E A R LY T O W N C E NT E R I N T E R P R E T IV E SIGN COLLECTION
W H A T I T S AY S As a stream moves over the landscape it creates micro-habitats — small-scale areas in the stream that differ and support distinct kinds of life. Riffles are shallow areas with swift currents where the water is turbulent. This turbulence mixes more oxygen in the water and ruffles are often very biologically productive. Areas of moderate depth and speed are called runs and deeper pools provide habitat for larger fish. Rocks, large and small, provide secure shelter. Plants, such as water willow, and woody debris provide shelter as well as food for many creatures.
W H A T I T S AY S Look carefully as you walk along this area and you should be able to spot some of these common insects and spiders. Some will be flying, hopping, crawling, or being very still doing their best just to blend in. There are so many shapes, colors and patterns to our local creepycrawlies that you may just think you are in a jungle.
W H A T I T S AY S The Pecan Bayou, is one of the five major tributaries of the Colorado River. The slowmoving stream is fed by over twenty creeks. Pecan Bayou begins southeast of Abilene and flows over largely flat terrain into Lake Brownwood, then into the Colorado River and the Highland Lakes. This 2,200-square-mile watershied is larger than the state of Delaware and is one of the few Texas bayous west of the Gulf Coast. Lake Brownwood was created in 1932 as a water supply for Brownwood and surrounding communities. Lake Brownwood is a 7,300-acre reservoir created by damming the Pecan Bayou. Lake Brownwood has a water shed of over 1,500 square miles. The lake is maintained, patrolled and operated by the Brown County Water Improvement District (BCWID). Below the lake the bayou runs between the city’s of Brownwood and Early, and enters the Colorado River in Mills County Ninety miles southeast of its headwaters (origins).
W H A T I T S AY S As a stream moves over the landscape it creates micro-habitats — small-scale areas in the stream that differ and support distinct kinds of life. Riffles are shallow areas with swift currents where the water is turbulent. This turbulence mixes more oxygen in the water and ruffles are often very biologically productive. Areas of moderate depth and speed are called runs and deeper pools provide habitat for larger fish. Rocks, large and small, provide secure shelter. Plants, such as water willow, and woody debris provide shelter as well as food for many creatures.
W H A T I T S AY S Pecans are widely popular nuts, harvested and sold around the world, to be eaten alone, in nut mixes, or in tasty desserts. The Pecan is the state tree of Texas.As daylight gets shorter and the temperature changes, their leaves stop making food, the chlorophyll breaks down, and the leaves turn yellow. The yellow coloration is a chemical called xanthophyll, which is always present in the leaf, but only shows itself when the chlorophyll disappears. As a result of the lack of food the Pecan will lose their leaves in the fall.In the fall, pecan trees also make.... Nuts. Pecan nuts are a dry fruit, in which the "meat" of the nut is the seed that we eat. Pecans begin growing on the trees with a green "husk" or coat on the outside. This coat eventually peels off, revealing the hard, brown nut that we know so well.Eventually the nuts fall to the ground where animals like squirrels, blue jays, opossums, and other animals eat them or store them for winter food. Theses nuts are a big reliable source of fat, protein, and calories available during the winter when food is scarce.
W H A T I T S AY S Texas lakes and bayous offer habitat for a wide variety of fish. Baitfish and sport fish tend to gather around plants and structures, while predator fish like bass and crappie tend to swim the edges looking for prey. Catfish like hidden cavities while bass and sunfish build nests for spawning out in the open on shallow water pebble beds. The sale of annual fishing licenses helps to support fishing and protect fish and their habitats.
W H A T I T S AY S Blue, orange, red, black… spots, squiggles, bars, stripes… butterflies are amazing! Produced by tiny scales arranged like roof shingles on their wings, these bright colors and flashy patterns serve several purposes. Their wings help them identify and attract mates and can help absorb heat from the sun. For some, the pattern also serves as camouflage by helping it blend in with its surroundings. Others attempt to confuse predators by revealing “eye spots” on their wings that make them look like a larger animal.Some patterns also indicate that certain species are poisonous or distasteful due to the plants they eat as caterpillars.
W H A T I T S AY S Listen, can you hear them? Our local songbirds are conversing all around us! Marvel at the vibrant red-bellied woodpecker and his percussive beats as they forage for food high in the trees. Listen carefully for the metallic “clip” call of the cardinals as mates and offspring call to one another. Heed the busy vireos chatter as they hunt for insects deep in the brush. Witness the majestic Scissor-tailed flycatcher in its aerial dance as it catches insects. Glimpse the charming Bewick's wren and blackcrested titmouse as they protest intruders in their territory from the trees above.
