SOME PEOPLE REALLY DIG THE HILL COUNTRY!
September 4th, 2008 categories: Places to Go & Things to Do
Looking for something different to do in the Hill Country? How about an archaeological dig? Randy Brown has developed an archaelogical dig on his property just outside Comfort, Texas where many have found arrowheads and other archaeological artifacts. For more information, check out this article from the Kerrville Daily Times copied below:
Digging up the Hill Country
There are treasures waiting to be found just west of Comfort.
With money and a little work, people can dig for archeological finds on private property.
Randy’s Dig, a 13-acre track of land on Stoneleigh Road, has been around since 2002, and owner Randy Brown said during a typical week about 20 diggers visit his property. Eighteen people were out there on Sunday alone.
Folks from Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arizona, all over Texas and even Connecticut have made the trek in search of ancient tools.
“There’s something magical about finding artifacts that haven’t been touched in thousands of years,” Brown said. “While we have a lot of arrowheads out here, that’s not all there is. There are many different types of tools that have a story behind them.”
Brown, a former factory-trained Volkswagen and Audi mechanic from San Antonio, said he first saw the land more than two decades ago.
“When I was still in the auto repair business, I was always asking family and friends if they knew of any property for sale in the Hill Country,” he said. “I first saw this property in 1982 and knew then that it had potential.”
Brown purchased the property in 1996 and first dug up artifacts with friends before opening it to the public.
“It turned out to be a good real estate investment,” he said.
Most of the artifacts found at Randy’s Dig date back from about 8000 B.C. to 1000 A.D.
“I think the ancients lived here because it really was the perfect place,” Brown said. “There are two creeks running through here, and 80 percent of the perimeter is surrounded with running water.”
Despite the age of artifacts found there, don’t expect to get rich with your find.
“Most people who come out here are collectors and just collect to collect,” Brown said. “It’s not a money thing.”
He said most findings are worth anywhere from $5 to $200. Some pieces have sold for $1,000 to $1,500, but he said those are rare and exceptional.
Brown said he first became interested in archeology when he was a kid.
“I would have gotten an archeology degree, but when it was time for college I was getting ready to be drafted,” he said. “So I joined the Air Force.”
During his time in the military, however, he was able to see history around the world. Brown said he was stationed in England for some time where he was able to take in such sites as Stonehenge. His military travels also took him to Greece and Italy.
Brown said he also has done a lot of traveling around Mexico, visiting the Aztec and Mayan ruins.
“My interest in archaeology isn’t exclusive to Texas,” he said.
For any critics, Brown said that he isn’t disturbing anything that hasn’t already been disturbed. Professional archaeologist, including Dirt Brothers and the South Texas Archaeological Society, have studied his property and determined that there are no Paleolithic relics on the site.
There is one more dig site on Brown’s property that he will open up, but after that, he said, he is looking to turn the land into an RV park. Currently, he is looking for other landowners who would be interested in him running digs for them on their properties.
Go for a dig
Depending on how hands-on diggers want to be, there are a couple of options for looking for artifacts.
In a rather shallow digging site, about 24 inches deep, people can pick away at the edges of dirt and see what they can find. Brown charges $100 for a 15-square-foot area.
Because many times the artifacts will be lying horizontal, he said people must dig slowly to avoid damaging them. In what seems like a small area, Brown said scouring through the patch could take four to five hours.
For people looking for a little less work, Brown said he also can dump pre-dug dirt onto a screened sifting table for searching. He charges $25 for a tractor bucket load.
Brown said anyone looking to spend a few hours looking for artifacts needs only to bring themselves.
“I have all the tools, and I show them how to do it,” he said.
Although most of his customers seem to be professionals, Brown said that the dig would make a great experience for children. He said he also allows free camping on the site for diggers.
With Fall approaching and cooler temperatures on the way, Brown said it can be a good time to dig. Brown lives on the property and said he is open seven days a week, year round.
For more information, visit www.randysdig.com or call Brown at (210) 421-0105.
RESPOND WITH YOUR MOOS & VIEWS HERE
Print This Post
