The Fate Bell Shelter in Seminole Canyon. I took this photo from near the top of the trail down into the canyon, just below the park headquarters.

Fate Bell Shelter Rock Art Gallery

On Friday, June 27, 2014, I stopped by Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site on my way home from a visit to The Independence Creek Preserve.  The purpose of my stop was to visit the Fate Bell Shelter, and to view and photograph the pictographs found inside the shelter.  Visitors are not allowed to enter the canyon without being accompanied by a ranger, so I joined a small group led by a young female ranger.  It is a starkly beautiful desert canyon and I thoroughly enjoyed the hike down to the canyon bottom and then back up to the shelter after a short hike down canyon.  I was pleasantly surprised at the quality and quantity of pictographs at the site.  I hope you enjoy my photographs.  Below my photos you will find some of the drawings that Forrest Kirkland made of the Fate Bell Complex (which he called Seminole Canyon, Shelter 4) in July of 1936.  I find it interesting to compare my photos with his drawings and have attempted to correlate them for you.  If you are ever in the Del Rio/Langtry area, I would highly recommend at stop at this beautiful place.  If you go on a Saturday, you may also be able to visit the spectacular White Shaman Site, located a few miles from the park (check the park website).  

My Photos From the Fate Bell Shelter at Seminole Canyon…

The Following Group of Photos Corresponds to Kirkland’s Plate 13 and Seminole Park Signage Panel 2 and Panel 2 Ceiling…

KIRKLAND'S PLATE 13, NO. 5 and SEMINOLE PARK SIGNAGE PANEL 2.
THE CEILING, SEMINOLE PARK PANEL 2 (KIRKLAND'S BOOK DOES NOT INCLUDE THIS CEILING PANEL).
KIRKLAND'S PLATE 13 NO. 6, SEMINOLE PARK SIGNAGE, PANEL 2.
kIRKLAND'S PLATE 13, NO. 2; SEMINOLE PARK SIGNAGE PANEL 2.
THIS PHOTO INCLUDES THE LEFT PART OF PLATE 13, NO. 5; PLATE 13 NO. 2; AND THE PANEL 2 CEILING FROM SEMINOLE PARK SIGNAGE.

These Next Three Photos Are Included in Kirkland’s Plate 14 and Seminole Park Signage Panel 1.  This area is very exposed to direct sunlight and weather and as a result is in very poor condition. 

THIS AREA IS QUITE FADED AND MANY ELEMENTS ARE NOT VISIBLE AT ALL. THIS IS THE CENTER PART OF PLATE 14 (PARK PANEL 1).
THE LOWER, FAR RIGHT PORTION OF PLATE 14 (PANEL 2) IS VISIBLE IN THIS PHOTO.
THIS PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS THE EXPOSED NATURE OF THIS AREA OF THE FATE BELL SHELTER COMPLEX.

The Following Group of Photos Corresponds to Kirkland’s Plate 12 and Seminole Park Signage Panel 3.  One part (No. 4) of Plate 12 is Pretty Well Preserved, But, as You Will See Below The Other Parts of This Plate Are Either So Faint They Can Barely Be Identified or Not Identified at All …

THIS PHOTO SHOWS MOST OF PLATE 12, NO. 4, AND IS THE BEST PRESERVED PANEL ON THIS PLATE. THE SEMINOLE PARK SIGNAGE IDENTIFIES IT AS PANEL 3.
DETAIL OF THE CENTER PART OF THE PANEL ABOVE.
DETAIL OF THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF PANEL 12, NO. 4.
PHOTO OF PLATE 12, NO. 2. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, YOU SEE ENOUGH DETAIL TO MATCH THE PHOTO TO KIRKLAND'S DRAWING.
THIS PHOTO SHOWS PLATE 12, NO. 3 AND IS VERY FAINT. THE BLACK SEMI-CIRCLE AT THE TOP IS CLEAR ENOUGH TO IDENTIFY AND ORIENT THIS PANEL.

