Jackson Hill is a large hill just upriver from Rockport. Offically, on maps, it may be called Jackson Bluff, but we never used that term. 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 west side of the hill drains into Jackson Slough and Jackson Creek while the east 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.



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."



The old I. C. Railroad, now PAL Railroad, runs generally from Louisville to Paducah. Heading back East, actually about SE of the "Old Rockport Depot" and just some few hundred yards, a railroad trestle crosses Jackson Creek. H. L. Tucker's place and the old "Tucker Rock" is just North of this trestle. Between Tucker's old place and the Green River is Jackson Hill. The drainage area of the west side of Jackson Hill is from Tucker's, under the trestle and to Jackson Slough. Drainage from Jackson Slough is by way of a small ditch into Green River.

Jackson Slough is in rough country. It is just hard to get there from anyplace including the Green River. Doubt that it has very many visitors anymore, but back in the day, we managed to fish some, hunt some, and "Tub" some in the area. Fishing was never that good as the slough just about dries up on the summer months. I have had some good hunting trips in the are including hunts for squirrel, rabbit, and ducks. Also, the old frozen slough in the winter months gave us a place to ice skate. Some way, Chubhead (bullheads) Catfish, small bream and bluegill and other pan fish and catfish managed to survive in that old slough. Of course during "high water" the fish would be replenished from the Green River. I have not mentioned "Tubing" for fish and will in next paragraph.

"Tubing" for fish. Only two things are needed to be successful. Well really three as one has to count on the nerves of the "tuber". An old galvanized #3 washing tub with the bottom out is one need to tub. Of course the other need is a shallow pond/slough with the depth of the water being less that the height of the tub. Yes, just throw the tub out like throwing a net and you were tubing. Once the tub is "thrown", the fun starts. Here you are, barefooted with your pant legs rolled up, with a thrown tub in front of you and now all you have to do is to reach down in the tub and hand catch whatever the tub was thrown over. Our game usually consisted of lots of "chub heads", some other catfish and some panfish. Occasionally you could pull out a bass or a small crappie. And yes, sometimes you pull out a snake. Imagine a slough with the depth of only a few feet and fifteen or so boys tubing. Tubs, with the bottoms out were not that plentiful, so we tubed a while and then let another boy use our tub. There were only four or five tubs to go around to supply twelve or so boys. The old slough water is muddy to start with and with barefooted boys sloshing in the mud bottom slough, the water soon turns extremely muddy. Ha, now to take a string of small catfish and other fish home to clean and cook! Ah, good eating in those days as guess we did not know any better. To start with, a chubhead catfish is in all reality a bullhead catfish and they are not very good to eat coming out of a slough. Now stir up that water by tubing for an hour or so and the fish caught just does not sound like good eating. Like I said, back then, we probably did not know any better.

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.