Listed as one of the 10 least-visited places in the national park system, Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, near Fritch, up in the Texas Panhandle, is a fascinating excursion for those that are keen on both geology and history. In that, the park is a true hidden Texas gem.
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Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument: A Window in Time
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Photo: Facebook/Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument
An area of 1.7 square miles, adjacent to Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, and loaded with mineral deposits which are as unique to the world as a fingerprint, Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument was actually quarried by Native Americans of the region since the Ice Age. The flint itself was recognized for a durability that was superior. Including over 700 excavation sites, visitors to the monument can walk through grassy areas speckled with mineral shavings which are manmade from times that are actually hard to fathom. This is why the rangers of the monument provide “flintknapping” demonstrations, which show how the native craftsmen of the time would have made tools from the colorful yet strong stone.
Photo: Facebook/Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument
The Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument can only be viewed through a reservation for a ranger-guided tour, which is easy and simple to make either by phone or online. 13,000 years ago, this area was familiar to such people as mammoth hunters, who prized its stone for their tools and weapons. A visit to the monument can open up a part of history that speaks to just how integral this part of Texas was to mankind’s survival, and a window in time and to the culture and commerce of the very same.
