Wickliffe Mounds

Wickliffe Mounds is an archaeological site with several earthen mounds and a central plaza positioned near where the Ohio and Mississippi rivers meet. The location preserves remains of buildings, workshops, and everyday items from centuries past.

The settlement was established between 1000 and 1350 as a center of a complex society serving as a place for ceremonies and leadership. The people eventually abandoned the location, leaving the mounds as traces of their civilization.

The site reveals how people lived together through the layout of homes, workshops, and shared gathering spaces where artifacts like pottery and tools have been discovered. These objects show that skilled craftspeople worked here and that goods were exchanged with communities from distant places.

Visitors can walk along trails, view archaeological remains, and explore a museum with educational displays about the people who lived here. The site is most accessible during dry weather, and comfortable shoes are recommended for walking the grounds.

The site shows evidence of a far-reaching trade network connecting it to regions from the north to the Gulf Coast and across to the eastern mountains. These connections reveal that people here were part of a much larger world.

Location: Ballard County

Inception: 2004

GPS coordinates: 36.97100,-89.09290

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:42