The Little Maquoketa River Mounds State Preserve is an

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

state owned archaeological site and natural area located within the city of Sageville, just north of

Dubuque Dubuque (, ) is the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. At the time of the 2020 census, the population of Dubuque was 59,667. The city lies at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a r ...

, on

U.S. Highway 52 U.S. Route 52 (US 52) is a major United States highway in the central United States that extends from the northern to southeastern region of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S. Highways, US 52 primarily follows ...

. It is high up on a limestone ridge above the Little Maquoketa River, not too far from the river's mouth with the

Upper Mississippi River The Upper Mississippi River is the portion of the Mississippi River upstream of St. Louis, Missouri, United States, at the confluence of its main tributary, the Missouri River. History In terms of geologic and hydrographic history, the Upper ...

. Covering about , it contains a fenced-in burial area with 32 mounds. The graves have been related to the

Late Woodland In the classification of archaeological cultures of North America, the Woodland period of North American pre-Columbian cultures spanned a period from roughly 1000 BCE to European contact in the eastern part of North America, with some archaeologi ...

culture, about AD 700-1200. Significant consultation went on with Native American tribes regarding the establishment of the preserve. The land was purchased by the

Iowa Department of Transportation The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) is the government organization in the U.S. state of Iowa responsible for the organization, construction, and maintenance of the primary highway system. Located in Ames, Iowa, DOT is also responsi ...

in 1977, and in 1981, it became a state archaeological and geological preserve. By agreement with the state, the Dubuque County Conservation Board maintains and administers the area. The remainder of the preserve functions as a park with a hiking trail, featuring mature forest and a segment of native blufftop prairie. As a part of the

Driftless Area The Driftless Area, a topographical and cultural region in the American Midwest, comprises southwestern Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, and the extreme northwestern corner of Illinois. Never covered by ice during the last ...

of Iowa, it has some geologically interesting areas, particularly the high limestone bluffs. There is a parking lot. Access is year-round.

Sources

Little Maquoketa River Mounds State Preserve

Iowa Department of Natural Resources The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR or IA DNR) is a department/agency of the U.S. state of Iowa formed in 1986, charged with maintaining state parks and forests, protecting the environment of Iowa, and managing energy, fish, wild ...

, Retrieved July 20, 2007
Iowa State Preserves

, Retrieved July 20, 2007
Dubuque County Conservation Board
Retrieved June 29, 2016 * {{Coord, 42.56077, -90.7152, region:US-IA_type:landmark, display=title Mounds in Iowa Native American history of Iowa Protected areas of Dubuque County, Iowa Iowa state preserves Archaeological sites in Iowa Protected areas established in 1981 Driftless Area 1981 establishments in Iowa

See also

Sources