Oh, yes, it really is – another Indian Mounds site – this one set on the Kentucky side of the Mississippi River, almost directly across from Cairo, IL. And, yes, I do have a fascination with these historic sites of the first residents of our fair country. But each one is different, and this one has a big twist – one of the mounds was excavated in the 1930’s and is still open today. The only other place I’ve seen this is at Kolomoli Mounds in southern Alabama. We would no do this today, of course, we would be more respectful of an ancient burial site. But it was a different world in the 1930’s, and back then, this was what archeologists did.
It was a warm, windy day when I reached Wickliffe, after a week of heading north and west. It is a state historic site, so it comes equipped with a ranger to answer any questions. And under the roof of a long narrow low building are the results of the 1930’s excavation. They found so many artifacts, it really was a treasure trove of information about the then almost unknown Mississippian Indians culture.
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Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site
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An unexcavated mound.
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The building protecting the excavation.
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Some of the many artifacts.
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The Mississippi River.
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