Local archaeologists started digging here under the overhang, but soon the Smithsonian took over, finding evidence of over ten thousand years of continuous use by Native Americans. There’s a particular style of stone spear point found here that old and named after the site. There’s a also a nature trail along the creek that flows from underground, with birds and lush vegetation.

I wonder how our country could have evolved more peacefully, with more respect of different cultures and more generous sharing of technology. If not expelled from this place, perhaps Native American guides could be teaching stories from their oral traditions here and could be conducting their own research, instead of having their culture irrevocably damaged and their societies misunderstood.

Isolation and homogenization slow the progress of new ideas and retard civilization. Many of the towns I drive through appear almost identical, with people wearing the same clothes from the same chain stores and eating at the same restaurants. A few corporations own the most popular national brands. The sameness isn’t strength; it’s weakness. Diversity and integration take more effort, but they pay off in vibrancy, new ideas, and healthier, more resilient communities. We impoverish ourselves by rejecting differences.