Town Creek Indian Mound

Town Creek Indian Mound features a large earthwork platform mound built by the Pee Dee people, accompanied by reconstructed structures including a temple, mortuary, and wooden defensive palisade that once surrounded the ancient village.

The site was constructed around 1150 CE by the Pee Dee people, a subgroup of the South Appalachian Mississippian culture, and served as a ceremonial and political center until approximately 1400 CE before being abandoned.

Town Creek served as a focal point for religious ceremonies including the busk ritual, where neighboring tribes gathered for purification ceremonies, feasts, and the Green Corn Festival that reinforced community bonds and spiritual practices.

The site is managed by the North Carolina Division of State Historic Sites and offers free admission Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with interpretive exhibits, guided tours, and educational programs available for visitors.

Archaeological excavations have uncovered over 560 burials, some placed in pottery urns and wrapped in deerskins, along with evidence of multiple palisade reconstructions indicating a well-organized defensive community structure.