Hampson Archeological Museum State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hampson Archeological Museum State Park |
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Hampson Museum, 2010
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 Hampson Archeological Museum State Park
Location in Arkansas
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| Location | Wilson, Mississippi, Arkansas Delta, Arkansas, United States |
| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Established | 1961 |
| Named for | James K. Hampson |
| Governing body | Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism |
| Website | [1] |
Hampson Archeological Museum State Park is a 5-acre (2.0 ha) state park in Mississippi County, Arkansas. This park is home to a museum filled with amazing archeological finds. These items come from the Nodena Site. The Nodena Site was once a Native American village. It was located on the Mississippi River between the years 1400 and 1650.
A local landowner named James K. Hampson started digging at the site in the 1920s. He wanted to learn more about the ancient village. A museum was built in 1946 to show off these discoveries. The state of Arkansas officially took over the collection in 1957. The park first opened in 1961. It was originally called Hampson Museum State Park. The museum is named after Dr. James K. Hampson.
Exploring the Ancient Nodena Village
Imagine a village from long ago, around 1400 to 1650 CE. This was the Nodena village. It was about 5 mi (8 km) east of Wilson, Arkansas. The village was built on a bend of the Mississippi River. It was also surrounded by a palisade. A palisade is a strong fence made of tall wooden posts. This fence helped protect the village.
In the early 1900s, many ancient items were found at the Nodena Site. These items are called artifacts. They tell us a lot about the Nodena people. You can see many of these artifacts at the Hampson Museum State Park.
The museum helps us understand the culture of the Nodena people. They lived in a 15-acre (6.1 ha) village. The exhibits show how they grew crops and hunted. They also teach about their social life, religion, and politics. It's like stepping back in time to learn about their daily lives.
In 1964, the Nodena Site was recognized as a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important historical place in the United States. Two years later, in 1966, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect important historical sites.
Another ancient village from the same time is the Parkin Indian Mound. It is about 30 mi (50 km) southwest of Wilson. It's another great place to learn about early Native American life in Arkansas.
Meet Dr. James K. Hampson
The museum is named after Dr. James K. Hampson (1877-1956). He owned the land where the Nodena Site was found. Dr. Hampson was also an archaeologist. An archaeologist is someone who studies human history by digging up old things. He worked hard to dig up and save the artifacts from the Nodena Site.
Dr. Hampson didn't just find artifacts from the Nodena village. In 1900, he also found something amazing nearby. He discovered the skeleton of a prehistoric mastodon. This was about 2 mi (3.2 km) south of the Nodena site.
The Amazing Mastodon Discovery
Mastodons were huge, ancient animals. They looked a lot like modern elephants. But mastodons lived long, long ago. They were native to North America. Scientists believe they lived on the continent for almost 4 million years. They disappeared about 10,000 years ago. This means they are now extinct.
In 1900, Dr. James K. Hampson found the bones of a mastodon. He found them on Island No. 35 in the Mississippi River. This spot was 2 mi (3.2 km) south of the Nodena site. It was also 23 mi (37 km) south of Blytheville, Arkansas.
Sadly, the site where the mastodon was found was later destroyed. But some of the fossilized bones from this discovery are still safe. You can see them on display at the Hampson Museum State Park.
The museum was closed in 2017. It moved to a new building in the city square of Wilson. It was planned to reopen in the summer of 2018. You can call 870-655-8622 for more information.
