The history of the trails behind the baseball fields
Even after spending many years on campus, something you might not know about the University of Dallas is that there are trails behind the baseball fields. These trails are ideal for walking, biking, running, hiking and,as I have heard is a tradition, building bonfires. They provide the perfect excuse to get out into nature, even if just for a short time.
By spending time in nature, one can clear their mind from all their day to day activities and deepen their love of nature.
There are always new things to discover. When I sat down at the Cor Chronicle meeting this week, I knew I had to choose something to write about, and, for some reason, I chose to write about the trails.
I had no idea about the history which I was about to uncover.
Fate led me to interview Dr. Novinski, associate drama professor, who had done some research of his own before we met, andit turns out the University of Dallas sits upon somewhat of a historical site. The little hill that we are built on used to be called Turkey Knob and is one of the highest points in Dallas County.
During the late 1840s and into the 1850s, this landmark lay in the path of a trail leading wagon trains to the California Gold Rush — the trail and area were referred to as the California Crossing. It was where wagon trains could be assured of a place to safely cross the Trinity River on their way to California.
This area is also known for the Irving Escarpment Ridge Comanche Marker Tree. In the 1800s, the Comanches, a Native American tribe, would look down from this ridge and monitor any and all movement in the area. The Comanche Marker Tree was an oak tree, which had been bent in order to signal direction to the rock quarry in the area over the years.
The paths on campus are a tangible reminder of this heritage. Today, the area still holds up history, as the paths still contain many paint rock fragments from the old quarry. Even though the gold rush is long over, through imagination and going out into nature, you can take a step into the past.