St. Louis long ago earned the nickname “Mound City,” inspired by the huge earthworks left behind by the once-thriving Mississippian people. Nearly all such earthworks on the western side of the Mississippi River were razed by settlers during the 1800s, but the remaining archaeological site at Cahokia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and popular spot for historians, hikers, tourists, and other visitors.
For those looking to learn more about these monuments and the issues that have surrounded them over the past thousand years, there is Mound City: The Place of the Indigenous Past and Present in St. Louis, out June 6 from University of Missouri Press.
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In Mound City, author Patricia Cleary delves into St. Louis’ history with its mounds, including tourism, trade, repurposing, and destruction. This comprehensive volume brings readers on a centuries-long journey, from pre-Columbian history to present-day efforts to reclaim Sugarloaf Mound, the single remaining mound left inside St. Louis city limits.
Mound City is an enlightening, well-researched history that provides readers with a complete view of the creation, use, loss, and legacy of the mounds, alongside dozens of illustrations and images. Whether you’re an avid historian or haven’t encountered the story of the mounds since a grade-school field trip, you’ll find interesting details and illuminating narratives in this exhaustive new work.
