Uncover the ancient history of California before it was California at Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park. This ancient site in Northern California will broaden your historical knowledge the region, which was once inhabited by the Miwok people.
The main attraction at Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park is the collection of mortar holes that provides a glimpse into life in North America for the Miwok people.
There are 1,185 mortar holes in the marbleized limestone. This is the largest collection of bedroom mortars in North America. This place is said to be hundreds, perhaps thousands of years old.
The Miwok word for this site is "Chaw’se" which translates to "grinding rock.” These rocks were used as mortar cups where acorns could be pounded with a stone and turned into a fine meal that could be used for cooking.
The Miwok people cultivated and harvested acorns from the California Black Oaks. Acorns need to be processed to be edible since they taste bitter. With the acorn meal, they could make gruel, biscuits, bread, or soup.
In addition to the rocks, visitors can see petroglyphs that are estimated to be 2-3,000 years old.
These drawings are next to the grinding rocks, leading experts to conclude that Indian Grinding Rock was an important gathering place for the Miwok. There are 363 petroglyphs, suggesting that these rocks were a gathering place for many generations of people.
After visiting the grinding rock and seeing the petroglyphs, check out the Miwok village and roundhouse.
The entire park is set up to help you imagine what life was like for the Miwok people and learn more about their culture. The roundhouse was an important community center and gathering place. This roundhouse is 60 feet with a front door facing east, the direction of the rising sun. This is a sacred location, so they ask that people refrain from touching or leaning on the posts and obey the instructions for entering the roundhouse, which is posted at the entrance.
Lastly, you won’t want to miss the Chaw'se Regional Indian Museum. Located inside the park, this museum has a ton of interesting exhibits and artifacts, plus a gift shop.
The museum has a variety of exhibits showcasing artwork and historical artifacts from the Miwok and other Sierra Nevada Native American groups. There is also a hands-on display as well as interactive demonstrations– perfect for kiddos!
The park is located in Pine Grove, 8 miles east of Jackson in the Sierra foothills. The 135-acre park is nestled in a valley at an elevation of 2,400 feet. This is the only state park in Amador County.
You can just imagine the first people in this region must have been overwhelmed by its natural beauty– with meadows, beautiful oak trees, streams, and lots of wildlife. There are hiking trails as well as a campground at this beautiful and historic park.
Most people are not aware of all the historical sites within this beautiful park. It’s a great place to explore and spend some time while considering what life was like for people in the area thousands of years ago.
Have you visited Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park? If so, we’d love to see your photos on our Facebook Page.
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