The junior class recently visited Natural Bridge. Although the weather was cool and somewhat rainy, we packed our umbrellas and boots and headed out. It turned out to be a lovely day, and we were able to have lunch in a shelter that had a fireplace going. After an interesting visit to the wax museum, we headed down the many steps to the bridge.
We spent about half an hour listening to the Monacan guides telling us about life in the village. One of the most surprising moments of the tour came when a guide blew a conch shell horn. They were used to call in children from the woods or to sound an alarm. It was astonishingly loud! The huts are primarily built with cattails and wood.
We went inside one of the huts, which was completely dry. Dixie explained that all cooking would have been done indoors on such a rainy day. The hut was mostly smoke-free and well-ventilated through the ceiling.
We had a very peaceful and interesting trip to the Monacan village. We were the only group there and it was relatively easy to imagine what life might have looked like in the past.