One of the greatest sites in all of North America is Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, and it is located just across the river from St. Louis in what is now Collinsville, IL. Cahokia was once the largest Native American site in North America and was home to thousands of people in the early 1000s AD. The site consists of an assortment of earthen structures, known as mounds, that were built by the Cahokians or mound builders. There are three types of mounds at the site and that were utilized by the Cahokians, including the platform mound, cone mound, and the ridge mound. Each mound has different purposes and the largest mound at Cahokia Mounds SHS is Monks Mound, which is a platform mound where the highest leaders would have dwelt. Besides signifying status, the mounds were also used for burial and geographic markers. Visitors are able to walk throughout the grounds and explore the different mounds, as well as walk up to teh top of Monks Mounds. The view from the top of Monks Mound allows visitors to see St. Louis and the landscape of Southern Illinois.

On the grounds there is also a wood hedge, or sundial that allowed the Cahokians to mark the year. During the solstice and the equinox, the staff at Cahokia Mounds SHS put on a talk early in the morning as the sun is rising and hits the wooden poles just right to signify the time of year. There is also a replica of a wall, or stockade, that once surrounded Monks Mound that visitors can also experience. The grounds themselves are also beautiful, and are filled with fields, wooded areas, pathways throughout, and of course the mounds.

There is also a visitors center to explore that has a video, gift shop, and an interpretive museum. The museum provides an array of interpretations of the way Cahokians may have lived and possible understandings their social, political, and cultural dynamics. Interpretations throughout the museum are based on a combination of archaeological evidence discovered at the site and the stories from other Native American tribes, such as the Osage. Overall, the museum is informative and has a variety of exhibits that help people to learn more about the site and the Cahokians.

During the year, the site will have events for visitors to engage further with the site and also learn more about Native Americans. The site offers an assortment events, such as the annual art show, Native American dance troupes, archaeological meetings, classes such as flintknapping, lectures, and tours of the grounds. The variety of events and activities, as well as the fact that there are a lot of aspects still unknown about the site, ensures that each visit can provide visitors with new insight into possible interpretations of the Cahokians. Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site is one of our absolute favorite places to visit in not only the St. Louis metro area, but all of the United States.