Incidentally, although I've now been here for almost two years, and grew up in Alabama, I still have not been to the top of Stone Mountain. I'm looking forward to heading up there tomorrow as well. I'm looking forward to signing the log on the page you made for that mountain in the evening!
I was planning on doing Panola today as well, but didn't have a chance to contact the Park service. With any luck, I'll be able to get a tour with the park ranger tomorrow and swing up to the summit.
When I was a kid we lived not terribly far from Panola. Back then you could tramp all over it all you wanted. We'd pass by every few days just to look at it--there was a really good spot to park and look at the place. Back then, it was called "Little Stone Mountain". Hardly anyone referred to it as Panola in those days.
In Oregon, where I came from before here, there was a really good book called "Oregon geographic names." Basically, someone years ago decided to figure out and wrote down where things got their names from. Any peak, road, city, that was on the map had their naming history fleshed out in this book. These days it is still updated by the author's children. It is too bad there isn't something similar in all states.
Speaking of which, do you know if there is a Davidson Mountain? Since Arabia is technically in the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Preserve, I wasn't sure if there was another peak out there that I wasn't aware of. One webpage I noticed pointed out with some confusion/amusement that on USGS maps that Bradley Mountain was called what it was, but I couldn't figure out why the author pointed that out. Was Bradley Mountain once called Davidson mountain? Or do you know if I'm barking up the wrong tree on this one?
I can't help you on that one. I do know that there are a couple of other named "peaks" near Arabia Mountain. I've seen them listed on a topo map somewhere, but I don't recall what the names were. When I looked at them on the topo, basically they looked like just patches of exposed granite.
Arabia Mountain is actually the name of the smaller summit near the quarry (940'). The highest point in the park is Bradley Mountain (954') This is explained in a map on the park's website. http://www.arabiaalliance.org/vst_maps.html. Of course, some USGS topo maps don't recognize this. Still not sure where the Davidson comes in.
Thank you for the comment Joseph. It is strange that the park is named after the smaller peak. The directions I wrote actually make the distinction that from the south parking lot, you'll cross over Bradley Mountain, and need to proceed further to Arabia.
I didn't make a Bradley Mountain page mainly because I felt silly making a page for a mountain that is <0.6 miles from another on the same trail.
I also felt a bit silly naming the page Bradley Mountain when it was in the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve. I spoke to two rangers at the site, and also spoke to three rangers at the Panola Mountain State Park, and none of them could give me an answer as to why Davidson was part of the name.
I'm now inspired to contact the Alliance and see if they can tell me. I'll update the page if I find out. Similarly, I will update the page to more adequately explain the confusion about the name.
BobSmith - Jan 2, 2007 3:05 am - Voted 10/10
Looking forward!I was hoping someone would do this pluton! Are you going to do Pamola, also?
Aeldrin - Jan 2, 2007 3:25 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Looking forward!Incidentally, although I've now been here for almost two years, and grew up in Alabama, I still have not been to the top of Stone Mountain. I'm looking forward to heading up there tomorrow as well. I'm looking forward to signing the log on the page you made for that mountain in the evening!
Aeldrin - Jan 2, 2007 3:13 am - Hasn't voted
Thanks for the interest!I was planning on doing Panola today as well, but didn't have a chance to contact the Park service. With any luck, I'll be able to get a tour with the park ranger tomorrow and swing up to the summit.
BobSmith - Jan 3, 2007 1:51 am - Voted 10/10
Panola.When I was a kid we lived not terribly far from Panola. Back then you could tramp all over it all you wanted. We'd pass by every few days just to look at it--there was a really good spot to park and look at the place. Back then, it was called "Little Stone Mountain". Hardly anyone referred to it as Panola in those days.
Aeldrin - Jan 3, 2007 3:39 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Panola.In Oregon, where I came from before here, there was a really good book called "Oregon geographic names." Basically, someone years ago decided to figure out and wrote down where things got their names from. Any peak, road, city, that was on the map had their naming history fleshed out in this book. These days it is still updated by the author's children. It is too bad there isn't something similar in all states.
Speaking of which, do you know if there is a Davidson Mountain? Since Arabia is technically in the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Preserve, I wasn't sure if there was another peak out there that I wasn't aware of. One webpage I noticed pointed out with some confusion/amusement that on USGS maps that Bradley Mountain was called what it was, but I couldn't figure out why the author pointed that out. Was Bradley Mountain once called Davidson mountain? Or do you know if I'm barking up the wrong tree on this one?
BobSmith - Jan 3, 2007 9:28 pm - Voted 10/10
Panola.I can't help you on that one. I do know that there are a couple of other named "peaks" near Arabia Mountain. I've seen them listed on a topo map somewhere, but I don't recall what the names were. When I looked at them on the topo, basically they looked like just patches of exposed granite.
Joseph Claghorn - Feb 23, 2007 11:08 pm - Hasn't voted
Naming ConfusionArabia Mountain is actually the name of the smaller summit near the quarry (940'). The highest point in the park is Bradley Mountain (954') This is explained in a map on the park's website. http://www.arabiaalliance.org/vst_maps.html. Of course, some USGS topo maps don't recognize this. Still not sure where the Davidson comes in.
Aeldrin - Feb 24, 2007 12:14 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Naming ConfusionThank you for the comment Joseph. It is strange that the park is named after the smaller peak. The directions I wrote actually make the distinction that from the south parking lot, you'll cross over Bradley Mountain, and need to proceed further to Arabia.
I didn't make a Bradley Mountain page mainly because I felt silly making a page for a mountain that is <0.6 miles from another on the same trail.
I also felt a bit silly naming the page Bradley Mountain when it was in the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve. I spoke to two rangers at the site, and also spoke to three rangers at the Panola Mountain State Park, and none of them could give me an answer as to why Davidson was part of the name.
I'm now inspired to contact the Alliance and see if they can tell me. I'll update the page if I find out. Similarly, I will update the page to more adequately explain the confusion about the name.