Many relics of prehistoric Indians
have been discovered on the site of an ancient Indian
village or camp, lying exposed by the shifting of
sand dunes on the face of what is believed to be
Iowa’s only desert, one of the most unusual
regions in the northeastern corner of Iowa.
The "desert" lies three or
four miles southwest of New Albin, Iowa, in the
south-central portion of a small valley locally known
as "Sand Cove." Everywhere in this valley,
the soil is slightly sandy, but off toward the
southern edge, the rich, sandy loam suddenly turns to
pure sand. Although not as large as the better known
professional deserts, such as the Sahara, this one
does very well as an amateur. Several acres in the
center of the "desert" show scarcely a
blade of vegetation. Around its edges lies in wait a
rank growth of sandburs, ready to scratch the ankles
of all comers. The sun beats down more intensely
because there is nothing to give any shade or
obstruction to its rays. The sand gleams in hot.
On every side, Sand Cove is walled in
by steep, high bluffs. Their slopes are well forested
with oak and juniper. No doubt, before the advent of
white settlers, most of the valley was heavily
timbered. But the "desert" itself gives
every indication of always having been a bare,
treeless area. No doubt, the extreme dryness of the
sand effectually prevented the growth of even the
hardiest of trees. As a natural open space in a
heavily forested region, the "desert"
offered an excellent camping ground for the
prehistoric Indian. No doubt, it proved especially
desirable in the winter time, since it is warm and
sunny the year around. Ringed about by high wooded
bluffs, it is well protected from the furious
blizzards of midwinter, which rage out on the level,
open prairies of Iowa. In the winter time, when the
sand was frozen motionless and the sun beamed down
into its snug retreat, the "desert" must
have seemed a hospitable and friendly place to
wandering bands of redskins.
A few miles away to the east flows
the Mississippi, formerly one of the great highways
for traveling Indian tribes. The "desert"
lies just near enough to the river to be easily
accessible to friendly tribes, yet far enough away to
be hidden from hostile marauders. In the summer time,
the sand blows about, the dunes are always shifting
and changing. They seem to be moving slowly in an
easterly direction.
It is in the western portion of the
"desert" that the most numerous indications
of an ancient Indian camping ground have been
discovered. Here the finer particles of sand, which
for many years completely covered the ancient camp
site with a thick, sandy blanket, have now been
partially blown away. Among the coarser particles of
gravel and stone which remain, lie exposed a
multitude of evidences of the Redman’s
habitation or this desert.
Apparently this identical spot was
used for a village site by two or more different and
distinct tribes, and, of course, as history and human
nature make clear, not at the same time. This is
indicated by the fact that at least two distinctly
different types of pottery are found, now lying side
by side. There are many pieces of strong, thick, well
preserved and but slightly ornamented pottery, all
made from clay into which has been mixed crushed clam
shell. Equally numerous pieces of pottery of an
indisputably older type may also be found. These are
so old and weather-beaten and fragile that they fall
to pieces at the slightest touch.
All of the more ancient pottery
vessels are much thinner and more delicate than the
later, thicker ones. They are invariably made of clay
mixed with crushed granite instead of clam shell.
Their form, also, is different, as one can
reconstruct the general form from the
"turn" of some of the larger pieces,
especially the rims. These earliest vessels appear to
have been wide mouthed and more nearly straight
sided, while those mixed with clam shell were narrow
mouthed with curving sides. Both types give evidence
of having been well fired. The ancient pottery is
nearly all more elaborately designed and decorated
than the more recent pots and bowls.
Besides pottery, many flint weapons
and implements have recently been discovered on this
village site. Since flint is but slightly affected by
age and weathering, it is difficult to determine the
age of these implements, but no doubt some were made
by the ancient tribes and others by the more recent
Indians. At any rate, the arrow and spear heads are
of many different colors and shapes. One small,
perfect arrowhead is of a clear, almost transparent
crystal white rock; some are pink; some pure white;
one of a blackish stone; some gray, red, smoky blue,
and so on. Many of the dozen arrowheads found are
small arrow points, which were used for killing game
such as quail, squirrel, rabbit and pigeon. These
arrowheads were fashioned with skillful workmanship,
of many forms and designs.
Among the implements which have been
found on the "desert" this summer, besides
the arrowheads, have been two medium sized
spearheads, one of them red, the other brownish; a
large, long-knife made from clear white rock crystal;
a two-inch triangular flint scraper or flesher, and a
large, oval, stone disc, with serrated edges, nearly
eight inches long, which may have been used as a saw,
for cutting saplings and poles.
A number of years ago, while walking
across the "desert," Ed Sadd, who lives
along the Mississippi River Scenic Highway, between
Lansing and New Albin, discovered a copper awl about
seven inches long and with a diameter about that of a
common lead pencil, but tapering at both ends. This
rather unusual and interesting example of the metal
work of prehistoric Indians is now in the possession
of Mr. Ellison Orr, well known archeologist, and
president of the Allamakee County Historical and
Archeological Society, who lives at Waukon, Iowa.
Besides the above mentioned articles
of undoubted prehistoric Indian workmanship, many
interesting and curious objects may be picked from
among the pebbles of the "desert." Some of
these may have been associated with the early Indians
of pioneer days; others probably were lost by the
pioneers themselves. Among this type of object were
found several buckshot, large leaden bullets, clam
shells and the bones of various birds, animals and
fishes. A long, irregular tube of a material
resembling glass also was discovered o protruding
from the sand. This object may possibly be a
fulgurite or tube of natural glass, formed by the
fusing of the sand in the exact spot where it was
struck by a bolt of lightning. Had the Indians
chanced to come upon this curiosity, no doubt they
would have considered it a valuable charm or
talisman.
What tribe of Indians first pitched
its tepees on this "desert," no one knows,
but assuredly the camp site was first used hundreds,
perhaps thousands of years ago. Later centuries saw
other tribes come and go. It is recorded in history
that Little Decorah, a Winnebago chief, established a
village near the mouth of the Oneota or Upper Iowa
River, in the year 1840. The exact location of this
village appears to be in doubt. Perhaps it may have
been located in the Sand Cove, which lies near the
Upper Iowa and only a few miles from its mouth. If
so, the Winnebagoes were the last to build their camp
fires upon the sands of the "desert." Now
it lies hot and burning under the summer suns, unused
alike by red men and white. A gusty wind occasionally
shifts a dune or two, and reveals more secrets of
ancient days. But, buried deeper yet, under thick
layers of white sand, what secrets may not the
"desert" conceal?
~Wallaces' Farmer, October 4, 1929,
pg. 9-10
~transcribed by Errin Wilker
