Texas drought exposes sunken treasures as drying lakes shrink to reveal submerged historical sites
Johnny C. Parks died two days before his first birthday more than a century ago. His grave slipped from sight, along with the rest of the tiny town of Bluffton, when Lake Buchanan was filled 55 years later.
Now, the cracked marble tombstone - engraved with the date October 15, 1882, which is normally covered by 20 to 30 feet of water - has been eerily exposed as a year-long drought shrinks one of Texas' largest lakes, north-west of Austin.
Across the state, receding lakes have revealed a prehistoric skull, ancient tools, fossils and a small cemetery that appears to contain the graves of freed slaves.
Some of the discoveries have attracted interest from local historians and looters alike. More than two dozen thieves have been arrested at one site.
Pat Mercado-Allinger, the Texas Historical Commission's archeological division director, said: 'In an odd way, this drought has provided an opportunity to view and document, where appropriate, some of these finds and understand what they consist of.
'Most people in Texas probably didn't realise what was under these lakes.'
Texas finished its driest 12 months ever with an average of 8.5 inches of rain through September, nearly 13inches below normal.
