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Indian Mounds Park

Black-eyed Daisies and Wild Bergamot at Indian Mounds Park, MN | Photo Credit: Robert Wicklund | View Enlarged Image

Six Native American burial mounds crown the bluffs that overlook the Mississippi. They are all that remain of over two dozen mounds and other forms of entombment that existed in the area before the encroachment of settlers. While many additions and expansions were made by later Native American civilizations such as the Dakota tribes, historians believe that the earliest ones were built by the Hopewell civilization between 1,500 and 2,000 years ago. ( citation) Knives, canoes, shells, bear teeth, pottery and food were once placed inside the mounds as offerings.

Years ago, local citizens used these burial mounds as picnic spots and sledding hills before Native Americans in the area pointed out their historic, cultural, and spiritual significance. The mounds are now fenced off, assuring the preservation of one of Minnesota's oldest man-made landmarks for generations to come.

Directions:

Park Location: Mounds Blvd, St Paul, MN

From downtown St. Paul, take 94 East, and head South (right) on Highway 61. From 61, go less than a tenth of a mile and make a right (West) on to Mounds Blvd.

Distance from St. Paul, MN: Approximately 2 miles

Regulations:

Multimedia:

View of Downtown | Indian Mounds Park, MN Indian Mound | Indian Mounds Park, MN

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