| Driskill Mountain | |
|---|---|
 Driskill Mountain Summit, May 2011 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 535 ft (163 m) NGVD 29[1] |
| Prominence | 225 ft (69 m)[1] |
| Listing | U.S. state high point 48th |
| Coordinates | 32°25′29″N92°53′51″W / 32.4245981°N 92.8973794°W /32.4245981; -92.8973794[2] |
| Geography | |
  Driskill Mountain Driskill Mountain (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Hike |
Driskill Mountain (also referred to as Mount Driskill) is the highest natural summit inLouisiana, with an elevation of 535 ft (163 m) above sea level.[3] It lies about 5.3 mi (8.5 km) southeast ofBryceland, inBienville Parish. A largepile of rocks marks the high point. When comparing thehighest point of elevation in each state, this mountain places Louisiana at third lowest - only Florida (Britton Hill) and Delaware (Ebright Azimuth) have lowerhighest points of elevation.
Driskill Mountain is a landform created by the erosion of unlithifiedPaleogenesediment. Its summit consists of nonmarine quartz sands of theCockfield Formation. These sands overlie shallow marine and coastal clays, silts, and sands of the Cook Mountain Formation, which form the bulk of Driskill Mountain.[3]
Mountaintopflora include wildazalea anddogwood.[4]
The mountain was named for James Christopher Driskill, who was born inHenry County,Georgia, on June 27, 1817. In 1840, he married the former Eugenia Irwin Walker. In October 1859, Driskill sold his land inTroup County, Georgia, and moved his family, which by then consisted of his wife, eight boys, and one girl, to Louisiana. By December 1859, Driskill had purchased in Louisiana 324 acres (1.31 km2), which included Driskill Mountain. During theAmerican Civil War, Driskill served in the Home Guard. His eldest son, William B. Driskill, was killed in action at theBattle of the Wilderness inVirginia on May 5, 1864. Another one of his sons, James B. Driskill, disappeared after he had left Louisiana to fight in the Civil War. Except for one son and daughter, Driskill's family remained in Bienville Parish, and his descendants still live in the area.[3] Among his most notable descendants is Col. Joe G. Driskill - recipient of theDistinguished Flying Cross by President Jimmy Carter in 1970. Driskill also played number 45 for the1960-1961 St. Louis Cardinals.Dakota Driskill, granddaughter of Col. Joe G. Driskill, is a writer and solo performance artist sharing stories of girlhood, belonging, loss and friendship, and the agrarian way of life she learned on the mountain through her collection of poetry titled, “The Tall Tales of Driskill Mountain.”
Jimmie Davis and his band playedYou Are My Sunshine at the summit. Davis became governor of Louisiana just five years after the performance and the song became the state song of Louisiana.[4]
Media related toDriskill Mountain at Wikimedia Commons
