Press

Why the IO

Topics in the IO

Illinois' Native America Past

Nauvoo IL an easy drive from Elmwood

Spring Mill Indiana

Central Park Trees

Treebeard's Prophecy

Editorial Notes

Past IO Topics

 

birdman

Cahokia Bird Man

Symbol used for Visitor Center

just email: The Steve

Good Family Trips

Cahokia is 190 miles from Elmwood. Cahokia was the center city of a far flung culture. The museum itself has illustrative exhibits of life in Cahokia. The mounds are very impressive when you consider they were constructed one seventy pound pack of dirt at a time. The placement of the mounds is strictly geometric some mounds were discovered estimating vertices from known mound locations. Excavations have discovered what is called woodhenge a calendar of wooden poles.

cahokia

The multimedia presentation is nice. I do not know if it has changed, since our visit six years ago. Discoveries are being made every year and although much is known many questions remain with out explanation. Mound building cultures still existed when Spanish explorers tromped through Alabama. Cahokia ceased to exist long before European explorations. The Cahokia population peaked about 1200 AD. Cahokia itself had a population of 15,000 and the connected communities are estimated to bring this city to about 40,000. Compare this population with the early United States whose largest city, Philadelphia, first exceeded 40,000 in 1800.

carving

Cahokia near St Louis can be a trip that also includes a Cardinal baseball game, zoo visit, science center, or a play; Mary Poppins will be in St Louis August 13th through August 30th. Also a new Lewis and Clark Museum is very near Cahokia Mounds...

Top HatClick to Read Next Page