Texas Beyond History
TBH Home

What Was It Like?

Wood
Plants
Deer
Mussels
Stone

Ever wonder what it was like to live here thousands of years ago? Explore the scene by clicking or tapping on five different resource or activity areas.

This picture shows what a Native American campsite in the Bosque River valley might have looked like some 1,000 to 4,000 years ago, long before Waco Lake was built. These valleys were lush habitats that provided many natural resources. Native Americans used these resources for food, shelter, tools, and even medicines. They hunted deer, cleaned the hides to make clothing, and probably dried the meat in the sun. They collected and gathered various plants for food and medicines. They gathered mussels from the river and left piles of shells after feasting. They used stones to make tools and as heating rocks in fire pits for cooking plants. They made baskets out of plant leaves and shelters out tree branches. The painting above, by archeologist/artist Frank Weir, is based on excavated remains of prehistoric campsites on the Bosque River. By exploring the painting, you can learn about the five key resources that sustained prehistoric campers for more than 4,000 years.