10-21-09 Florence AL – Indian Museum and Mound

[Rick] Today we rode our bikes to the Florence Indian Museum and Native Mound. You will recall that this area has a long and deep tradition with the Indians. The Creeks, Choctaws, and Cherokee all had settlements here at one time or another. The area is filled with burial sites and archeological digs regarding the tribes. The first tribes here came over on the land bridge from Russia, through Canada, and into the various parts of North and South America. There is evidence of Indian activity as far back as 10,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age.

Upon arriving at the Museum, the mound is very overwhelming. The mound measures forty-three feet high with a base of 310 by 230 feet. It is huge. This is a ceremonial, not a burial, mound and at one time the chief may have had a lodge on the top. It was certainly used for medicine purposes as many artifacts were found on the top, including a mortar and pestle and various types of pottery. Now long gone, the mound was once surrounded by a wall, fifteen feet tall and 12 feet wide. This helped in times of river flooding for protection of the mound.

In addition to the tribes living here, this was a depot for rounding up and holding Indians to begin the Trail of Tears. Every year in September, a motorcycle ride retracing part of the Trail of Tears is held. The trail comes through Tuscumbia and a huge rally and celebration is held at Spring Park, which we visited a couple of days ago. We are told that as many as 30,000 motorcycles are in the ride and the parade through town takes about 4 hours.

I have included a picture of a letter from Chief Seattle to President Pierce regarding the US Government taking the Indian lands. It is quite poignant how this “savage” is so eloquent and in tune with nature.

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The Museum is just a short walk to the Florence City Park, which overlooks the Tennessee River.

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Top of the Mound.......