Broxton Rocks
Encyclopedia
Broxton Rocks is the single largest exposure of sandstone, about 4 miles in extent, found in the Altamaha Grit, a subterranean band of sandstone that lies under some 15,000 square miles (38,850 square kilometres) of the Atlantic Coastal Plain
. The Rocks, as it is referred to locally, consists of a series of cracks, pools, damp cliff walls, a 10 foot (3 meter) waterfall, and rugged outcrops up to 20 feet (6 meters) high, all carved into a shallow gorge over many centuries by Rocky Creek. The Broxton Rocks waterfall is Georgia's southernmost. A substantial part of the Broxton Rocks is a protected preserve (Broxton Rocks Preserve) of 3,799 acres (1,537 hectares), of which 1,528 acres (618 hectares) are managed by The Nature Conservancy
. The preserve lies on a direct line from Atlanta
, Georgia, 185 miles by road to the north-west, to Jacksonville
, Florida, 145 miles by road to the south-east. Broxton Rocks is located at 31°43'56.25"N, 82°51'11.75"W (31.7323°N, 82.8533°W). The elevation is 243 feet (74 meters). Broxton Rocks is located in north-east Coffee County
, Georgia.
, Broxton Rocks' sandstone layers were created by the slow erosion of the Altamaha Formation, dating from the Middle Miocene
era. Fractures have opened up throughout the feature, some wide enough to allow a person to walk through, some narrow but deep. Where the waters of Rocky Creek, a first-order intermittent stream, drop to a lower level, a 10 foot (3 meter) waterfall has formed a pool in the sandstone before it flows out and through the lower reaches of the feature before draining into the Ocmulgee River
.
. Included among these are the green-fly orchid, grit portulaca, silky creeping morning glory, Georgia plume
, filmy fern and shoestring fern. Some species found here were thought to be extinct; several found here grow almost exclusively in other climates such as the tropics or Appalachian Mountains. In Spring, flower species like flame azaleas
and fameflower
bring a blaze of color to the ravine. The preserve lies in an area of longleaf pine ecosystem which once stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the eastern reaches of Texas. The Nature Conservancy
seeks to restore the longleaf pine to the lands it manages in the preserve through ecological restoration.
, the endangered* Red-cockaded Woodpecker
and the Pileated Woodpecker
, whose drum-like peck can be heard over long distances, all nest here. Other animals include the armadillo
, the woodrat, the flying squirrel
, the vulnerable* gopher tortoise
, and the threatened* indigo snake
.
* Denotes species' conservation status
-era (1568–1684) dwelling believed to belong to aboriginal peoples.
Broxton Rocks appears to have had several name changes in its history. Three decades ago it was more commonly known locally as simply The Rocks. Ward's History of Coffee County, published in 1930, pp 271, says of Broxton Rocks, "'The Picnic Rocks' - Its ruggedness begins with the great grey boulders of the picnic rocks, known in former times as "falling waters," for there was quite a water fall at this spot which was near the home of Major McNeill, one of the pioneer naval stores operators from Robeson County, North Carolina, who gave the place its name." He continues in the next paragraph, "From there on to the Ocmulgee River, there were two great cliffs lining each side of a wooded stretch through which this stream flowed, great grey boulders with crevasses in them, and others poised perilously on top of each other just as though there had been a great upheaval there in the days gone by." Ward appears to indicate that the local appellation for the feature was "The Picnic Rocks", but that a past name was "falling waters". Current research doesn't indicate if that was or was not a translation from an indigenous tongue, e.g. Creek or Seminole.
Atlantic Coastal Plain
The Atlantic coastal plain has both low elevation and low relief, but it is also a relatively flat landform extending from the New York Bight southward to a Georgia/Florida section of the Eastern Continental Divide, which demarcates the plain from the ACF River Basin in the Gulf Coastal Plain to...
. The Rocks, as it is referred to locally, consists of a series of cracks, pools, damp cliff walls, a 10 foot (3 meter) waterfall, and rugged outcrops up to 20 feet (6 meters) high, all carved into a shallow gorge over many centuries by Rocky Creek. The Broxton Rocks waterfall is Georgia's southernmost. A substantial part of the Broxton Rocks is a protected preserve (Broxton Rocks Preserve) of 3,799 acres (1,537 hectares), of which 1,528 acres (618 hectares) are managed by The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
. The preserve lies on a direct line from Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia, 185 miles by road to the north-west, to Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, Florida, 145 miles by road to the south-east. Broxton Rocks is located at 31°43'56.25"N, 82°51'11.75"W (31.7323°N, 82.8533°W). The elevation is 243 feet (74 meters). Broxton Rocks is located in north-east Coffee County
Coffee County, Georgia
Coffee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 37,413. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 40,085. The county seat is Douglas.-History:...
, Georgia.
Geology
Part of the Atlantic Coastal PlainAtlantic Coastal Plain
The Atlantic coastal plain has both low elevation and low relief, but it is also a relatively flat landform extending from the New York Bight southward to a Georgia/Florida section of the Eastern Continental Divide, which demarcates the plain from the ACF River Basin in the Gulf Coastal Plain to...
, Broxton Rocks' sandstone layers were created by the slow erosion of the Altamaha Formation, dating from the Middle Miocene
Middle Miocene
The Middle Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages: the Langhian and Serravallian stages. The Middle Miocene is preceded by the Early Miocene....
era. Fractures have opened up throughout the feature, some wide enough to allow a person to walk through, some narrow but deep. Where the waters of Rocky Creek, a first-order intermittent stream, drop to a lower level, a 10 foot (3 meter) waterfall has formed a pool in the sandstone before it flows out and through the lower reaches of the feature before draining into the Ocmulgee River
Ocmulgee River
The Ocmulgee River is a tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi long, in the U.S. state of Georgia...
