In 1836 when it was first surveyed by the writer and its measurements taken; its walls were pretty well preserved and growing from the ramparts were large trees, some four feet in diameter.
The second is the tradition truly handed down from some time in the last century, of an encounter between the whites and the Indians which occurred at a place on the head of Paint Creek within Raleigh County well known in early days by the name of the "Painted Trees." The Indians used this place as a favorite place of encampment as they went to and fro on their War Parties to Greenbrier and Monroe counties.
They had stripped off the bark in places upon the trees and painted them with a kind of red-earth and in 1836, there were persons alive who had noticed the red paint on the trees. The last Indian War Party or expedition to the river settlements of Greenbrier and Monroe had captured some white people-among others a mother and a babe in her arms somewhere in Monroe and had retraced their way with their captives and plunder to the "Painted Trees," where they encamped and deemed themselves secure from pursuit.