The Markeroni Blog

19 June 2007

I went there looking for one particular historical marker. I’d ridden past it on two separate occasions, each time when it was closed. I knew there was some kind of a local park here, but had somehow failed to realize that it was a heritage park.

Even though I’d learned of the existence of Chitactac-Adams County Heritage Park some years previously, I had never put two and two together and associated the E Clampus Vitus marker with this location. I’d known that there was an ECV plaque here–just not which one. I was, therefore, pleasantly surprised to find that not only had I located that sweet elusive marker beast, I’d landed at the beginning of a heritage trail, too.

Archaeologists believe that the Mutsun Ohlone Indians lived here for around 3,000 years, and that there had been a permanent settlement for at least two of those millenia. Their culture faded only with the coming of the Spanish and the missions in the 18th century. There were hundreds of different tribes in California, separated by geography, each with its own remarkably dissimilar dialect. This could have been a kind of Babylon, with a different language for each separate valley. When I read that this group used local materials for its buildings, I could sort of see why.

I started my tour at the interpretive shelter, a little structure that seemed to evoke Ohlone huts (apart from the motion sensor that switched on a light as I entered!) Seven panels and different displays gave an overview of Ohlone culture and life. I then read the first of the interpretive panels outside, “School Days,” and learned what the “Adams” part of the name was–an old school that had been founded by a sherriff, John Hicks Adams. (He also gave the name Hicks to one of the roads around here that is quite “interesting” on a bike, but that’s by the by.)

In an attack of no-think, I left my free map in my saddlebags, anticipating that the route would be clear. In actual fact, it wasn’t that clear: I found myself wishing for a helpful arrow here and there, or actual numbering of the interpretive panels. It is not a large park, though, so I did not lose much by going at it randomly and starting more or less in the middle of the trail.

I trotted down the steps at the back of the hut where pretty, green woodland helped block out the heat of the day. I read about Ohlone buildings before climbing up to the Chitactac village information where the site host’s dog barked at me. (If I’d followed the map, I would have been led downhill, which would have been considerably easier while wearing heavy boots, jeans, armored leggings, and carrying a bulky yellow jacket and a bottle of water filled up from the nice water fountain. However, the dog would probably still have barked.)

But, I digress.

Most of the route is wheelchair-accessible with nice smooth ramps, but the rock art station was not. That’s unfortunate, as it was rather neat. A fixed tube directs your eye to an example of a cup and ring petroglyph, hiding on a rock below. This site is noted for its petroglyphs, exact purpose only guessed at, though they are quite hard to spot and to some extent hidden. Many have already been lost to the inane scratchings of initials and other forms of vandalism.

It was fascinating to see evidence of the same kinds of markings that I’d already found in Scotland. Apparently, even the ancient world was “a small world.”

I had to backtrack past several large chunks of sandstone in which there were a great many rounded indentations. These were used in food processing: not just to grind acorns and other seeds but to prepare many other types of food. There were over 75 of these mortars–one of the largest concentrations in California.

My favorite station was Uvas Creek. Next to a huge, water-carved chunk of rock the air was decidedly cooler and smelled earthy and pleasant. Below me the creek decanted itself into a small pool and the air was alive with birdsong and darting bugs. It was a true oasis, peaceful and soothing. I moved up a little to read about the ultimately devastating arrival of the Spanish and the end of Ohlone life here, and took a pleasant break on the steps of the aphitheater.

Only two more stations remained, one about the ranchos and the other about Ohlone round houses. Several different kinds of buildings were here including residential huts, social meeting huts, partially buried buildings, and food storage sheds.

The tour was over. I couldn’t tell whether the walking tour estimates of 20-30 minutes were accurate as I don’t own a watch and my cellphone wasn’t getting service out that way, but it seemed about right. I walked back up the ramp rather than taking the direct route with its steps, and then iced the cake of my unexpected find with a reading of the E Clampus Vitus plaque:

Chitactac-Adams County Heritage Park.
Watsonville Road at Burchell Road
Gilroy, California
408-323-0107
http://www.parkhere.org