Velda Mound facts for kids
 Location in Florida
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| Location | Tallahassee, Florida, Leon County, Florida,  USA |
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| Region | Leon County, Florida |
| Coordinates | 30°30′4.39″N 84°13′19.78″W / 30.5012194°N 84.2221611°W |
| History | |
| Founded | 1450 |
| Abandoned | 1625 |
| Cultures | Fort Walton Culture, Apalachee |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1970s, 1980s |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural styles | platform mound |
| Responsible body: State of Florida | |
The Velda Mound (8LE44) is an important Native American archaeological site in northern Tallahassee, Florida. An archaeological site is a place where people lived long ago, and we can learn about them from the things they left behind.
This site was first used by people from the Fort Walton Culture. This group was a part of the larger Mississippian culture. Later, the Apalachee tribe lived here. Today, the State of Florida owns and protects Velda Mound as a park.
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Who Lived at Velda Mound?
The Velda Mound was built around the year 1450 by the Fort Walton people. Their descendants, the Apalachee tribe, continued to live there until about 1625. The Spanish explorers who came to Florida called this area the Apalachee Province. This name showed how powerful the Apalachee tribe was. Other important places, like the Lake Jackson Mounds and the main Apalachee center called Anhaica, were also in this province.
What Was the Mound Used For?
The main feature of the site is a large platform mound. Experts believe this mound was likely the home of a village leader. A village with many homes surrounded the mound. The people living in the village grew their own food. They had small family gardens and also worked together on large communal farming fields nearby. They grew many types of plants, including maize (corn), beans, and squash.
Why Was Velda Mound Abandoned?
The indigenous peoples stopped living at Velda Mound around 1565. This was when the Spanish Mission Period began. One reason they might have left was that they used up the natural resources nearby. For example, they needed trees for building homes and for firewood. The soil might have also become less fertile for farming.
When resources ran low, these groups would often move to new, more fertile lands. This allowed the older areas to recover. There is no sign that Spanish or British colonists ever lived on the mound after the Native Americans left.
How Was the Mound Discovered and Protected?
In the 1950s, a large dairy farm called Velda Dairy owned much of northern Leon County, including the mound. During this time, people looking for artifacts (old objects) dug into the mound. This damaged its inside and changed its structure.
Later, the dairy property was sold to build new homes. Luckily, the mound has since been repaired and is now owned by the state of Florida. It is located in the Arbor Hill neighborhood, which is part of the Killearn Estates area.
