02 03 Just Chasing Rabbits: The Native American Winterville Mounds of Greenville, Mississippi 04 05 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 31 32 33

The Native American Winterville Mounds of Greenville, Mississippi

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The Native American Winterville Mounds of Greenville, Mississippi

Venturing out into unshaded fields of Mississippi in the middle of a July day is probably not the greatest idea. The humid air is inescapable, and it doesn't take long before it feels like you're cooking from the inside out.

So, what did we brave the heat for? Huge Native American ceremonial mounds!

We love learning about our home state of Mississippi and getting to visit places we've never heard of is even better!

The Winterville Mounds and Museum are located in the Mississippi Delta in the town of Greenville near the Mississippi River.

My mom, my sister, and I actually came across a brochure for the mounds while visiting the Birthplace of Kermit the Frog in Leland, Mississippi and knew we had to check this place out!


 See Related: Mississippi's Native Frog: Visiting the Birthplace of Kermit the Frog in Leland, Mississippi

Winterville Mounds Museum in Greenville, Mississippi
Winterville Mounds Museum
The mounds are located about 20 minutes away from Kermit's Birthplace (I'm estimating because we took a wrong turn...but remember: We're never lost! We're "Just Chasing Rabbits!").

We could see one of the massive mounds before we ever got in the parking lot.

Jenni at Winterville Mounds, Greenville, MS
Me at one of the mounds. Thanks to Kayla for the photo!
The twelve mounds on the property are of various sizes, with the largest reaching 55 feet.

Only seven are accessible currently, but were told that there are plans in place to make all of them accessible in the near future.

Ceramic Bottle at the Winterville Mounds Museum
Display of Native American ceramic bottles
Most often, when we think "American Indian mounds," we think "burial mounds," but not all of them contain bodies.

"Ceremonial mounds" is probably a better term since they were used in religious rituals and can contain artifacts like pottery.

 See Related: Unusual Tombstones and Graves of Historic Natchez City Cemetery in Natchez, Mississippi

The Winterville Mounds were built by Native Americans (but the tribe predates all modern tribes we know of today) who lived in the area from about 1000 to 1450 AD.

These mounds most likely had homes of highest ranking members of tribes built on top.

My mom checking out an exhibit at the Winterville Mounds Museum
My mom checking out an excavation display at the Winterville Mounds Museum
See Related: North Mississippi's Seashells and Shark Teeth

Arrowheads on display at the Winterville Mounds Museum
Arrowheads on display at the Winterville Mounds Museum
The museum on the property has a great exhibit showcasing Native American tools, weapons, and pottery from the Mississippi area.

They also have a wonderful air conditioner for when the heat becomes unbearable!

If you'd like to learn more about the Winterville Mounds, check out the website for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.


Some people find visiting areas like this creepy, while others think it's very peaceful and spiritual. What do you think? Have you ever visited any Native American sites? Let us know in the comments below!

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The Native American Winterville Mounds of Greenville, Mississippi

Jennifer is the founder of Just Chasing Rabbits travel blog. She lives in Mississippi with husband/travel companion, Mark, and doggie-daughter, Gizmo. After obtaining a BA degree in studio art and working in the field of photography for years, Jenni has combined her love of travel and photography to form this blog. Mark and Jenni share their experiences in hopes of inspiring others to have wonderful adventures and see the world.
You can follow Jenni on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

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