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Rock Eagle LbNA #43858

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Oct 5, 2008
Location:
City:Eatonton
County:Putnam
State:Georgia
Boxes:1
Planted by:the Emerald Bee
Found by: Scout MOM
Last found:Apr 22, 2010
Status:FFFF
Last edited:Oct 5, 2008
Rock Eagle Effigy Mound
County:Putnam
City:Eatonton
Type:Roadside
Synopsis:
Rock Eagle Effigy Mound is one of two such mounds in the United States (the other is at the entrance to Georgia Power's Lawrence Shoal Park on Lake Oconee) and possibly pre-dates all other effigy mounds. The 1500-acre park surrounding the enigmatic effigy is today used as a 4-H Center. Access to the effigy is permitted through-out the year and is free.
The Mound at Rock Eagle
There is strong evidence that the area near Rock Eagle Effigy Mound was occupied by Archaic Indians some 5,000 years ago, however, it is unlikely that the effigy existed at that time. The most likely builders of the mound are Woodland Indians, who inhabited this area from 1,000BC to 1,000AD. While it is possible that the people who built Rock Eagle were part of the Hopewell or the Adena Culture, it is more likely that these Woodland Indians were a distinct cultural development. Archeologist Charles C. Jones, most noted for his excavation of the Etowah Indian Mounds in Cartersville, produced the earliest known measurements of the mounds in 1877 (120 feet from head to toe, 102 feet from wingtip to wingtip).
During the 1930's A. R. Kelly of the University of Georgia excavated the breast area of Rock Eagle, finding a single set of human remains and a projectile point that may or may not be associated with the effigy. In 1954 Kelly reported that both Rock Eagle and Rock Hawk showed indications of having been enclosed by a wall of material similar to the rocks used to construct the effigies. This, perhaps, associates them with the builders of similar walls at Stone Mountain (destroyed, 1923) and Fort Mountain (still standing)
When I was recently at a conference at the 4-H Center that is on the Rock Eagle grounds, I taught a workshop on how to letterbox. Many of the participants were familiar with geo caching. One participant carved the stamp for me and another donated the journal. We decided to plant this letterbox as a result of this workshop.
Now for the clue:
From Atlanta: Take I-20 east to Exit 114 (U. S. Route 441/129). Turn right at the top of the ramp and continue south on Rt. 441 for 15 miles. Turn right into Rock Eagle. Go three tenths and turn right onto a street directing you to the effigy. You will need to turn left again to get to the parking lot. Take the left path around to get to the tower and go up to view the wonderful mound. When leaving go around the other way (to the left). There is a tree on your left with a large hole at its base. In that hole is the box you seek. It is covered with branches and twigs. When you finish, if more branches are needed to cover it, please do so. There are plenty of them around.