Effigy Mounds National Monument facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Effigy Mounds National Monument |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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Big Bear Mound at Effigy Mounds National Monument
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 Effigy Mounds National Monument
Location in Iowa
Effigy Mounds National Monument
Location in the United States
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| Location | Allamakee / Clayton Counties, Iowa, USA |
| Nearest city | Marquette, Iowa and Dubuque, Iowa |
| Area | 9.78 km2 (3.78 sq mi) |
| Created | October 25, 1949 |
| Visitors | 77,195 (in 2016) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Effigy Mounds National Monument |
Effigy Mounds National Monument is a special place in Iowa, United States. It protects over 200 ancient mounds built by Native Americans long ago. Many of these mounds are shaped like animals, such as bears and birds. These unique earthworks were mostly built about 1,000 to 2,000 years ago by people from the Woodland Culture. In 2017, these amazing mounds were even shown on a special US quarter.
The monument is mostly in Allamakee County, Iowa. A small part is in Clayton County, Iowa. The park's visitor center is in Harpers Ferry, Iowa, just north of Marquette.
Contents
Ancient Mounds and Their Shapes
Many old earthworks built by mound builder cultures are found in the Midwest. But mounds shaped like animals, called effigies, are mostly found in southern Wisconsin, northeast Iowa, and parts of Minnesota and Illinois. Two famous exceptions are the Serpent Mound in Ohio and Mound A at Poverty Point in Louisiana. Mound A is shaped like a large bird flying.
Effigy Mounds National Monument is on the western edge of this effigy mound region. The North Unit has 67 mounds, and the South Unit has 29 mounds. They are easy to visit and are located where the counties meet along the Mississippi River. The Sny Magill Unit is about 11 miles (18 km) south and has 112 mounds. It does not have visitor facilities.
The monument covers about 2,526 acres (10.22 km2) and has 206 mounds in total. Thirty-one of these are effigy mounds. The largest effigy is the Great Bear Mound. It is 42 meters (138 feet) long from head to tail and rises over a meter (3 feet) above the ground.
The Effigy Mounds area in northeast Iowa was a meeting point of different natural areas. It had eastern hardwood forests and central tallgrass prairies. Native Americans and early settlers could find many natural resources here. These lands have been home to people for many centuries.
The monument is close to other natural areas. These include the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge and the Yellow River State Forest. There are also state wildlife areas, like the one at Sny Magill Creek.
Many federally recognized tribes have connections to the people who built these mounds. Their languages and cultures are tied to the ancient builders.
Native American Tribes Connected to the Mounds
Many Native American tribes are linked to the ancient people who built the mounds at this monument. These tribes include:
- Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska
- Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma
- Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Oklahoma
- Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin
- Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
- Upper Sioux Community of Minnesota
- Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community In the State of Minnesota
- Lower Sioux Indian Community of Mdewakanton Sioux Indians of Minnesota
- Prairie Island Indian Community In the State of Minnesota
- Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa
- Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska
- Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma
- Crow Creek Sioux of South Dakota
- Omaha Tribe of Nebraska
- Santee Sioux of Nebraska
- Standing Rock Sioux of North Dakota
- Yankton Sioux of South Dakota
- Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate
- Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe
- Ponca Tribe of Nebraska
Visiting Effigy Mounds National Monument
The visitor center is at the park entrance. It has museum exhibits with ancient tools and natural items. There is also an auditorium and a gift shop. The park has 14 miles (23 km) of hiking trails for visitors to explore. There are no paved roads for cars inside the park.
Park rangers offer guided hikes and show how ancient tools were made. These activities are usually available from mid-June through Labor Day weekend. Educational programs can also be arranged by appointment.
The monument has beautiful natural areas. These include forests, tallgrass prairies, wetlands, and rivers. There are no places to stay or camp inside the park. However, great camping is available nearby at Pikes Peak State Park and Yellow River State Forest in Iowa. Wyalusing State Park in Wisconsin is also close by.
The monument is very near the town of Marquette, Iowa. It is also just across the Mississippi River from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. You can find hotels and other facilities in these towns.
Effigy Mounds was named a National Monument on October 25, 1949. Charles R. Keyes and Ellison Orr, who were archaeologists, helped survey and map the area. Their work showed how important it was to protect these sites.
The Unique Driftless Area
Effigy Mounds National Monument is located in a special region called the Driftless Area. This part of North America was not covered by glaciers during the last ice age. Because of this, it looks different from much of the surrounding land. The nearby Driftless Area National Wildlife Refuge is named after this unique region.
The National Park Service explains that this area has very old traces of glaciers from over 500,000 years ago. Unlike most of Iowa, the Driftless Area was missed by the most recent glaciers. This allowed its fast-moving streams to carve deep valleys into the bedrock. The area has thin soil, deep river valleys, and karst features like sinkholes, caves, and springs.
See also
In Spanish: Monumento Nacional Effigy Mounds para niños