.
Plants
Broxton Rocks is the home to about 530 plant species, several of which are threatened or endangered speciesEndangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
. Included among these are the green-fly orchid, grit portulaca, silky creeping morning glory, Georgia plume
Elliottia racemosa
Elliottia racemosa is a rarely occurring species of shrub or sometimes small tree. The shrub or tree has leaves that are three to four inches long and one to two inches wide, white flowers with four petals, and dry fruit. The species' habitat are moist stream banks to dry ridges that are usually...
, filmy fern and shoestring fern. Some species found here were thought to be extinct; several found here grow almost exclusively in other climates such as the tropics or Appalachian Mountains. In Spring, flower species like flame azaleas
Rhododendron calendulaceum
Rhododendron calendulaceum , is a species of Rhododendron native to the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States, ranging from southern New York to northern Georgia....
and fameflower
Talinum
Talinum is a genus of herbaceous succulent plants in the family Talinaceae whose common names include fameflower and flameflower. Several species bear edible leaves, and Talinum fruticosum is widely grown in tropical regions as a leaf vegetable...
bring a blaze of color to the ravine. The preserve lies in an area of longleaf pine ecosystem which once stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the eastern reaches of Texas. The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
seeks to restore the longleaf pine to the lands it manages in the preserve through ecological restoration.
Animals
The preserve is home to over 100 species of birds. The near-threatened* Bachman's SparrowBachman's Sparrow
Bachman's Sparrow, Peucaea aestivalis, is a small American sparrow that is endemic to the southeastern United States. This species was named in honor of Reverend John Bachman....
, the endangered* Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is a woodpecker found in southeastern North America.- Description :About the size of the Northern Cardinal, it is approximately 8.5 in. long, with a wingspan of about 14 in. and a weight of about 1.5 ounces...
and the Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
The Pileated Woodpecker is a very large North American woodpecker, almost crow-sized, inhabiting deciduous forests in eastern North America, the Great Lakes, the boreal forests of Canada, and parts of the Pacific coast. It is also the largest woodpecker in America.Adults are long, and weigh...
, whose drum-like peck can be heard over long distances, all nest here. Other animals include the armadillo
Armadillo
Armadillos are New World placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. Dasypodidae is the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one"...
, the woodrat, the flying squirrel
Flying squirrel
Flying squirrels, scientifically known as Pteromyini or Petauristini, are a tribe of 44 species of squirrels .- Description :...
, the vulnerable* gopher tortoise
Gopherus polyphemus
The gopher tortoise is a species of the Gopherus genus native to the southeastern United States. The gopher tortoise is seen as a keystone species because it digs burrows that provide shelter for 360 other animal species...
, and the threatened* indigo snake
Indigo snake
The eastern indigo snake is a large nonvenomous snake with an even blue-black coloration, with some specimens having a reddish-orange to tan color on the throat, cheek and chin. This smooth- scaled snake is considered to be the largest native snake species in the United States with the longest...
.
* Denotes species' conservation status
Conservation status
The conservation status of a group of organisms indicates whether the group is still extant and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future...
Human history
Archaeological research shows that there was a Spanish MissionSpanish Mission
Spanish Mission may mean:*Spanish Colonial Revival architecture*Mission Revival Style architecture*Spanish Missions, institutions established by Catholic religious orders under the auspices of the Spanish crown to convert indigenous peoples of the Americas and Asia and the Philippines, which...
-era (1568–1684) dwelling believed to belong to aboriginal peoples.
Broxton Rocks appears to have had several name changes in its history. Three decades ago it was more commonly known locally as simply The Rocks. Ward's History of Coffee County, published in 1930, pp 271, says of Broxton Rocks, "'The Picnic Rocks' - Its ruggedness begins with the great grey boulders of the picnic rocks, known in former times as "falling waters," for there was quite a water fall at this spot which was near the home of Major McNeill, one of the pioneer naval stores operators from Robeson County, North Carolina, who gave the place its name." He continues in the next paragraph, "From there on to the Ocmulgee River, there were two great cliffs lining each side of a wooded stretch through which this stream flowed, great grey boulders with crevasses in them, and others poised perilously on top of each other just as though there had been a great upheaval there in the days gone by." Ward appears to indicate that the local appellation for the feature was "The Picnic Rocks", but that a past name was "falling waters". Current research doesn't indicate if that was or was not a translation from an indigenous tongue, e.g. Creek or Seminole.
External links
- Green-fly orchid image, Summit To The Sea. Retrieved 2010-7-12.
- flickr photo set for the Broxton Rocks Preserve, The Nature Conservancy. Cressler, Alan. Retrieved 2010-7-12.
- Broxton Rocks images, Dr Ready's home page, Middle Georgia College website. Retrieved 2010-7-12.
- Broxton Rocks Preserve by Sherri Smith Brown, Brown's Guides. Retrieved 2010-7-12.
- Longleaf Pine Ecosystem, The New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2010-7-12.
- Broxton Rocks, The New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2010-7-13.
- Broxton Rocks wetlands mitigation tract testing report, Society for Georgia Archaeology. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
Further reading
- Off The Beaten Path Georgia: A Guide To Unique Places, 9th edition; Schemmel, William; The Globe Pequot Press, 2009. ISBN 978-0-7627-4861-7
- Wildflowers of Georgia; Nourse, Hugh and Nourse, Carol; University of Georgia Press, 2000. ISBN 0-8203-2179-6
- Footprints Across the South: Bartram's Trail Revisited; Kautz, James; Kennesaw State University Press, 2006. ISBN 1-9334-8307-5