Near Hamilton in Marion County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
The Hamilton Mounds Site
Alabama Indigenous Mound Trail

Photographed By Mark Hilton, May 24, 2021
1. The Hamilton Mounds Site Marker
Inscription. The Hamilton Mounds Site. Alabama Indigenous Mound Trail. The cluster of three mounds known as the Hamilton Mounds site is the largest indigenous mound site in Marion County, Alabama. The site includes three mounds along the Buttahatchee River: a large mound with a two-tiered summit, another smaller two-tiered mound, and a yet smaller mound situated between the two.
The mounds were built in several construction phases during the Mississippian Stage (AD 1250 1500) when the culture of the indigenous peoples in what is now Alabama was heavily influenced by ideas and practices of peoples in the Mississippi Valley. These and other Mississippian mounds commonly had ceremonial or residential buildings on their summits, and the mound sites served as spiritual, governmental, and cultural centers for populations scattered throughout the surrounding river valleys.
The pottery and stone items made by the people that occupied this site indicate a close association with the massive mound complex at Moundville, located about twenty miles south of present-day Tuscaloosa. These people likely relied heavily on growing corn, beans, and squash in the rich bottomlands of the Buttahatchee River.
This site is very important to numerous Southeastern indigenous tribes who assert an ancestral connection with those who built and occupied Alabama's ancient mounds. The earthwork landscapes and the objects and information recovered from them reveal a rich cultural tradition that still thrives today among these tribes. Our indigenous mound sites represent a heritage for all Alabamians to cherish, and it is important that we protect and preserve them for future generations.
Photo caption: Depiction of indigenous people of the Mississippian Stage engaged in growing corn, beans, and squash, along with other daily activities.
How do you celebrate your ancestors? . This historical marker was erected by the University of Alabama Center for Economic Development, the University of Alabama Museums. It is Near Hamilton in Marion County Alabama
The cluster of three mounds known as the
Hamilton Mounds site is the largest
indigenous mound site in Marion County,
Alabama. The site includes three mounds
along the Buttahatchee River: a large
mound with a two-tiered summit, another
smaller two-tiered mound, and a yet
smaller mound situated between the two.
The mounds were built in several
construction phases during the
Mississippian Stage (AD 1250 1500)
when the culture of the indigenous
peoples in what is now Alabama was
heavily influenced by ideas and practices
of peoples in the Mississippi Valley.
These and other Mississippian mounds
commonly had ceremonial or residential
buildings on their summits, and the
mound sites served as spiritual,
governmental, and cultural centers for
populations scattered throughout the
surrounding river valleys.
The pottery and stone items made by the
people that occupied this site indicate a
close association with the massive
mound complex at Moundville, located
about twenty miles south of present-day
Tuscaloosa. These people likely relied
heavily on growing corn, beans, and
squash in the rich bottomlands of the
Buttahatchee

Photographed By Mark Hilton, May 24, 2021
2. The Hamilton Mounds Site Marker
The mounds are at the end of the dirt trail about 2000 feet NNE.
Click or scan to see
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River.
This site is very important to numerous
Southeastern indigenous tribes who
assert an ancestral connection with those
who built and occupied Alabama's
ancient mounds. The earthwork
landscapes and the objects and
information recovered from them reveal a
rich cultural tradition that still thrives
today among these tribes. Our
indigenous mound sites represent a
heritage for all Alabamians to cherish,
and it is important that we protect and
preserve them for future generations.
Photo caption: Depiction of indigenous people of the Mississippian Stage engaged in growing corn, beans, and squash, along with other daily activities.
How do you celebrate your ancestors?
Erected by the University of Alabama Center for Economic Development, the University of Alabama Museums.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1250.
Location. 34° 5.812′ N, 87° 59.072′ W. Marker is near Hamilton, Alabama, in Marion County. Marker is on Old Indian Mound Road, 0.2 miles east of U.S. 278, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Hamilton AL 35570, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Toll Gate (approx. 1.1 miles away); General Jackson's Military Road

Photographed By Mark Hilton, May 24, 2021
3. Photo from marker.
(approx. 1.8 miles away); Hamilton, Alabama (approx. 2.9 miles away); History of Marion Territory and Marion County Courts (approx. 3.1 miles away); The First Alabama Cavalry (approx. 3.1 miles away); Confederate Veterans Bicentennial Memorial (approx. 3.1 miles away); Historical Pikeville (approx. 4.3 miles away); City of Guin, Alabama: The Early Years / The Storms of 1974 (approx. 9.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hamilton.
Regarding The Hamilton Mounds Site. The old Chickasaw Indian mounds are located on the banks of the Buttahatchee River a little more than 2000 feet from the marker. Only access is by a dirt trail.
Also see . . . The Hamilton Mound Site -. Alabama is home to one of the densest concentrations of ancient Native American monumental architecture in all of North America. (Submitted on June 1, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 1, 2021. It was originally submitted on June 1, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 152 times since then and 85 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 1, 2021, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Photos of the Chickasaw Indian Mounds. • Can you help?