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On this page some more pictures of our trip to the Deep South
| Mississippi |
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| Somewehere along US61 |
STONE MOUNTAIN, GA
| Stone Mountain |
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| Jefferson Davies and Robert E. Lee |
GeologyStone
Mountain is situated north of Atlanta, near Athens, Ga. It is one of the largest granite formations in the eastern part of
the United States. It is 600 meters above sea level and 240 meters above the surrounding plateau. It is more than 8 km in
circumference at its base. Stone Mountain formed 300 million years ago deep underground during the formation of the Appalachian
mountains. The shifting of the earths crust beneath the continents created heat and friction which melted a large amount of
rock below the surface. This magma (melted rock) slowly hardened into granite and remained hidden beneath the earths surface
for millions of years. The granite was eventually exposed as the miles of land on top of the dome washed away with time and
weathering.
| Stone Mountain |
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| It's really big |
History
Due to its size and visibility from great
distances, Stone Mountain has long been a landmark and gathering place. People were living around the mountain as early
as 8,000-10,000 years ago . During the Spanish exploration of the New World, the Creek Indians occupied what is now
Alabama and North Georgia including the Stone Mountain area. Later in the 16th century, the Cherokee tribes forced
the Creek nation farther south in Georgia. Stone Mountain was located in a buffer zone between the Creek and Cherokee tribes
and was used as a neutral meeting place. .Through colonial times, Native Americans farmed around the mountain and traded actively
in the area with the Spanish, British and French.
The first European record of Stone Mountain
may date to 1597 and the Spanish expedition led by the Franciscan missionary Pedro de Chozas. The small party reached
the Native American province of Ocute, before being warned that they risked being killed by hostiles in the next province.
A soldier in the party was told of a mountain about sixty miles away that was very high, shining when the sun set like a fire.
This appears to be the earliest known written reference to Stone Mountain.
Memorial
The idea for the Confederate Memorial Carving was conceived
in 1909, but the work was not finished until 1973. It depicts three Southern heroes of the American Civil War: Confederate
President Jefferson Davis, Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. Stonewall Jackson. The figures measure 27 by 57 meters,
and with the carved surface that surrounds it, it is the largest relief sculpture in the world. The carving is recessed nearly
13 meters into the mountain.
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