Old tree carvings (pics)

[-Ki-]

Any one have any tree carvings to share? or maybe story of one? Thought id share a few.... I have the carving of 1763 but it wont let me post...ill get it on later..... I also have a picture of the indian head rock....... -KI-

 

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[cstraiton]

Wow KI, you find some really cool stuff in the woods where you live. I can't really make out the pics too well, what do they say?

 

[-Ki-]

Wow KI, you find some really cool stuff in the woods where you live. I can't really make out the pics too well, what do they say?

Im not sure, i just noticed these on trees out hiking, i do how ever remember where these were, the path they are close to anyway..... Have you ever heard of eagles nest overlook in the gorge, these carvings are on the path by the river.... next time i treck back up to the overlook i'll get better pics of this carving.....it is dates, just not sure what dates...... another thing with these carvings is that they are very old, you can tell by how big the carving has became....

 

[swiftfan]

Those are nice pictures as usual Ki. Do you have any to show some scale? it seems that I heard somewhere that there is a formula you can use to give the approx. age of the tree. unfortunately, I don't know it. Remember, that area was extensively logged back in the 20's or 30's. the odds of a tree that old making it there that is that old is pretty remote. Also that area is close to the road and trails. Someone may have just been fooling around. I found that if you can rule out any of the negative possibilities, you are left with a possible clue. Keep up the good work, and I look foreword to seeing the next pictures you post.

-Swiftfan-

 

[-Ki-]

Thanks Swiftfan --- Those are really good points you make, when they logged back at the turn of the 20th century i think they mainly went for the huge hardwoods, like oak and chestnut... I don't think they cut many beech trees, as my research shows... There where many beech trees cut in the clearing for roads and passes. Mainly the Trees marked where on trails to and from the mines, also in some locations of buried treasure, would be a great place for us to put a road in, and cut the trees down.... Notice on the tree with the 1763, look at the carving, conpair the size of the carvings with the carvings in the other tree carving. You'll notice that the carvings are almost the same size, which would mean that they are roughly the same era carving.....Almost like scar tissue the tree stretches the carvings to where they look big and bold over many many years. This is the natural process of the tree healing..........

second pic is of the "Indian head rock"..... I couldn't post the pics the normal way, so i had to impervise........ enjoy -Ki-

 

[Curtis]

Ki,

That picture of the Indian Head Rock is too cool! Watch some of the KGC guys make something out of that or the Spanish trail guys! If I had wanted to get someone into that area I would have mentioned the (remarkable) Indian Head Rock! I hope this is close to where you have found the other items. There are trees out in the west that have Spanish carvings in them that are way older that when Swift was in KY, so i won't be too skeptical of the beech trees. I know where there is one that you had to climb down to get to a ledge (near one of the Indian mines) that has not hardly changed in diameter in over 30 years, so it is plausible Swift may have carved those letters. The growth of trees depends on a lot of things like amount of water they get, minerals, shade, sunshine, etc. and in mountainous areas some places lack several of the needed ingredients...lack of which means slow growth.

 

[BMan]

Hi KI

What diameter are those beech trees?

 

[-Ki-]

Ki,

That picture of the Indian Head Rock is too cool! Watch some of the KGC guys make something out of that or the Spanish trail guys! If I had wanted to get someone into that area I would have mentioned the (remarkable) Indian Head Rock! I hope this is close to where you have found the other items. There are trees out in the west that have Spanish carvings in them that are way older that when Swift was in KY, so i won't be too skeptical of the beech trees. I know where there is one that you had to climb down to get to a ledge (near one of the Indian mines) that has not hardly changed in diameter in over 30 years, so it is plausible Swift may have carved those letters. The growth of trees depends on a lot of things like amount of water they get, minerals, shade, sunshine, etc. and in mountainous areas some places lack several of the needed ingredients...lack of which means slow growth.

curtis, this happens to be very close to where a mine or two may be located, also just under the indian head rock there is a lighthouse, or (window) in the cliff, ill post another pic of the indian head and try and show the lighthouse without giving away the area. LoL...KGC I hope this does not get the KGC people interested, cause this rock has nothing to do with the KGC, but i know where your coming from, i've also herd that a rock like the Indian head is with some KGC theroys... Your very right about the beech trees, there are some still around here that are 4 to 500yrs old if not older, very few and far between but they are out there. Your very right some trees grow faster or slower depending on the location and enviorment of the tree...Could these be Swifts marks?? I dont know but i do know that alot of people that where finding their way through the woods would mark there paths by marking the trees like this, i hope to get back to the area where these carvings are so i can take more detailed pics of the carvings, once i do i will post them in this thread...

 

[-Ki-]

Here is another pic of the Indian head with the lighthouse (window) underneth in the lower right hand corner... The pic is black n white and enhanced to not give any locations, of coarse some people may very well know the location im speaking of... -Ki-

 

[-Ki-]

Hi KI

What diameter are those beech trees?

Bman, when i was at the tree carvings my knowledge of The Swifts mines was very limited, in the years following my knowledge of Swift and his Mines grew, to be honest with you i still learn something new on this subject everyday, mainly from the storys from old timers who have searched of the lost mines in vain.... When at the tree carvings so many years ago i was lucky to even have a camera with me (was around the time the first digital cameras came out) I didnt haver anything to measure the tree with but............me and my brother, him being on one side of the tree and me on the other could not touch hands when we hugged the tree so to say, our fingers liked a couple inches from touching....I hope this helps you some..... I do have a measureing tape in my backpack now....I'll measure the tree next time im there....... -Ki-

 

[truckinbutch]

We have some very old beech trees in my area and some very young . I would be happy to post some pics of dated old and recent carvings to help give you reference if you wish to see them .
Jim

 

[-Ki-]

truckinbutch,
That would be great, i believe Bman was asking how to tell the age of the tree and carvings..... I would love to see some other tree carvings if you don't care to post them......again thanks in advance

 

[-Ki-]

One more interesting fact about the Indian head and the lighthouse is, it in fact looks like a lighthouse. The sandstone outcropping here with the indianhead and window is isolated from the rest of the cliffline, giving it the lighthouse look. Another reason these could be Swift markers is at a location very close to a mine/cave opening you can look to the west and look through this lighthouse.

 

[truckinbutch]

Here are some from our farm . First pic is several hundred yr old beech my father carved his initials in in 1971 . #2 is similar age . #3 , my grandson's personal tree , is 40/45 yrs old .

 

[-Ki-]

Hey thats a great discription of the trees age, as well as those carvings (your familys mark) of your dad, grandson and possably his children in the future. I somewhat consider carvings to be of like a "time capsle"....great pics as well
When im out Swifthunting or just hiking with my g/f I like to leave a mark or two on big beech trees here and there...Find this mark and you'll know i've been there, that is if your ever in the Red River Gorge.......Thanks again Truckinbutch -Ki-

 

[truckinbutch]

Thanks , Ki . This group of beech trees is a family tree (pardon the pun) as well as a local chronicle of
history that reaches back who knows how long . On another portion of tree #2 is the last record of a
Romeo and Juliet pair of young lovers that found this tree as a midpoint for their clandestine meetings
before they got the car they were found dead in from co poisoning entwined in each other's arms not far from the local church .
Other marks , that Old Dog has advised me not to post , are in the middle of the line that I have been
following that is frustrated on both sides by coal strippers that I posted about on another topic .
Jim