Jackson Hill is a large hill just upriver from Rockport. At a time in history, it was used by Native Americans and/or Ancient Indians as a day camp or a rest area. Mussels were plentiful in the Green River, in earlier times, and this high area above the river was a good place to camp and forage for food by the Native Americans. The river area was teeming with fish, mussels, and wild game. After all, Kentucky has often been referred to as "Happy Hunting Grounds." In the mid-twentieth century, this area was a good place to explore, play, and search for Indian artifacts. As young boys, we would walk up river, about a mile from Rockport and make a half day outing just being boys and entertaining ourselves on the high hill above the river. Large grapevines were cut at the root end and used to make "Tarzan Type" swings. Most of the time we were able to find a vine in such a location where we could swing across the Jackson ditch or creek. Mussels shells, on the hillside, were numerous and we have found Indian relics, some unknown to us and others, like arrowheads, that we picked up as a valuable trade item. By this time, mussels were still plentiful, fish were not scarce and small game was a joy to hunt in the area. Deer and turkey and other larger game had been depleted.

Jackson Hill is located on the right bank of Green River just upriver from Rockport. The north side of the hill drains into Jackson Slough and Jackson Creek while the south side drains into Brown's Slough area and Brown's Slough Ditch with both ditches emptying into Green River within 1000 feet apart. Of course, this water entering into the river made fishing just a little better and the rocky shoreline between the two ditches was a good place for fish and mussels.

Indian Princess

As a young preteen and teenager, Indian artifacts were just trading items to most of us, somewhat like comic books. To my knowledge, Jackson Hill, Graveyard Hill, or Indian Graveyard were just names that we used to call this old hill. In reality, I don't think that this place was ever a human graveyard of any type and only a "Day Camp". Some years later, we learned of a true Indian Graveyard called "Indian Knoll" and it was some four miles or so upriver from Rockport. Of course, if it was there and we could get there, most of us made a few visits to Indian Knoll. At the time, we thought of this place was a graveyard of the modern American Indian, and it would be years later before we discovered that it was actually an Ancient Indian burial ground and had been on the banks of Green River before Christ walked upon this Earth. To us, it was somewhat sacred, but that did not prevent us from picking up an arrowhead, a shard, or anything else of interest that was on top of the ground. Although we never dug for anything in this area, we later discovered that Archeologist had previously made two digs and would make another in 1960. These digs were not necessarily for artifacts, but of complete excavation of the site. Hundreds and human and dog skeleton remains, as well as arrowheads, pottery and other Indian artifacts were removed for museum display and scientific study. In 1966 Indian Knoll was designated a National Historic Landmark, and today the site lies within 290 acres of private agricultural fields. More on this Indian Knoll area in the future as I have a web page in mind to be listed under the "Paradise" heading and titled "Indian Knoll."

Jackson Ditch

In the early nineteen sixties, the Western Kentucky Parkway was completed. The Ohio Country side of the parkway, and the bridge, were constructed on the highest point of Jackson Hill and split the small town of Echols. Another historical place gone, but time and progress must continue.