10/19/2025
Hidden beneath the limestone hills north of Austin, the Gault Site continues to transform what we know about the first Texans—and some of the earliest people in the Americas. Along Buttermilk Creek near Florence, archeologists have uncovered traces of human life going back as far as 22,000 years, extending our understanding of prehistory well beyond the Clovis era.
Over years of careful excavation, researchers and volunteers have unearthed millions of artifacts, from expertly crafted stone tools to engraved limestone cobbles—recognized as the oldest known examples of portable art in North America. These discoveries reveal a story of resilience and adaptation when Ice Age hunter-gatherers made their homes along today's Texas waterways.
The site's preservation is due largely to archeologist Dr. Michael Collins, whose commitment to saving Gault spanned decades. Collins ultimately purchased the land himself so it could be protected through the Archaeological Conservancy and studied by the Gault School of Archaeological Research.
The documentary The Stones Are Speaking shares the story of Dr. Collins, the Gault Site, and how these findings continue to reshape our understanding of human history. It screens weekends through October 26 at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin.
📸: Gault Site tour led by Dr. Collins / Texas State Historical Association
