This property is located along the Dan River close to the NC/VA state boundary. This is the house that had the very large European bee hive on my previous visit. The home sits high on the property with views of the surrounding fields. The Dan River is barely visible.
A side tributary, Tanyard Creek flows into the Dan nearby. The name of the creek would indicate a tannery may have been located near here.
During our visit, we scrambled along the the creek seeing many polypores or shelf fungus.
The real treat was the rock here. During the Triassic period, 200 million years ago, this was an inland sea. Rivers fed the sea depositing sand, silt, rocks, smooth river stones and trees. The resulting accumulations were fused together under pressure forming the Triassic conglomerate rock found here. It also turned submerged logs into petrified wood.
Note the small rocks embedded in the conglomerate rock. Many small and smooth river stones dot the rock surface.
A nice cascade has smoothed out the rock here.
This is a view of the Dan River looking downriver. I was told that batteaux structures were in this vicinity. Although these in the photo look like naturally occurring rocks, the batteaux navigation system allowed boats to travel through the area both directions. In the mid 1800s, the US Army Core of Engineers improved navigation by blasting ledges and rapids, creating channels for boats to pass.
A nice hunk of petrified wood.
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