Great River Road
Follow the Great River Road for Native American History

Follow the Great River Road into the past as you explore remnants and reconstructions of the Mississippi River region’s rich Native American history. From Minnesota to Mississippi, count on the byway to connect you to enlightening museum exhibits, sacred mound sites, famously tragic trails, ancient culture displays, and exciting interactive events.

In the byway’s northernmost state, celebrate 150 years of Minnesota history at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul. Stop and take in the Tales of the Territory exhibit, which features facts about the Dakota (Sioux), Ojibwa (Chippewa), and Ho Chunk (Winnebago) cultures and how they shaped today’s Minnesota.

When humans first came to southwestern Wisconsin, they discovered a "driftless" area (one free of glaciers), where they found caves and overhangs to shelter them from the harsh climate. View the murals that they etched into the stone as you tour the riverside bluffs near Trempealeau Mountain and Perrot State Park. While some of this artwork has eroded due to time and vandalism, several distinct figures of birds, fish, and other animals remain as links to the forgotten past.

You can observe the process of unearthing Native American history at Wisconsin’s Mississippi Valley Archeology Center. Choose to peruse the museum or to observe archaeologists in action at the archeology labs. But check their schedule on their website or call before you visit to make sure they are in the labs and not out in the field.

If you prefer to encounter enduring history first-hand along the Great River Road, take a hike or walk at Iowa’s Effigy Mounds. Here you can witness the mysterious animal-shaped mounds of earth constructed by moundbuilding cultures of the late woodland period. Speculate on why ancient people built these sacred mounds as you explore the many mound sites and stop by the visitor center to see interesting films and exhibits.

Another site that allows you to step into a Native American past, Cahokia Mounds in Illinois, will have you attempting to answer the yet unsolved mysteries of the historic site. Flourishing from 700 to 1400 A.D., the Mississippian culture that built these mounds suddenly disappeared. Visit the Cahokia Mounds United Nations World Heritage Site near Collinsville, IL. Learn of life in this forgotten city which was once an ancient New World capital, featuring thousands of pole and thatch homes and a two-mile log palisade wall. The central feature of Cahokia Mounds is the hundred-foot tall Monks Mound, the largest prehistoric earthen construction in the new world. Archaeologists estimate that Monks Mound was built in many stages over a three-hundred-year period to build with ancient builders hauling twenty-two million cubic feet of earth one wicker basket at a time, making it an architectural marvel comparable to the great cathedrals of Europe. Imagine what their mysterious life was like as you stroll along the visitor trails, through the ancient city, past the various mounds, and into the interpretive center.

Journey to Missouri’s Trail of Tears State Park. Walk along a segment of this route and pay tribute to the Native American victims of the forced relocation at the Bushyhead Memorial. The park also offers great equestrian trails, backpacking opportunities, and campgrounds.

On the southern portion of the Great River Road, stop off at Arkansas Post National Park. Discover this historic town site and the surrounding area by exploring the museum, joining a guided tour, or witnessing a historic weapon demonstration. Scope out the wildlife, including raccoons, deer, muskrat, and even alligators, which brought early hide-trading Europeans into the Quapaw tribe’s territory.

For years, archaeologists have reconstructed the past from surviving remnants of previous civilizations. When viewed together with their surroundings, small clues such as pottery shards, weapon making tools, and pipe bowls unlock the secrets of the past. Visit Hampson Museum State Park in Arkansas to understand how shards of pottery recovered from an ancient civilization, including a rare Mississippian effigy head vessel, can bring you a better understanding of the past.

For a free, fun, and historically fascinating exploration of the Natchez culture, look no further than the Natchez Grand Village in Mississippi. Located at the Lower Mississippi end of the byway, you will find not only a reconstructed Natchez home, ceremonial mounds, and a museum, but also annual events including the annual Natchez Powwow, Summer Film Series, Discovery Week, Student Days, and the 11th Moon Storytelling.

Meandering through the states, the Great River Road unites the traveler of today with the Native Americans of the past. Experience history for yourself at any or all of the worthwhile stops on this historically rich byway.

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