciency Program in the Bureau of of hunters were what prob- Archaeological Research 14,500 years ago, which is ably lead to the extinction was awarded a grant from the same age as those arti- of the larger animals seen National Geographic So- facts found at Page-Ladson, during the Pleistocene pe- ciety. he said. riod, he said.
KEITH BLACKMAR The Wakulla Springs “There’s not too many Florida lost almost 50 Riders on the route from Apalachicola to Medart. Lodge site was the only places in the Americas percent of its species dur- known site that yielded a where you can say pre-Clo- ing this time. They either distinctive type of artifact vis people stood,” Dunbar moved out or became ex- assemblage in an undis- said. The Page-Ladson and tinct, Dunbar said. turbed context that likely Wakulla Springs sites are “The humans got to stay dated back to the fi rst ap- two of those places. on survivor island, and the pearance of humans in In Florida, they are see- big animals didn’t,” Dunbar Florida. ing, for the fi rst time, evi- said. Dunbar said in two dif- dence that humans were Dunbar said he hopes ferent pits, they found di- here 14,500 years ago. to be able to go back to the agnostic artifacts. In one “The Native American Wakulla Springs site, but pit, the artifact was Clovis culture in the Americas is it will depend on research related. In the other pit a lot more diverse than we grants. that was at the same depth Jones made his discovery, they found a projectile point that was similar to the ones found at Page-Ladson. Farrington Law Office What was found was a large Simpson-like pre- Deirdre A. Farrington, Esq. Lic. FLA & VA
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