W H A T I T S AY S Your distance north or south from the equator affects the angle the sun's rays hit the ground in the place you are located. This angle will change the location and the length of your shadow. At 12:00 PM, your shadow points to true North (as opposed to magnetic North). At 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM, your shadow points due West and due East, respectively. The sundial is set to standard time. Daylight Saving Time is off by an hour. Texas Midwest Community Network's leadership program enables students to lead, design, and fundraise for a legacy project in their community. The 2023 project, "Time to Shine," is a sundial that exhibits unique features such as column time markers (hourly: 7:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the evening), an artistic rock garden, and a legacy time capsule to open on Early's 100th year of incorporation. The project also features engraved bricks that were purchased by community members seeking to leave their own lasting footprint. For thousands of years, humans have been devising methods and devices to use the sun and its shadow patterns to tell time. The "Time to Shine" project is a horizontal sundial. This type of sundial may be laid out to strict mathematical calculations based on the geographical area of where it is located on Earth. The geometry of the sundial is based upon the path that the sun appears to follow in the sky throughout the year in a given location. The geometric path, similar to an infinity symbol, is called an analema. The sun's path is not actually changing; the Earth's elliptical orbit and tilt create this illusion. The sun's movement in the sky causes the shadow (as well as the seasons, weather, and climate) to change throughout the year. The shadow appears shorter during the summer when the sun is higher in the sky and longer in the winter when the sun is lower in the sky.
W H A T I T S AY S Mammals that frequent riparian habitats will use the stream not only for water, but for food and sometimes even shelter. Those that live in the water, such as the beaver, often have adaptations such as thick, dense fur and webbed toes. Other mammals use the stream for food such as the raccoon, eating crayfish and other animals in the shallows. The Mexican free-tailed bat doesn’t like to get wet but can be found eating insects as it swoops over the stream.
W H A T I T S AY S In 1880, it was announced that railroad tracks were to be laid into Brown County. The area had struggled for thirty years to become the trade center of Central Texas. The first train rolled into Brown County on December 1, 1885 and regular train service began in February 1886. By 1910, the Santa Fe Depot was built and became the junction of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe, and Frisco Railways. By World War II, 15 passenger trains were passing through the depot, connecting Texas by rail with the rest of the country.By law, the passenger trains were required to stop at each town that had a station. Residents along the tracks boarded the passenger train to make a visit, to shop or to make connections to other destinations. The ride was faster and more comfortable than the horse and buggy.January 1, 1912: The City of May celebrated the completion of the Brownwood North and South lines of the Frisco Railway. The first trip carried 500 Brownwood boosters to May in six coach train cars. Passenger service continued until 1925. The railroad to May was abandoned in 1927. A portion of the trestle bridge can still be seen today.
W H A T I T S AY S Shallow ponds are valuable water sources for wildlife such as toads, frogs, snakes, turtles, and invertebrates. Wetlands are also home to many amphibians and reptiles, as well as a wide variety of other animals—from tiny aquatic insects to fish, shorebirds, and waterfowl. Many species of waterfowl and migratory birds depend on small ponds and wetlands for resting, nesting, and a good meal during the year. Every spring and fall, over 300 species make up the 1 billion individual birds that migrate through Texas. Some birds travel only a few miles, while others migrate all the way from Alaska to Brazil every year! Local ponds and wetlands provide critical stops to feed and rest along the way. From hummingbirds to waterfowl, all birds are dependent on water sources year-round, but during migration is when you can find both variety and great numbers.
W H A T I T S AY S Birds of prey are carnivorous, meaning that they eat other animals. Hawks, falcons, kites, and owls have features that make them adept hunters of small animals, particularly rodents. These birds use their keen eyes to detect their prey while in flight. They have strong feet and talons that they use to grasp and kill their prey. Finally, they have curved beaks used for tearing pieces of meat to feed themselves or their offspring. What about the turkey vultures? They are helpful scavengers, responsible for cleaning up our landscape by consuming meat from dead or rotating animal. Their bald heads help for easy clean up from this messy task! Next time you see a bird of prey soaring high above, be sure to thank them for their service to our ecosystem!
MORE SIGNS COMING SOON