The Painted Rocks: A Public Outreach Video

Mission

Our mission at the Painted Rocks Historical Site, Inc., is to preserve, raise awareness, and share the site and its rock art with current and future generations. 

The Painted Rocks

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Painted Rocks Historical Site, Inc. (PRHS) is one of the largest and most significant rock art sites in the United States. Approximately 1,500 paintings are spaced over 1,000 feet of a south-facing bluff along the Concho River. As the sun moves across the sky throughout the year, the jagged layers of the bluff create daggers of sunlight and shadow that interact with the paintings. At least 50 align with solar events, such as solstices and equinoxes, suggesting that the site served as a ceremonial calendar and place of ritual. 

Gateway into the Prehistory and History of the Concho River Valley

Most notably, PRHS serves as a dynamic entry point into the larger (his)story of the Concho River valley.  Both the Indigenous rock art and the later historical graffiti tell layered stories, offering visitors a tangible lens for understanding the broader forces that have shaped our history – the presence of Indigenous peoples, Spanish colonialism, German and Anglo immigration, frontier expansion, and numerous military campaigns. 

In order to share these stories and raise awareness of the site, we seek funding to create a high-quality educational video. Videos layer narration, imagery, and sound to create a richer, more memorable learning experience. This is especially true at a site such as the Painted Rocks. Videos also make the site more accessible to those who cannot travel to the site, walk the terrain, or stand in the Texas heat. 

We envision a video that will weave together four key storylines: (1) prehistoric and historic rock imagery; (2) gatherings of descendant communities; (3) educational programs; and (4) researchers at work documenting and interpreting the landscape. 

This video will appear on our website, greet visitors before guided walking tours, anchor public presentations, and support our educational programming.

Please support the creation of this educational video that will expand public access to not only the history of Paint Rock, but of the Concho River valley as well. Thank you!