The Land — You wouldn’t notice much if you were driving by. From a distance it looks like another rocky outcropping on the prairie. But this Sioux quartzite in Cottonwood County holds spiritual significance for American Indians and historical interest for anyone who stops to view.
The Jeffers Petroglyphs site near Comfrey is owned and operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, and named for the last landowner, W.R. Jeffers. Surrounded by 160 acres of native and restored prairie, the rock outcropping has more than 2,000 images carved into it. Little is known of the indigenous people who made the first carvings, which archeologists conclude are thousands of years old.
Stopping at Jeffers Petroglyphs is not an experience to rush through. The trail to the rocks is dotted with signs identifying prairie plants. Guides are on-hand to help visitors spot the carvings (which can be faint when the sun is directly overhead), to interpret and to answer questions. Most of the carvings were scratched out with rocks, some later ones with a metal point.
A good place to begin is in the visitor center. A small theater has an eight-minute show that is worth viewing before walking to see the carvings. Images of a turtle, thunderbird, lightning, people and bison projected onto a rock make the carvings easier to recognize. Scenes projected onto a stretched bison skin give a sense of the prairie and the people who carved the symbols, as well as the symbols’ significance.
Respect is necessary, because American Indians still come here for spiritual ceremonies. But even without that, it is sobering to stand by millennia-old carvings. One is awakened to how many people have walked this earth before us.
Despite our penchant for private property, we are really only stewards for the brief time of our existence. One message of the petroglyphs is this: The world does not center around us. Others have gone before; others will follow. Take care.
The Jeffers Petroglyphs visitor center has hands-on exhibits and a gift shop. Other programs and activities, such as throwing an atlatl at a buffalo target and guided tours, are available at certain times. Open from May through September, check their website at www.mnhs.org/jefferspetroglyphs for hours, admission charge and directions, or call (507) 628-5591.
