Herb's Bio

Herbert Elliott, a native of the Mid-Ohio Valley in West Virginia found his first artifact at the age of six. Curiosity prompted him to ask questions learning that his find was within yards of a mountainside freshwater spring. From that time forward Herb used specific natural locations as a key to human activity. It was a simple conclusion that mankind relied upon three basic requirements, water, food and shelter. Upon entering our country crossing the Bering Straits land bridge some 15,000 years ago, our prehistoric residents followed the “trail of the megafauna” (large animals). These animals required water sources such as rivers, lakes and ponds. The network of water sources stretched across what is today Alaska, Canada and the United States.

Upon arriving at their new home site, the Heritage Pines Community in Hudson, Florida, Herb and Paula Elliott, the community's first residents, experienced the initial construction stages. Sixty three retention areas were developed to manage storm water runoff ranging in depth of ten to fifteen feet. These constructed areas unearthed cultures dating back several thousand years. A further point of interest were three ancient sinkholes one of which was 237 feet in diameter. Questions directed to their real estate agent resulted in learning that artifacts had been found in the near vicinity of the large sinkhole. Their search began in 1999 and continued until 2004. The rest is a matter of record identified by the State of Florida as a Paleo Site # 8PA596 also known as the Elliott Site after a donation of 4,000 artifacts by Herb and Paula Elliott.