Necedah

Go next

• Cranberry Creek Mound Group is a large complex of mounds built by Native Americans about ten miles north of Necedah. It consists of hundreds of low conical mounds arranged in lines, a bird effigy mound with a wingspan of 125 feet, and a bear or panther effigy. Archaeologists believe these mounds were constructed from 200 to 800 CE. They are notable for the large number of mounds, and for their rustic setting. Rather than a mowed park, these mounds lie in a wild, brushy clearing owned by the Department of Natural Resources. To get there, follow the instructions on the DNR web page linked above. Then either drive or walk in a quarter mile from the sign to where 7th Street crosses the drainage channel. From there continue a few hundred yards to where the first trail, large enough for an ATV, angles off to the southwest. Follow that trail on foot into the complex. You should start seeing mounds immediately. Wear boots and long pants to protect against blackberry brambles. If you go when the leaves are off, the mounds will be easier to discern, and you'll meet fewer mosquitoes and ticks. Winter may be the best time to visit.