After a morning of enjoying the Oktoberfest Celebrations in the small Georgia mountain village of Helen, I decided to stop by and admire the nearby Nacoochee Indian Mound, which is only a mile or so outside of the city limits. I've driven past before, but never took the time to truly get out and admire the history and culture of which this Native American mound is part.
The earthen mound is thought to have been built by indigenous peoples sometime between 1350 and 1600 CE. It was likely the center of a large village and archaeological excavations have discovered 75 human burials at the site. In more recent times, the Cherokee built a village called Gauxule and which was visited by DeSoto in 1540. Today, the mound rises from a flat cow pasture. At some point in modern times, a gazebo was built on top of the mound.
While it's a little disheartening to see this cultural treasure reduced to a roadside attraction surrounded by cattle, it's at least nice to know that it is preserved in some state.
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