Now Here's Something Different: Town Creek Indian Burial Mound

 

Kim gets really curious about roadside signs pointing to unusual attractions.  On our way back to Virginia from a recent trip to Holden Beach, we spotted a sign for the Town Creek Indian Burial Mound.  This prompted memories of Kim's feelings of intrigue when presented with aerial pictures of such structures in her 6th grade social studies book.  So, Justin, being the thoughtful person he is, drove a few miles through rural North Carolina byways to find one.  And, by the way, you can definitely get there with the aid of your GPS and multiple directional brown "attraction" road signs.

About 15 minutes off 220, and we'd found the small park, an official North Carolina State Historic Site.  We were expecting some informative plaques and something hard to see; we were pleasantly surprised by the interpretation present.  There's a small staffed visitors' center that includes an exhibit with a short film, information on the mound's archeology, and the history of the site's development.  There's also a gift shop that sells, among other items, a reasonable selection of local history books and academic books related to the site.  Most significantly, there's a reconstructed Indian village including an earthen fortress protecting an actual burial mound.  You enter through a guard tower, proceed to a recreation of clan's funeral ceremony presented using wax figures and recordings, and climb the mound to a small space used for worship and ceremony.  This isn't a mound in the shape of an animal, so you will be able to experience the site directly by walking it. 

If you go, pick a day when you'll be comfortable outside for about 20-30 minutes if possible.  Know you'll be "off the beaten path"--this site is not right next door to fast food outlets, gas stations, etc. and is in a truly rural location.  There's no actual admission charge, but it's good to give a small donation.  We're coming to enjoy the North Carolina Historic Sites and encourage you to explore them.  This one is definitely worth your hour.