The Following Group of Photos Corresponds to Kirkland’s Plate 11, Drawing No. 1 …

THIS PHOTO SHOWS MOST OF KIRKLAND'S PLATE 11, NO. 1.
DETAIL OF THE UPPER CENTER PORTION OF PLATE 11, NO. 1.
A LITTLE CLOSER LOOK AT THE UPPER LEFT PORTION OF PLATE 11, NO. 1.
DETAIL OF THE LOWER CENTER RIGHT PORTION OF PLATE 11, NO. 1.
A LITTLE CLOSER LOOK AT THE LOWER CENTER PORTION OF PLATE 11, NO. 1.
ONE LAST PHOTO OF PLATE 11, NO. 1, FOR CONTEXT...YOU CAN SEE THE BEGINNING OF PLATE 11, NO. 2, JUST TO THE RIGHT.

This Final Group of Photos Corresponds to Kirkland’s Plate 11, No. 2 and No. 3…

THIS PHOTO SHOWS THE UPPER LEFT PORTION OF PLATE 11, NO. 2.
CENTER LEFT PORTION OF PLATE 11, NO. 2.
DETAIL OF THE CENTER PORTION OF PLATE 11, NO. 2.
CENTER RIGHT PORTION OF PLATE 11, NO. 2.
MOST OF THE FAR RIGHT PORTION OF PLATE 11, NO. 2. AMAZING DETAIL AFTER ALL THESE YEARS!
THE FAR RIGHT PART OF THE PANEL DEPICTED IN PLATE 11, NO. 2.
THIS PHOTO SHOWS PLATE 11, NO. 3.

A Few Photos Showing The Landscape and Features Around The Fate Bell Complex In Seminole Canyon…

LOOKING UP CANYON FROM IN FRONT OF THE FATE BELL SHELTER. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE ROCK ART IN THE UPPER LEFT CORNER OF THIS PHOTO.
LOOKING UP CANYON FROM THE INSIDE OF THE FATE BELL SHELTER.
THIS BOULDER SITS IN FRONT OF THE FATE BELL SHELTER. IT HAS INCISED MARKS AND BEDROCK GRINDING FEATURES.

Some of Forrest Kirkland’s Drawings of the Fate Bell Complex (which he called Seminole Canyon Shelters 3 & 4)…

These drawings are from The Rock art of Texas Indians, Paintings by Forrest Kirkland, Text by W. W. Newcomb, Jr., University of Texas Press: Austin & London, 1967.  The original Kirkland drawings are at the Texas Memorial Museum at the University of Texas at Austin, Texas.  

FORREST KIRKLAND'S PLATE 11, FATE BELL SHELTER (AKA SEMINOLE CANYON, SHELTER 3).
FORREST KIRKLAND'S PLATE 12, FATE BELL SHELTER (AKA SEMINOLE CANYON, SHELTER 4).
FORREST KIRKLAND'S PLATE 13, FATE BELL SHELTER (AKA SEMINOLE CANYON, SHELTER 4).
FORREST KIRKLAND'S PLATE 14, FATE BELL SHELTER (AKA SEMINOLE CANYON, SHELTER 4).

Signage at Fate Bell Shelter, Seminole Canyon State Park…

Below are the informational signs located at the Fate Bell Shelter.  I have included photographs of them because they use different designations (ie Panel 1, 2, 3) than the original drawings and because one of the signs (Panel 2 Ceiling) contains a drawing that is not, as best as I can tell, included in the book.  

SEMINOLE CANYON S.P. SIGNAGE AT FATE BELL SHELTER: PANEL 1
SEMINOLE CANYON S.P. SIGNAGE AT FATE BELL SHELTER: PANEL 2
SEMINOLE CANYON S.P. SIGNAGE AT FATE BELL SHELTER: CEILING, PANEL 2
SEMINOLE CANYON S.P. SIGNAGE AT FATE BELL SHELTER: PANEL 3