the site
Town Creek Indian Mound is located in the southern part of North Carolina near Mount Gilead in Montgomery County. Migrating Indians selected this area, with views of the Little River, more than 600 years ago. The area was an important place to the people of the Pee Dee culture. It was here that they would freely discuss matters regarding their people, take refuge, perform religious ceremonies, have feasts, and even burials (Locklear, 2006).
Modern Town Creek is made up of recreated structures built originally by the Pee Dees, including a reconstructed mound that is 15-feet tall. The mounds were created at Town Creek over time. The construction of the area first began close to 1000 years ago when the Pee Dees first moved to the region (Shamma, 2013). The mound faced a large plaza where public and ceremonial events would take place. Other structures include structures that may have been used as burial or mortuary houses. The mound was constructed on a rectangular structure described as an earth lodge. They would build a structure and if it would collapse or something happen to it, they would add more dirt and simply build a new hut on top of the old one by adding a thick layer of soil. This would continue over time and a mound would grow as they continued adding dirt and building on top. A stockade made of closely set posts enclosed the mound, plaza, and habitation zone (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2010).
Site manager, Rich Thompson, stated that the common belief that the mound was built to elevate the important structure that housed the sacred fire during an interview conducted by Tasnim Shamma of WFAE news; "It housed the sacred fire, which was a sacred telegraph to the heavens. So it's special and they would want to protect it and show how special it was by elevating it above the regular world." Most of the structures seen today have been reconstructed after archeologists excavated the original mound in the 1930s (Shamma, 2013).
Modern Town Creek is made up of recreated structures built originally by the Pee Dees, including a reconstructed mound that is 15-feet tall. The mounds were created at Town Creek over time. The construction of the area first began close to 1000 years ago when the Pee Dees first moved to the region (Shamma, 2013). The mound faced a large plaza where public and ceremonial events would take place. Other structures include structures that may have been used as burial or mortuary houses. The mound was constructed on a rectangular structure described as an earth lodge. They would build a structure and if it would collapse or something happen to it, they would add more dirt and simply build a new hut on top of the old one by adding a thick layer of soil. This would continue over time and a mound would grow as they continued adding dirt and building on top. A stockade made of closely set posts enclosed the mound, plaza, and habitation zone (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2010).
Site manager, Rich Thompson, stated that the common belief that the mound was built to elevate the important structure that housed the sacred fire during an interview conducted by Tasnim Shamma of WFAE news; "It housed the sacred fire, which was a sacred telegraph to the heavens. So it's special and they would want to protect it and show how special it was by elevating it above the regular world." Most of the structures seen today have been reconstructed after archeologists excavated the original mound in the 1930s (Shamma, 2013).
Town Creek was a habitation spot, as well as a place for discussion of things that were important the people of the Pee Dee tribes. The site is composed of a political and ceremonial center. It was the place where many significant religious ceremonies and feasts, which often lasted for several days, took place. Many high ranking members of the tribe lives, died and were buried here. Busk was one of the most important ceremonies to the South Appalachian Mississippian cultures of which the Pee Dee were influenced by. The houses were cleaned, the temple and grounds were repaired, all fires were put out, and all debts and grievances were resolved during the busk (Ferguson, 1995).
Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site consists multiple facilities. The historical structures to be seen at the site include the ceremonial center that was reconstructed and consists of the mound and major temple, the minor temple, and the burial house, which is also known as the mortuary. A visitor center is located as the entrance to the site. Within the center, there are interpretive exhibits and audiovisual programs that offer a multitude of information about the cultural heritage of the site. There are also trails, monuments, and outdoor exhibits that can be viewed while walking on the grounds of the site. One of the outdoor exhibits depicts a burial scene in the burial house (Ferguson, 1995).
Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site consists multiple facilities. The historical structures to be seen at the site include the ceremonial center that was reconstructed and consists of the mound and major temple, the minor temple, and the burial house, which is also known as the mortuary. A visitor center is located as the entrance to the site. Within the center, there are interpretive exhibits and audiovisual programs that offer a multitude of information about the cultural heritage of the site. There are also trails, monuments, and outdoor exhibits that can be viewed while walking on the grounds of the site. One of the outdoor exhibits depicts a burial scene in the burial house (Ferguson, 1995).