() Patrick McShane-, 1995

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1he Gathering Stone
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Index

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Narrative . Instructions
TIle Gathering Stone

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1
~I Ph~to 1 II Ph~to 211 Ph:o 311 Ph~o 411 Pho~o 51 ~CaPtions

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I I II I I~ IPhotogr aphs Q
 The Gathering Stone Narrative

A long time ago, beyond the memory of any living human being,
beyond the memory of the elders and grandfathers, beyond the time when
the presence of the White Man was but a whisper on the wind, and beyond
the memory of more than two hundred and fifty winters; an inter-tribal
council was convened and recorded upon a basalt boulder along the banks
of the Blackfoot River.
Runners were sent to into the lands west of the Rocky Mountains [1]
where the Wihinast (Western Shoshoni) lived in the Camas Prairie-Boise
Basin regions [1 7].
Runners were also sent into the lands east of the Rocky Mountains
[1] where the Washakeek (Eastern Shoshoni) lived between the Green and
Wind Rivers at the headwaters of the great Missouri River [2].
The Messengers [18] summoned [19] representatives from these two
great nations into the lands of the Bannacks, who were living near the
headwaters of the Snake River [3].
The purpose for this gathering was to discuss hunting rights [6].
The Wihinast [16] were represented by a great warrior-chief [15].
The Washakeek were represented by a warrior-chief [8, 9]
and four sub-chiefs [10, 11, 12, 13].
The Bannacks were represented by three warrior-chiefs [4, 14].
Under the protection of the Dragonfly Totem [4] of their Bannack
hosts these warrior-chiefs sat in a circle and deliberated the futures of
their people.[S].
The Wihinast wished to hunt the Buffalo in the lands owned by the
Washakeek.
The Washakeek wished to fish the waters of the mighty Snake River
for giant salmon in the lands owned by the Wihinast.
The Bannacks had a vested interest in this discussion because it was
through their lands that each tribe would have to travel to gain access to
the other's hunting grounds.
The stone does not record how long this discussion took place nor
does it record the particulars of the debate. It does, however, record that
the Sacred Pipe [7] was smoked sealing the agreement.
It can be assumed that since there are no signs for disharmony or
war placed upon the stone that a peaceful solution to the discussions was
achieved.
 The Gathering Stone
Data Sheet

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1) Moved from Island Park to Just-Reid Ranch on Sunday, September 23, 1995.

2) Located in the backyard of Wallace and Marlene Reid:

Lat 043 Deg 15' 48" N
Lon 112 Deg 06' 09" W

UTM:
4790659 N
12 410533 E

3) JHO3 --->JHO4: 256 Deg (M) 2.83 Km (1.76 Miles)

This represents the direction from and distance between the original position
and the final placement of the stone as it is returned to the zone of origin.

4) Photos: [GS.OO- GS.09]taken on Saturday,September30, 1995 before cleaning.

5) Length: 110 Cm (43.31 In)

Width: 077 Cm (30.31 In)
Depth: 046 Cm (18.11 In)

6) Weight: 397 Kg (875 Lbs)

7) Composition: Basalt with heavy lichens damage. Some vandalism by children

using a sharp instrument while boulder was located at Island Park.

8) Cleaning process took place on October 1, 1995 and was done by Patrick
McShane, Matthew and KR Pancheri. There was an approximate 3% change in the
intensity of the patina while we managed to remove approximately 93% of the
unwanted materials which had rendered the Rock Writings nearly illegible.

9) Photos: [GS.10 - GS.25] taken on Sunday, October 1, 1995 after cleaning.

GS.26 and GS.27 are Before/After composites.
..........................................................
Data Compiled by: Patrick McShane, Historian
 1fbabo 1tpubl lean
Blackfoot, Bingham County, Idaho
October 4, 1926

An Indian Invitation to a Party

The petroglyphs pictured on the rock above announce a hunting and

fishing party to be held in the Snake River Basin, and a council in
connection with it, for the purpose of settling disputes regarding the
territorial rights of the tribes as to hunting and fishing. It refers to the
watershed of the Teton country and says that all the people living on
both sides of the big divide are invited to the party.

According to Professor John Rees of Salmon, Idaho, historian and interpreter of

Indian language and Indian petroglyphs engraved upon the rocks, there was at some
distant date in the past, an invitation extended to many tribes to meet in the Snake
River Basin for the same purposes that impelled the white men when they had the
great peace ~eeting at Washington, D. C., and at Genoa recently and for nearly the
same purposes as brought about the assembly that formed the league of nations at
Versailles.

For Peace and Efficiency.

After agreeing upon the purposes of the meeting, the Red Men who extended the
invitation, went forth with hammer and flint and chipped the solid rock until the
message was spread where all might see, providing they passed over the trail that led
along the Blackfoot River where it emerges from the rock canyon just below the
mouth of the Wolverine. In the accepted language of the local tribes and with the
emblems they recognized, the face of the rock proclaimed the momentous event
designed to prevent the waste and agonies of war. It was broad in its scope,
indicating first, the great watershed of the west, and that all peoples both east and
west were included in the invitation to the council that was to be contemporaneous
with a social event designed to cultivate good will and start the practice of peace and
putting to greater usefulness the natural resources of their common country.
A Primitive Poster.
In those days~perhaps centuries ago, "the printed word," on the face of a rock,
received more attention than it does now when there is so much printed. It is safe to
assume that a traveler passing it would stop and study it, and then tell it to others
wherever he went, and they in turn would tell it, so that in a short time all would
know about it for hundreds of miles in every direction.
The rock pictured above, lay by the side of the trail on the north bank of the
Blackfoot River below the mouth of the Wolverine where many rocks had split off
and fallen from the cliff above. A trail lay just below the rock, so the writing could
be seen from the trail.
 Invitation Appeals to Housekeeper.
Mrs. Byrd Trego discovered the rock in 1924~got it photographed and interpreted
by Professor Rees, and a copy of his interpretation designed for the Smithsonian
Institution at Washington is herein given.
The rock weighs 875 pounds and has been transported to Sagehurst where it is on
exhibit at the northwest comer of the yard. At a later date the accompanying picture
of the petroglyph with their interpretation on a printed sheet will be placed by it
under protection of a rain proof glass case, but until that is done, persons desiring to
study the rock might clip this article and use it in deciphering the message.
Near the rock of the petroglyphs at Sagehurst is a bomb weighing 2050 pounds. It
was shot out of erupting lava, probably by the same action that throws tiny clots of
taffy from the.boiling syrup when it is getting thick and sputters. The clot is thrown
up by the force of steam beneath the surface. As it revolves in its flight it takes the
spheroidal form and cools by contact with the air. If the clot is very dense~not
porous, it is apt to cool so fast on the surface that it cracks off in layers, leaving the
appearance of having been carved with a curved blade. This bomb is egg-shaped and
has been so affected, and shed one or more layers due to surface contraction in its
flight.

The Time of the Eruption.

Professor Rees says these rocks belong to the lava flow of the Tertiary age. That
was before the ice age. The ice age started before the forests began to grow to make
the coal beds. The timber and verdure that made the coal beds did not start to grow
until the extremes of temperature of the ice age prepared the soil. That seems to
have started before the advent of man. This is the way it was done.

The Ice Age.

Something in the solar system slipped, and the northern hemisphere went into low
temperatures. The snow piled up until the weight settled it and made ice. More
snows and mQreice continued until Canada and our northern states were covered
with ice thousands of feet deep. Central Europe was in the same condition, the
deepest ice being about five thousand feet thick. That took a good while. The
something slipped and they went into high temperatures. The ice melted and tropical
climate followed, with dense forests and rank vegetation with abundant animal life.
Eight times "that something" slipped and gave them the extremes of climate. Four
times was the northern hemisphere covered with a world of ice. Three times did
they have the tropical climate with an abundant growth of everything. Primitive
man made his appearance; lived~loved~died and left his imprint or his record.
Perhaps it was only his skeleton imprinted in silt that turned to rock. In some places
it was his club or a hunting knife made of chipped stone. In other places it was a
cave with clay pots~or pictures carved on the face of the rocks.
The Order of Events.
Now we point you back to the Tertiary age. The lava flowed southward to what we
call the Blackfoot River. After that came the ice~and more ice. Then the hundreds
of thousands of years, probably millions of years down to the Christian era.
Geologists returning recently from the Craters of the Moon report that there have
been several lava flows there in the last two thousand years---ten of them in five
thousand years. With this brief introduction as to the relative order of events, we
now quote from Professor Rees' s report to the Smithsonian Institution.

Professor Rees's Interpretation.

