LSU Campus Mounds

 

At the heart of LSU’s campus are two earthen mounds, architectural remnants created by Native Americans thousands of years ago built by egalitarian hunter-gatherers and a subject of mystery and marvel for generations of admirers.

The LSU Campus Mounds (16EBR6) are now at a crossroads. They are at risk, but thoughtful action, inspired by respect for the past, can preserve these cultural treasures into the future.

Native American mounds, or Indian mounds, on LSU campus

 


A Complex History

About the Name

The name used to refer to the mounds has been thoughtfully considered by an LSU committee that included representation from Louisiana's Native Tribes. “LSU Campus Mounds” was chosen because the majority of earthen mounds in the Americas have names that reference their location, and because the mounds predate the colonization of the Americas, making the previous reference to American Indians in the name inaccurate. “LSU Campus Mounds” is also the official name used in the National Register of Historic Places and is our sincere effort to recognize the First Peoples who built the mounds and the location of these landmarks in the heart of LSU's campus.
In the Smithsonian Trinomial 16EBR6, the first number designates the state of Louisiana. The parish abbreviation narrows down the location of the site in the state. And the last number indicates the mounds were the sixth archaeological site in the parish that was formally recorded by the state.

azalias in bloom by Native American mounds, or Indian mounds, on LSU campus

Help us make historical preservation
a point of pride

As the modern steward of this sacred land, LSU takes its responsibility to protect and preserve these cultural treasures seriously.  Please help us preserve the LSU Campus Mounds by:

  • Learning more about the mounds and their unique value to our campus
  • Admiring them from a safe distance, in accordance with posted rules
  • Reporting any unauthorized activity that could damage or deface the mounds
  • Supporting preservation efforts by making a donation

Support the LSU Campus Mounds

 

The Committee to Preserve the LSU Campus Mounds

The committee's overall goal is to support a plan for permanent protection of the LSU Campus Mounds and to develop a sustainable educational plan.

Priorities include: 

  • Inform LSU and the greater community about the historical, cultural, and geological significance of the mounds 
  • Develop clear guidance on how to respect and protect the mounds 
  • Communicate the opportunity and benefits of funding for this initiative

Sibel Bargu Ates, Committee Chair, Shell Professor in Oceanography/Wetland Studies, LSU Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences (College of Coast and Environment)
Kathleen M. Bergeron*, Archivist I, United Houma Nation
Irene Brisson, Assistant Professor, LSU School of Architecture (College of Art & Design)
Jane Cassidy, LSU Senior Vice Provost
Brandon Common, LSU Interim Vice President of Student Affairs, and Dean of Students
Jennifer Cramer, Director, T. Harry Williams Center for Oral History, LSU Libraries
Brooks Ellwood, the Robey Clark Distinguished Professor in Geology, LSU Department of Geology & Geophysics (College of Science)
Shea Ferguson, Graduate Assistant, LSU Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Native American Student Organization (NASO) Member
Raynella Fontenot, Director of the Coushatta Tribe’s Department of Cultural, Historical, and Natural Resources
Veronica Fulnecky, Vice-President of the LSU Native American Student Organization (NASO)
Jewel Hampton, Senior Graphic Designer, LSU Office of Communications & University Relations
Sahara Hansen, President of the LSU Native American Student Organization (NASO)
Nancy Hawkins, Archaeologist, Retired from the Louisiana Division of Archaeology
Emily Kline, Director of Advancement Operations, LSU Foundation
Greg LaCour, Interim Assistant Vice President, LSU Planning, Design & Construction, and Director of Campus Planning
Ryan Landry, Assistant Vice Provost, LSU Office of Academic Affairs
Chip McGimsey, State Archaeologist, Louisiana Division of Archaeology
Tammy Millican, Executive Director, LSU Facility & Property Oversight
Dennis Mitchell, Assistant Director, LSU Planning, Design and Construction
Kristine Sanders, Assistant Vice President, Communications, LSU Office of Communications & University Relations
Rebecca Saunders, W.G. Haag Professor of Archaeology, LSU Department of Geography and Anthropology (College of Humanities & Social Sciences)
Jennifer Scott, Assistant Professor, LSU Department of Education (College of Human Sciences and Education)
Ashleigh Clare-Kearney Thigpen, LSU Athletics, Associate AD/Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Zach Tompkins, University Archivist, LSU Libraries
Kimberly S. Walden, M.Ed., - Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana, Cultural Director/ Tribal Historic Preservation Officer
Sophie Warny, AASP Chair, Professor of Palynology & Curator in the Department of Geology and Geophysics & Museum of Natural Science (College of Science)
 
* deceased

“The LSU Campus Mounds are probably the best protected mounds because they are on the campus of LSU and LSU has made a very strong commitment to preserving them. Most of the other mounds are on private land and landowners can do what they’d like with them.”

Chip McGimsey, Louisiana State Archaeologist

lsu indian mounds

A Time for Action

The LSU Campus Mounds represented a sacred and ceremonial place for the Native Americans who built them and continue to be recognized as such by people today. The mounds have been part of LSU’s identity since the university moved from a site north of downtown Baton Rouge to its current campus in the 1920s, when they were immediately recognized as something special. The LSU site is one of the few locations in Louisiana where visitors and tourists can visit and see Native American mounds, and they are the oldest mounds in Louisiana that are publicly accessible.

For all of these reasons, researchers have long sought, with varying levels of success, to protect the mounds from deterioration from both the elements and from people walking, sitting, sliding, and biking on them. LSU has responded with vehicle barriers, signage, temporary fencing, and game-day rules to discourage the public from potentially damaging the mounds further.  
 
But years of activity on the mounds have left wear and tear, including visible deformation on one mound. And the growth of trees on the mounds and their subsequent decay have contributed to increased water flow into the mounds, as well as scarring from erosion. There are also concerns about vibrations from traffic passing nearby. 


A Plan for the Future

sketch showing barrier plan for indian mounds

Download graphic
 

On Feb. 3, 2020, a newly formed committee met to begin discussing a new master plan for protecting and preserving the mounds. The plan consists of three areas: Design, Education, and Support. 
 
To minimize future disturbance at the mounds and stabilize current deterioration, the design concept seeks to keep people off the mounds and to increase the buffer around the mounds for further protection. The plan includes plantings and additional landscaping to discourage wandering from the pathways, as well as non-intrusive fencing and an observation deck to allow unencumbered views of the site. The mounds themselves would get a clay soil cap, topped with native grasses and native wildflowers, minimizing the need for mowing and other potentially damaging maintenance. The long-term concept envisions rerouting nearby roads to lower traffic vibrations.
 
To educate the public on the local and global significance, the plan includes interpretive presentations around the mounds; a pop-up mini museum for game days and other events; guided tours; school materials; and more all with the additional goal of instilling a sense of respect and pride in these archaeological treasures. The committee is seeking support for these efforts through grants and fundraising activities and events. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Louisiana has an usually large number of mounds and earthworks — more than 800, spanning a wide range of time — believed to be built by the indigenous people of North America. The state’s abundant natural resources, mild climate, and plentiful native plants and animals made it an ideal area for groups to gather and remain in one place, allowing for the time-consuming construction of large earthworks. In addition to the LSU Campus Mounds, other noteworthy mounds in Louisiana include those in West Carroll Parish at the Poverty Point World Heritage Site.   

All Native American mounds are special because of the rich history they represent. Among the oldest of the known mounds in the Americas, the LSU Campus Mounds are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The two mounds, each nearly 20 feet tall, are among the most accessible and viewed mounds in Louisiana. Most other early mound sites in Louisiana are at least partially on private property and protected by landowners. 

Climbing and sliding on the mounds damaged the grass and left ruts in the surface of the mounds, leading to erosion. Also, the soil inside the mounds is unstable, and vibrations can cause landslides. Now that science has made us aware of these concerns, we must take steps to preserve these archaeological treasures and limit the factors that may cause damage. The mounds are also thought to have religious and ceremonial significance and should be respected in the same manner as a church or cemetery. 

The mounds are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and they tell the story of the indigenous people of North America. They are considered historically significant and architecturally important and should be preserved. When former Louisiana Governor Huey P. Long chose a new site for LSU’s campus in the early 1900s, the mounds were one of the reasons he chose the current location, because of the culture and interest they would add to the campus. 

As the modern steward of this sacred land, LSU takes its responsibility to protect and preserve these cultural treasures seriously.  The mounds are historically significant and architecturally important. If we all do our part, these important structures can stand the test of time, stirring the imagination and educating future generations on the region’s complex history. Please help us preserve the LSU Campus Mounds by:   

  • Learning more about the mounds and their unique value to our campus 
  • Admiring them from a safe distance, in accordance with posted rules 
  • Reporting any unauthorized activity that could damage or deface the mounds
  • Supporting preservation efforts by making a donation

Support the LSU Campus Mounds