After visiting and staying in Florence, AL, during the past 8 years and thinking I was familiar with most of the historical sites, I was surprised when my friend, Kathy Page, insisted she wanted to show me an unmarked and unpublicised area off the
Natchez Trace Parkway (the original 444 mile Indian pathway from Natchez, MS, to Nashville, TN) near milepost 338.
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| Natchez Trace Parkway - near Florence, AL |
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| The road to The Wall |
I'm glad we were able to hear the documented story of Te-lah-nay, a
Yuchi Indian from Lauderdale County, AL.
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Myself and Tom Hendrix, Builder of the
Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall
near Florence, AL May, 2015 |
Tom Hendrix, builder of the site of the
Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall, a larger than life memorial that he built over the past 30 years, to honor the life of his great-great-grandmother
Te-lah-nay, along with her sister, who was sent westward to Muskogee, OK, during the forced relocation of Native Americans from the southeast following the
Indian Removal Act of 1830, via the
Trail Of Tears.
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| Stone Pathway |
My friend, Kathy, and I were invited to sit by Mr. Hendrix' truck in lawn chairs, surrounded by the giant rock and limestone arrangements and in the next 45 minutes heard the amazing story of his journey to honor his great-great-grandmother and the amazing life she lived.
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| Stone Pathway Representing The Journey |
Mr. Hendrix, an author as well, was very knowledgeable of Indian folklore, culture and customs. The Yuchi tribe of Alabama believed that the beautiful Tennessee River was home to a young woman who sang beautiful songs. The tribe called the river "nunnuhsae", meaning the singing river. Te-lah-nay never heard songs from the rivers in Oklahoma and yearned to hear the songs from her past. In 1839 she began a singular 5 year pilgrimage to return home to Alabama.
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| Area For Prayer and Meditation |
For almost 4 decades Mr. Hendrix has brought over 8 million pounds of sandstone and limestone to honor a woman he never knew. The amazing stone walls captivate her perilous journey. "One step at a time, one stone at a time. Lay a stone for every step she made...We shall pass this earth. Only the stones will remain. We honor our ancestors with stones."
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| An Area For Meditation and Prayer |
Tom Hendrix is also referred to as the
The Stone Talker, because of his belief and commitment to pass on the unbelievable and amazing story of Te-lah-nay's life (and also respecting her herbal and natural healing knowledge passed down through generations).
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| Stone Pathway |
The Wall has many different parts that represent the past - her journey from Lauderdale County to Oklahoma, and another section representing her five year journey back to Alabama.
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Ancient Indian Symbol of the Woodpecker
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Stone Gifts From All Over The World
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Tom Hendrix selflessly shares stories to everyone who enters, all day, every day of the week. He has received gift stones presented by visitors from over 127 countries, territories, and islands. This is the largest monument to a woman in the United States. The Wall is listed as one of Alabama's Top Spiritual Places.
