MOUNT GILEAD — Come celebrate the birth of the “Godfather of North Carolina Archaeology” Dr. Joffre Lanning Coe, and learn more about the science he taught and practiced on Saturday, July 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Town Creek Indian Mound near Mt. Gilead.
Games and activities for kids as well as living history demonstrations will be offered throughout the day. And for a special treat, a birthday sing-along for Dr. Coe and ice cream cake will be served at 1 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the site at 910-439-6802 or at towncreek@ncdcr.gov.
For more than 1,000 years, American Indians farmed lands later known as North Carolina. Around A.D. 1000, a new cultural tradition arrived in the Pee Dee River Valley. Throughout Georgia, South Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and western and southern Piedmont North Carolina, inhabitants built earthen mounds for their leaders, engaged in widespread trade, supported craftspeople, and celebrated a new religion.
The mission of Town Creek is to interpret the history of the American Indians who once lived here. The visitor center features interpretive exhibits and audiovisual displays. A national historic landmark, Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site is North Carolina’s only state historic site dedicated to American Indian heritage. Tour groups are welcome and encouraged. The site is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. It is closed to the public Sundays and Mondays and most major holidays.
The historic site is within the Division of State Historic Sites and located at 509 Town Creek Mound Road, Mount Gilead, NC, 27306. For more information on Town Creek, visit www.towncreekindianmound.com.
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