Near New Houlka in Chickasaw County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)
Archaeology at Owl Creek Mounds
Early Archaeology - Mound II
Excerpt from Chambers’ diary
Saturday, August 10, 1935
“During the morning I took Mr. Winston into Pontotoc to see about getting pay for the FERA laborers. To our dismay we learned that our work-week instead of being 48 hours in length is limited to 30 hours ... While we were in Pontotoc, I got some more gas and groceries on credit for ten dollars at the First National Bank of Pontotoc, having had my pocket money reduced to 17c through the necessity of carrying on the Survey with our personal funds.”
(Diagram Caption)
Chambers’ crew dug trenches from the edges to the centers of Mounds II, IV, and V. The excavations showed complicated layering, especially in Mound II, but few artifacts were recovered. A large hearth, with clay hardened by fire, was found at the bottom of the trench in Mound II.
(Left Image Caption)
1935. Chambers’ crew standing in the trench in Mound II. E.T. Winston in the foreground, Wayne Harrison, James M. Watts, Wilson Dillard, Tom Crews, and Chastain Johnson in back.
(Right Image Caption)
In 1992, a crew cleaning the dirt out of Chambers’ 1935 L-shaped trench in Mound II found a bottle with a note inside.
(Inscription of Note)
This mound excavated in the month of August, 1935 by Messrs. Moreau B. Chambers and Slater Gordon from the Mississippi Dept. Of Archives and History. Co-operating with Pontotoc County FERA organization – W.D. Hiddleston, Works Manager; E.T. Winston, Foreman of Labor; James W. Watts, Archaeological Expert.
Erected by United States Forest Service and Mississippi State University.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Native Americans • Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1935.
Location. 34° 3.38′ N, 88° 55.453′ W. Marker is near New Houlka, Mississippi, in Chickasaw County. Marker can be reached from County Road 413, 2˝ miles west of Natchez Trace Parkway, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located at the Owl Creek Archaeological Site in Tombigbee National Forest. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Houlka MS 38850, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Archaeology Determines the Age of Owl Creek Mounds (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Archaeology at Owl Creek Mounds (a few steps from this marker); Owl Creek Mounds (a few steps from this marker); De Soto's Expedition (within shouting distance of this marker); William Colbert's Last Homesite (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Hernando de Soto (approx. 2.6 miles away); Monroe Mission Station (approx. 3.2 miles away); Chickasaw Agency (approx. 3.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in New Houlka.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on June 25, 2015, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 723 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 25, 2015, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.