The Waffle Rock Boulder

     Once upon a time there was a rock.  This rock was different from all the other rocks, and the local natives believed it was sacred.  The years passed and the area near the rock became known as a town called Shaw.  This town was located somewhere in Mineral County, West Virginia.

Image Source: here.

     The town of Shaw had a river running through it called the Potomac.  Then one day some engineers decided to build a dam on this river.  To build this dam meant that the town of Shaw would be flooded forever, along with this magnificent rock.  In place of the town and rock would be a lake - Jennings Randolph Lake.  
     Luckily, someone realized that this rock should not be lost to the people, and decided to move it.  Unfortunately, this rock was a big one.  So it was decided that a portion of the rock, now dubbed "Waffle Rock," would be removed from the whole and saved.  
     A portion of Waffle Rock now sits on an overlook of the lake.  This rather large 'hunk' has been dubbed as the Waffle Rock boulder, and has been a tourist attraction since its placement there in 1985.  Another piece of the rock now resides at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.

Larger view of original rock.  Image Source: here.

     Waffle rock is not only interesting to look at, but it's also surrounded in mystery.  No one seems to know just how the strange geometric patterns came to be.  Of course, there are many theories out there.  To name a few:

• Carved by ancient native Americans
• Reptilian aliens
• More aliens/made a landmark
• An alien craft landed on it and left the markings behind
• Electromagnetic fields
• An electrical storm or lightning strike
• Sandstone formed cracks, and over time those cracks filled in with quarts.  Since the two rocks erode at different rates the 'waffle' appearance formed. 

     To me it looks like the inside of a beehive.  Back in prehistoric times lots of insects and animals were ginormous compared to today, so who knows, maybe this is a giant beehive fossil.  Hey, my guess could end up being the truth, right?  Unlikely.  Still, I'm glad that at least a part of it was saved and I hope to see it for myself one day.

Who doesn't like a good mystery now and then?