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Mitchell Archaeological Site in Pontoon Beach, IL
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Mitchell Archaeological Site

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The Mitchell Archaeological Site near Pontoon Beach, IL, in Mitchell at the western tip of University Drive, holds a platform mound and traces of a village. Mississippian people lived here around 1150 to 1200, and in its day it was the biggest site in the Cahokia system apart from Cahokia. Most of it was destroyed when Interstate 270 was built, a reminder of what highways cost. It is about 4 miles off the old road.

What is Mitchell Archaeological Site?

What survives is a single platform mound plus traces of a village. There were once several more mounds, but modern building work wiped them out. Most of what is known about the place comes from salvage digs carried out just before the interstate went through.

History of Mitchell Archaeological Site

The site was lived in around 1150 to 1200. It belonged to the web of settlements around Cahokia and was second only to Cahokia in size. Construction of Interstate 270 later destroyed the larger part of it. It joined the National Register on February 7, 1978.

For Route 66 travelers the story has a familiar ring. The interstates changed the old road towns, and here one erased much of a far older community.

Visiting Mitchell Archaeological Site: tips

There is little to see beyond the mound, so treat this as a short, respectful stop and stay off the earthwork. The Horseshoe Lake Mound and Village Site is right beside it, Horseshoe Lake State Park about 1.9 miles away, and Mound 34 about 3.1 miles.

Practical info

Address
Pontoon Beach, IL 62040
On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix

Where to eat near Mitchell Archaeological Site

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  • Crown Candy Kitchen in St. Louis, MO
    Diner & restaurant

    Crown Candy Kitchen

    St. Louis, MO · 7.9 mi from Mitchell Archaeological Site

    An old-fashioned soda fountain and candy shop in Old North St. Louis, known for handmade malts.

On the map

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Mitchell Archaeological Site with the 6 closest stops and a place to eat (fork and knife). Tap a marker for details.

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Stops near Mitchell Archaeological Site

All of Illinois
Horseshoe Lake Mound and Village Site in Pontoon Beach, IL

Horseshoe Lake Mound and Village Site

Pontoon Beach, Illinois · 3.9 mi from Route 66

A temple mound and village by Horseshoe Lake, once an outpost in the Cahokia world.

ArchaeologyPhoto credit

0.0 mi from Mitchell Archaeological Site

Horseshoe Lake State Park in Madison, IL

Horseshoe Lake State Park

Madison, Illinois · 5.0 mi from Route 66

A huge natural lake shaped like a horseshoe, with bike trails that reach the Chain of Rocks Bridge.

Nature & parksPhoto credit

1.9 mi from Mitchell Archaeological Site

Mound 34

Collinsville, Illinois · 6.9 mi from Route 66

A small mound at Cahokia where the only known Mississippian copper workshop was found.

Archaeology

3.1 mi from Mitchell Archaeological Site

Cahokia in Collinsville, IL

Cahokia

Collinsville, Illinois · 7.3 mi from Route 66

The mounds of the largest ancient city north of Mexico, just across the Mississippi from St. Louis.

ArchaeologyPhoto credit

3.5 mi from Mitchell Archaeological Site

Mound 72 in Collinsville, IL

Mound 72

Collinsville, Illinois · 7.6 mi from Route 66

A low ridgetop mound at Cahokia that began as a ring of posts and became an elite burial site.

ArchaeologyPhoto credit

3.7 mi from Mitchell Archaeological Site

Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis, MO

Chain of Rocks Bridge

St. Louis, Missouri · 0.3 mi from Route 66

A Mississippi River crossing with a sharp bend in the middle, once part of Route 66 and now open to walkers.

Historic bridgePhoto credit

7.0 mi from Mitchell Archaeological Site

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