Only in Arkansas: Toltec Mounds
By: Wendy Suares, KARK 4 News
Updated: September 19, 2012
Toltec Mounds, one of the most impressive archeological sites in the region, is just a short drive from Little Rock.
The three large Indian mounds stand out in the landscape near Scott, Arkansas, but at one time there were 18 of them.
Robin Gabe says, "15 of those 18 mounds were either destroyed or nearly destroyed just by modern activity. There was a lot of farming that went on out here."
The name "Toltec" is a bit misleading. "It was actually a group historians have named the "Plumb Bayou" Indians that lived in the area a thousand years ago.
"At certain times throughout the year, this is where they'd come to have celebrations and political gatherings," said Gabe. "This is what I think of as their capitol city a thousand years ago."
The tallest mound rises 50 feet high. The mounds are filled entirely with dirt the Indians hauled in from a nearby wooded area. At one point the mounds were surrounded by an eight feet tall embankment, part of which is still in tact.
Along with taking a self-guided tour, visitors can learn much more inside the museum where artifacts are displayed, including some arrowheads recovered from the area.
"We have activities for kids to do inside the museum, so it's a fun place for all age groups to check out," said park interpreter Laura Lawrence.
Saturday, Sept. 22 is a great time to visit Toltec Mounds as they hold their Fall Equinox celebration. Special activities are planned starting at 3:00 p.m., then you can watch the sunset over the tallest mound in Arkansas.
For more information, click here.
The three large Indian mounds stand out in the landscape near Scott, Arkansas, but at one time there were 18 of them.
Robin Gabe says, "15 of those 18 mounds were either destroyed or nearly destroyed just by modern activity. There was a lot of farming that went on out here."
The name "Toltec" is a bit misleading. "It was actually a group historians have named the "Plumb Bayou" Indians that lived in the area a thousand years ago.
"At certain times throughout the year, this is where they'd come to have celebrations and political gatherings," said Gabe. "This is what I think of as their capitol city a thousand years ago."
The tallest mound rises 50 feet high. The mounds are filled entirely with dirt the Indians hauled in from a nearby wooded area. At one point the mounds were surrounded by an eight feet tall embankment, part of which is still in tact.
Along with taking a self-guided tour, visitors can learn much more inside the museum where artifacts are displayed, including some arrowheads recovered from the area.
"We have activities for kids to do inside the museum, so it's a fun place for all age groups to check out," said park interpreter Laura Lawrence.
Saturday, Sept. 22 is a great time to visit Toltec Mounds as they hold their Fall Equinox celebration. Special activities are planned starting at 3:00 p.m., then you can watch the sunset over the tallest mound in Arkansas.
For more information, click here.