Plate LXVII denotes a "peace" council between the eastern and western Shoshonis,
held in the country of the Bannacks. Fig. 1 represents the "Rock Mountains" or the
ridge dividing the Indians into an eastern and a western portion. Fig. 2 represents
the "headwaters of two streams," the Green and Wind Rivers, the habitats of the
eastern branch. They are depicted to represent the "Washakeek" condition
designated by the Shoshonis where the waters are shooting and dropping. Fig. 3 is
the "Snake River," the habitat of the Shoshonis represented by the sinuous line.
Fig. 4 is the "dragon-fly" totem of the Bannacks representing the habitat of that
tribe which is here depicted as being near the source of the Snake River. Fig. 5
represents a "council in session" which is denoted by men sitting in a circle and
talking. Fig. 7 is a symbol representing a "pipe" the sign for which is made by
holding out the right hand, back down, pointing forward with the index finger curled
up. It was a council held by "warriors" as all of the principals or leaders are so
represented by the hanging breech-clout. Fig. 8 is the leader of the eastern band.
Fig. 9 is his "head dress" designating him a chief. Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 are
"sub-chiefs" that are attending him at this function. The markers about the chief
denote the "warriors" that are accompanying him upon this expedition to act as his
body guard, there being about ten members of them. Fig. 14 represents three
Bannack warriors that sit in this council, the "three lines" being markers or counters
of the dragon-fly totem. Fig. 15 represents a Shoshoni warrior, shown by the
"trailing queue." The circle above his head, Fig. 16 is the symbol for "all."
Fig. 17 represents the "country" from which these Shoshonis came, showing it to be
a large "basin," west of the Snake River, alluding to the Camas Prairie-Boise Basin
regions which were ancient stamping grounds of the western or Wihinast Shoshonis.
Fig. 18 represents a "herald" or "runner" who is announcing this event to the tribes.
The sign for "messenger" is made with the right hand swung forward from the
mouth, meaning handing out words. The invitation to this council was given by the
Indians on the western side of the mountains and is represented by Fig. 19, which is
a symbol for "come," the sign for which is made by a motion of the index finger of
the right hand carried from arm's length in a curve to near the face, meaning come
here. Two of these curves were made in this figure, one to the east and one to the
west, inviting all to come. Fig. 6 represents what this council is all about. The
circular part of this figure represents the "place" or country of the Shoshonis. The
two "strokes" leading from this circle mean hunt, the sign for which is made with the
index and middle fingers of the right hand, extended and separated brought near the
eyes, pointing"forward in a position that one can look along the fingers; by wrist
action the fingers are turned from side to side, meaning looking or searching for
something. The entire symbol means that this council was held for the purpose of
adjusting the hunting rights of this family over the country claimed by its various
tribes, especially the right of the Shoshonis west of the mountains to go east and hunt
the buffalo on the headwaters of the Missouri. However, the salmon fishing rights
along the Snake River for the Indians east of the mountains would be almost as
equally important a matter in such a council. The symbol includes all of these as it
refers to "hunting rights."
 After an Absence of 71 Years the 'Gathering Stone' Returns Home

by: Patrick McShane, Historian

Dated: September 16, 1995

BLACKFOOT- 71 years after it had been removed from along the banks of
the Blackfoot River an 875 pound basalt slab covered with Shoshoni rock
writing, has come home.
In 1924 Mrs. Susie Trego, whose husband Byrd Trego was the editor and
publisher of the Idaho Republican, 'discovered' the stone while visiting with
friends who farmed along the Blackfoot River. Susie had a keen interest in
Indian culture and history. She contacted Professor John E. Rees of Salmon,
Idaho. Prof. Rees was a well known authority on various aspects of Native
American culture, especially the signs and symbols which they had pecked
and abraded into stone. Prof. Rees arrived, camera in hand, photographed the
boulder and then later interpreted the meaning of the petroglyphs for her.
Susie became taken with the stone and asked if she might have it.
Permission being granted she had the boulder removed and transported to
'Sagehurst', the name of their home in Blackfoot, where it remained on
display for 33 years.
In the October 4, 1926 issue of the Idaho Republican the Gathering Stone
was featured in an article authored by Prof.Rees and the nomen;"An Indian
Invitation to a Party," was used to describe the petroglyph panel.
The Gathering Stone was next presented to a statewide readership in the
Twelfth BiennialReport of the Board of Trustees of the State Historical
Society of Idaho, 1930, in an article titled; Indian Rock Writing in Idaho,
authored by RichardP. Erwin. In addition to showing the photograph taken by
Prof. Rees his lengthy interpretation of the stone, "Invitation to Party" also
appeared.
IN 1957 the"Gathering Stone fell under the auctioneers' gavel during the
estate sale of Byrd Trego who died on April 2, 1957. It was purchased by
Orien S. (Chris) Christensen who, being a lover of rocks, moved it to his home
at Island Park, Idaho. There it remained until recently.
The significance of the Gathering Stone, as interpreted by Prof. Rees, lies in
the fact that it announced a "peace council"between the Eastern and Western
Shoshoni held in the country of the Bannacks. "The entire symbol means that
this council was held for the purpose of adjusting the hunting rights of this
family over the country claimed by its various tribes, especially the right of
the Shoshonis west of the Rocky Mountains to go east and hunt the buffalo on
the headwaters of the Missouri River. However, the salmon fishing rights
along the Snake River for the Indians east of the mountains would be almost
as equally important a matter in such a council. The symbol includes all of
these as it refers to 'hunting rights.'"
Originally positioned along a well-used Native American trail beside the
Blackfoot River where it could be seen by all who passed by, this monument
to time and human compromise, appeared as a Treaty in Stone.
For a number of years Wallace and Marlene Reid, patriarchs of the Just-Reid
Homestead along the Blackfoot River, have been actively involved in efforts
to return the Gathering Stone to its rightful place. It is a well publicized
fact that several petroglyphic panel sites are located near the old homestead
and the Gathering Stone had been removed from one of these sites. Under the
study and stewardship of Marlene Reid these rock writings have remained
preserved and protected.
Once Marlene had learned the whereabouts of the Gathering Stone, she
contacted Andrew (Andy) Christensen,son of the late "Chris"Christensen,
and discussed the return of the artifact. It wasn't until after the death of
Andy Christe~sen on March 17, 1995, that final arrangements were made with
his wife Shirley and the Gathering Stone began its journey home.
The Gathering Stone will come home to the Reid Ranch, not far from where
it began its journey 71 years ago. MarleneReid plans to make it available for
viewing to various visiting groups, especially school children and scouts, who
wish to learn more about the early history of our area.
The Gathering Stone shall now become the center of a 'gathering place'...a
place to teach future generations. Thanks to the efforts of MarleneReid, the
message of the Gathering Stone, silenced for so many years, will once again
instruct and inform those who 'pass by' as the original authors had intended.
 THE MORNiNG NEWS, Blackfoot, Idaho, Saturday, Oct. 7, 1995- 3A

