Georgia: Kolomoki Indian Mounds

temple mound - 18 aug 2012

Last weekend, the girls and I loaded up Evie for a weekend of camping at Kolomoki Mounds Historic Park as part of Camille’s native cultures in Georgia.

From Kolomoki Mounds Historic Park:

This historically significant park is the oldest and largest Woodland Indian site in the southeastern United States, occupied by American Indians from 350 to 750 a.d. Georgia’s oldest great temple mound, standing 57 feet high, dominates two smaller burial mounds and several ceremonial mounds. The park’s museum is built around an excavated mound, providing an unusual setting for learning who these people were and how they lived. Inside, visitors will find numerous artifacts and a film.

As we drove into the park, we found a series of eight mounds, some very large and others small. The museum was closed when we arrived, but Camille and I walked over the next morning. The museum is built into the side of an excavated mound. Camille was more than excited to watch a movie about the mound while sitting inside of it. The museum displays are impressive, but I found the old maps to be fascinating (I missed my cartographer calling I think).

The “trail” through the mounds is non-existent. I don’t know if this is a conservation issue or a budget issue, but with all the tick-borne diseases in south Georgia this year, I was not thrilled about all the tall grasses through which we had to wend our way. The stairs up to the top of the temple mound was also overgrown as was the top of the mound.

It is amazing to learn about all the ancient cultures that once inhabited Georgia. There are mounds everywhere!

inside mound - 18 aug 2012

museum - 18 aug 2012

museum mound - 18 aug 2012