Palace Site facts for kids

The Palace Site is an amazing ancient place in Des Moines, Iowa. It's about 7,000 years old! This site shows us where some of the oldest houses west of the Mississippi River were built. It also holds the oldest human burial ever found in Iowa. Since 2011, archaeologists have found over 6,000 ancient objects here, including human bones.

Discovering the Past

This special site was found when a new water treatment plant was being built. When big building projects get government permission or money, archaeologists are often called. They check the area for any important old sites before construction begins.

What Was Found?

During the construction, workers found ancient objects. This led to the discovery of the Palace Site. By 2011, over 6,000 ancient objects had been found here. These finds included human bones, which tell us about the people who lived there long ago.

Why is the Palace Site Important?

The Palace Site is very special because it helps us understand ancient life in North America. You can watch a short video about the dig on YouTube.

According to Bill Whittaker, one of the leaders of the dig, the site was truly amazing. He said that finding such well-preserved ancient houses from this time is very rare. Especially west of the Mississippi River Valley, discoveries like this are almost unheard of.