Indian petroglyphs return to Reid ranch

BY LOIS BATES Rees, Salmon, to inspect the easternbranchand the SnakeRiver his cabin in Island Park where it
News correspondent petroglyphs on the rock. Patrick with the habitat of western remained until this fall, when
McShane,Wapello, a historian on Shoshoni. Wallace and Marlene Reid brought
It had been 71 years since "the the art of rock writing said. "Rees There are Bannock and it home Sept 24.
rock" left its home. And ifs no was a well-known authority on Shoshoni warriors and a symbol Coming home to the Reid ranch
ordinary rock, it's an 875-pound various aspects of petroglyphs." inviting everyone to come and after seven decades, the "gathering
basalt stone coveredwith Shoshoni Professor Rees photographed the discuss hunting and fIShingrights stone" will live up to its name as
rockwriting. rockand interpretedthe meaningof so there can be peace. McShane Marlene plans to make it available
The big rock had left its home therockas an invitationto a party. referredto the rock as a "treaty in to visiting groups, especially school
along the BlackfootRiver in 1924 The Indian signs were depicted stone." children and scouts.
whenSusieBoiceTregodiscovered as a peace council between the This is not the fust time this McShane has researched and
it while visiting a friend, Agnes easternand westernShoshonito be particularrock has been featuredin studied petroglyphs and gathered
Just Reid It was in a positionalong held in the BannockCountry.There the paper. Blackfoot's Idaho materials for the past five years. He
a well-used Indian trail where all are mountainsreferringto division Republican,told the story, Oct 4, cleaned lichens from the rock very
, whopassedby couldsee. andtwo streamsshowingthe Green 1926. It was an article written by ~fully as photographs proved it
Susie invited ProfessorJohn E. River and Wind River of the Professor Rees. It also was had deteriorated over the years.
L- presented to a statewide readership
; ; ==-.- in the 12th BiennialReport of the "The Gathering Stone shall now
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boardof trusteesof the IdahoState
Historical Society during 1930 in
the article entitled, "Indian Rock
become the center of a 'gathering
place' to teach future generations,"
stated McShane. "Thanks to the
a. a. CD;: Writing In Idaho," by Richard P. efforts of Marlene Reid, the
gal»l»
"3;:::: ~ Erwin. message of the gathering stone,
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3 S- Susie had the rock transported to
her beloved Sagehurst at 20 Court
silenced for so many years, will
once again instruct and inform
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. CDO'" ea Street, where it remained for 33 those who pass by as the original
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g:ca tn Susie and her husband Byrd, the Marlene is selling T-shirts and
:Do::r Q rock, dubbed, "the gathering stone" stationary with the petroglyph
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~ was sold at an estate auction to O.S.
(Chris) Christensen. He took it to
symbols to help compensate the
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