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Natchez Trace ParkwayEmerald Mound near Natchez, Mississippi.
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Natchez Trace Parkway
Mounds
Aerial view of Emerald Mound near Natchez, Mississippi, Milepost 10.

NPS

Emerald Mound is the largest mound along the Parkway. It covers 8 acres and stands 70 feet at its peak. The mound was occupied as recently as 1600.

There are seven mound groups located along the Natchez Trace Parkway, all in Mississippi.  Visiting the mounds allows you to see the rich legacy of American Indian cultural achievements. Many diverse prehistoric Indian groups, drawn by the bountiful wildlife, warm climate, and fertile soil, made their homes in what is now Mississippi for thousands of years before the first Europeans and Africans arrived. The mound culture thrived in this area beginning about 2000 years ago and lasted until just about 400 years ago. Mounds built of earth are the most prominent remains left on the landscape by these native peoples of Mississippi.  

Explore the Mounds of Mississippi.

Meriwether Lewis Monument, Natchez Trace Parkway, Tennessee  

Did You Know?
Meriwether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, was governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory when he mysteriously died on the Natchez Trace in 1809, at Grinder's Stand in Tennessee. A monument was erected in his honor in 1848 and can be seen along the Natchez Trace Parkway today.

Last Updated: July 24, 2006 at 22:37 EST