Slide show offers tour of important aboriginal site

Goshen — “The Great Algonkin Flint Mines at Coxackie,” a photographic tour of one of the most important aboriginal sites in New York State, will be shown at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20, in the community room of the Goshen Methodist Church, located at 115 Main St. in Goshen. Native Americans quarried chert from shale deposits at the site — called Flint Mine Hill, located just south of the village of Coxackie, N.Y. — and worked them into implements necessary for survival. Blades, scapers, and points were manufactured in such abundance at the site that the original visiting archaeologist, Arthur Parker, called it “a mountain of arrowheads” back in 1925. The original Cumberland fluted point found at the Dutchess Quarry cave site in Goshen was made from Coxackie chert. This may date activity at Flint Mine Hill to as early as 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. Eric F. Dratch will present the slide show during the monthly meeting of the Incorporated Orange County Chapter of the New York State Archaeological Association meeting. Visitors should enter the church by the side door on Court Lane. The community room is one flight up and to the right.