HILL COUNTRY ARCHEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
contact: Kelly Skovbjerg, President

DATE April 29, 2026
For Immediate Release

The Hill Country Archeological Association (HCAA), a group of avocational and professional archeologists working together to study and preserve the Texas Hill Country’s prehistoric and historical heritage and to educate the public about archeology, will host a general meeting on Saturday, May 16 at 12:30 p.m. at the Comfort Public Library. The guest speaker is Mary Jo Galindo on 2025 Texas Archeological Society (TAS) Field School Survey of Natom Samox (Red Mountain) and Long Mountain.

In 2025 TAS was privileged to survey the origin place of the Tonkawa people; Natom Samox or Red Mountain (41MM253). Because the El Camino Real de los Tejas is the road to the Mountain, the National Historic Trail Association became involved assisting the Tonkawa Nation to obtain the most important part of that league of land they were promised but never received. Once obtained plans were made to create a public space with associated infrastructure. For these improvements the Tribe needed a place without cultural integrity. Ninety-seven shovel tests were excavated by the TAS and two truncated burned rock middens, a spring, and a historic road east of the 1980’s well pad and overflow ditch were located. West of this impact was determined to be the best option for the construction. There are, however, eighteen more acres to survey.

Site 41MM444 (Long Mountain) represents a very significant multicomponent site, with continuous and repeated occupation spanning from the Early Archaic through the Late Prehistoric ceramic period. The site’s strategic setting overlooking the Little River floodplain combined with access to a ridge top spring and diverse ecological zones created perfect conditions for sustained human habitation for a very long time. The size of this site, the extensive evidence of buried and intact thermal activity, and diagnostics that show a continued use through time, are all indications that 41MM444 is a significant archeological site that played a major role in regional prehistory.

This event is FREE and open to the public. Doors open at 12:30 p.m., brief member meeting begins at 1:00 p.m. followed by the presentation.

When: Saturday, May 16, 12:30 p.m.

Where: Comfort Public Library, 701 High Street, Comfort, TX, 78013

More Information: kellyskovbjerg@gmail.com, hcarcheology.org