Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site

Wickliffe Mounds is the archaeological site of a prehistoric Native American village of the Mississippian mound builders. Located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi river, the village was occupied from about AD 1100 to 1350. The Mississippians built a complex settlement with permanent houses and earthen mounds situated around a central plaza. They farmed the river bottoms and participated in a vast trade network. They also buried their dead here with dignity and respect. After the 1300’s the Mississippians at Wickliffe Mounds abandoned the village. In 1932, amateur archaeologist Colonel Fain W. King purchased the site and began excavating the mounds. Later joined by his wife, Blanche Busey King, they continued their excavations and operated the site as a tourist attraction known as the Ancient Buried City. Picnicking and hiking are among the amenities that visitors can enjoy.