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
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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
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 36 times since then. 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?
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