National Parks 2022: Russell Cave National Monument

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It’s time for the annual National Parks Club/KAL!

Every month from May-August, we’ll be releasing 4 new parks colorways. We have almost exhausted all of the traditional US National Parks, so this year, we’ll be showcasing other National Parks areas, such as National Recreation Areas, Heritage sites, etc. Featured parks will fall under one of 4 categories:

  • National History – Eastern USA
  • National History – Western USA
  • Indigenous Culture
  • Human Rights Leaders/notable people

Check out our Socks and Hats on Vacay/Staycay summertime KAL with our friend Shannon Squire, too: https://shannonsquire.com/socks-hats-on-vacay-2022/

Thanks for exploring parks and making socks with us once again this summer! To get your yarn, check out our list of LYS’s offering National Parks (Parks yarn will ONLY be available at our LYS partners through the summer): https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/

And, to play our new-to-2022 Vacay Bingo game, head in to your participating LYS and grab a gameboard or download it here: https://knittedwit.com/parks-2022/

Where is it located?

Northeastern Alabama, close to the town of Bridgeport.

Whose land does it reside upon?

As Russell Cave was used for more than 10,000 years by different Indigenous groups in what was now America, there are many peoples whose ancestral lands is here. From the Paleo-Indians of 10,000+ years ago, to the Archaic culture (the first known tool sharpeners) to the Woodland people, who began to farm and develop a more agrarian culture, to the Mississippian culture that were decimated by colonial “exploration,” Russell Cave was an important part of many Indigenous cultures. Today, Cherokee, Muskogee Creek, and Koasati Indians call Northeastern Alabama home. 

When was it established?

May 11, 1961

About this park:

Russell Cave is an archeological site with one of the most complete records of prehistoric cultures in the Southeast. In the 1950s, archeologists uncovered a large quantity of artifacts representing over 10,000 years of use in a single place, from approximately 6500 BCE, the period of earliest-known human settlement in the southeastern United States, to 1650 CE and the period of European colonization. The large entrance made it an attractive shelter for large bands of people, and it is believed to have primarily served as a seasonal winter shelter. The people relied on the surrounding forest to gather produce and hunt for game and fish, stone and game for tools, and wood fuel for fires.

Why did we choose these colors?

We used the images of the lovely pokeweed featured on this Instagram post as our colorway inspiration: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTpG-1kL90L/?utm_medium=copy_link

For more information: