Visit these sites to learn more about the state’s native heritage.
Crisp Museum • Cape Girardeau
View native artifacts and a video. 518 South Fountain Street 573-651-2260 • SEMO.edu/museum
Graham Cave State Park • Danville
Artifacts recovered here suggest Paleo- Indians occupied the area as far back as 10,000 years ago. 217 Route TT • 573-564-3476 • MoStateParks.com
Washington State Park • De Soto
This park contains the largest group of petroglyphs yet discovered in Missouri, evidence of American Indian culture from around 1000. 13041 State Route 104 • 636-586-5768 • MoStateParks.com
Towosahgy State Historic Site • East Prairie
This is the site of one of the largest Mississippian Mound Builder villages in the Bootheel. Ceremonies were conducted here until 1420.
Reynolds County Genealogy and Historical Society Museum • Ellington
See a small collection of Indian relics. 233 South 2nd Street • 573-663-3233 • RCGHS.org/museum
Golden Missouri Pioneer Museum • Golden
A big collection has arrowheads, spear points, baskets, tools, and pottery. 35930 State Route 86 • 417-271-3300 GoldenPioneerMuseum.org
Mastodon State Historic Site • Imperial
This site offered the first proof of prehistoric tribes with Ice Age animals. Take a trail to the site where bones and artifacts were found. 1050 Charles J. Becker Drive 636-464-2976 • MoStateParks.com
Trail of Tears State Park • Jackson
See a memorial and exhibits about the Cherokee tribes who crossed the Mississippi River and traveled through Missouri in a forced march to relocate in Oklahoma. The view overlooks the river. 429 Moccasin Springs • 573-290-5268 • MoStateParks.com
Clark’s Hill/Norton State Historic Site • Jefferson City
Explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark camped here during their expedition to explore the Louisiana Territory. Visitors may walk up the hill to see the the Osage and Missouri Rivers ’ confluence and two Indian mounds that Clark wrote about in his journal. Osage Hickory Street • 573-449-7402 • MoStateParks.com
Missouri State Museum • Jefferson City
There are several dozen native artifacts in this state Capitol museum. 201 West Capitol • 573-751-2854 • MoStateParks.com
Thousand Hills State Park • Kirksville
A shelter protects petroglyphs made by the area’s inhabitants more than 1,500 years ago. Call before traveling to ensure the building is open. 20431 State Route 157 660-665-6995 • MoStateParks.com
Onondaga Cave State Park • Leasburg
The cave’s name comes from Iroquois Indians and means “People of the Mountain.” The Osage Nation recognizes Onondaga Cave as one of many sacred sites in Missouri. 7556 Route H • 573-245-6576 • MoStateParks.com
Lexington Historical Museum • Lexington
See an exhibit about the Osage Indians and other historical displays. 112 South 13th Street • 660-259-6313
Bollinger County Museum of Natural History • Marble Hill
This southeast Missouri museum contains Native American artifacts. 207 Mayfield Drive • 573-238-1174 • BCMNH.org
Van Meter State Park • Miami
The American Indian Cultural Center here features artifacts from the Missouria Indian village that was located at a bend of the Missouri River . Burial mounds and hand-dug earthworks show the site had been occupied since the 1400s. Displays tell the history of the Otoe-Missouria, Osage, Delaware, Ioway, Ilini-Peoria, Kanza, Kickapoo, Sac and Fox, and Shawnee tribes. 32146 North Missouri Route 122 660-886-7537 • MoStateParks.com
John Colter Museum and Visitor Center • New Haven
See Native American artifacts at this museum named for a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition. 200 Main Street • 573-237-3830
Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield • Republic
This area was home to several tribes, including the Delaware, near the James River valley in the early 1800s. 6424 West Farm Road 182 417-732-2662, ext. 227 • NPS.gov/wicr
Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum • Ridgedale
This museum houses an extensive collection of American Indian artifacts. 150 Top of the Rock Road 417-339-5308 • TopOfTheRock.com
Fort Osage National Historic Landmark • Sibley
Rebuilt to portray Fort Osage as it was in 1812, the site has exhibits about its geology, history, and the Hopewell and Osage native cultures. 107 Osage Street • 816-650-3278 • FortOsageNHS.com
Maramec Spring Park • St. James
Cherokee groups using the northern route passed through this valley and camped at Maramec Spring on their way to Indian Territory in the 1830s. A museum houses exhibits and signage indicates trail segments. 21880 Maramec Spring Drive • 573- 265-7387 • MaramecSpringPark.com
St. Joseph Museum • St. Joseph
This museum has an extensive collection of tribal items from various North America regions, including pottery, clothing, weapons, and more . 3406 Frederick Avenue • 816-232-8471 • StJosephMuseum.org
Gateway Arch Museum • St. Louis
History galleries include an American Indian peace medal collection and other artifacts at this renovated museum. 11 North 4th Street • 877-982-1410 • GatewayArch.com
Sugarloaf Mound Urban • St. Louis
St. Louis surrounds the last remaining mound of about 40 in this area built by a native culture between 600 and 1300. The same culture built the earthen works preserved at Cahokia Mounds in Illinois. 4420 Ohio Street
Meramec State Park • Sullivan
At Fisher Cave here, the skeleton of a Native American was found in the 1930s. A trail leads to the entrance of Cliff Cave, formerly called Indian Cave , where many arrowheads, spear points, and other artifacts have been found. 115 Meramec Park Drive 573-468-6072 • MoStateParks.com
Osage Village State Historic Site • Walker
An Osage Indian village of nearly 3,000 once thrived here near the Osage River . A walking trail and outdoor exhibits show visitors what daily life was like. Route C • 417-682-2279 • MoStateParks.com
Iliniwek Village State Historic Site • Wayland
Set on a high sand terrace above the Des Moines River floodplain near the Iowa border, this is the only known site of an Iliniwek Indian village in Missouri, occupied around 1640 to 1670. State Route 27 • 660-877-3871 • MoStateParks.com
Laughlin Park • Waynesville
The park, near Roubidoux Creek and Roubidoux Spring, was used as a Cherokee encampment during the Trail of Tears migration. A walking trail features seven wayside exhibits. 100 Historic Route 66 • 573-774-6171 • WaynesvilleMo.org/encampment.htm
Weston Historical Museum • Weston
View rare Native American moccasins and other artifacts depicting life long ago in Platte County. 601 Main Street • 816-386-2977 • WestonHistoricalMuseum.org
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Looking for more reading on the Osage and Missouria tribes? Parts 2 and 3 of our special series are forthcoming in September and October, but in the mean time we highly recommend this selection of books that cover the subject.