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Great Mound of Troyville Replica
Built by Native Americans around 630 AD the Great Mound was the tallest Indian mound in Louisiana and the second tallest in North America. Once standing 82 feet tall archaeologists describe the Great Mound as a two-step pyramid with a conical mound at its top. This mound was one of the most unusual mounds in the entire eastern United States and was truly monumental.
Unfortunately, in 1931 the Great Mound of Troyville was destroyed by the State of Louisiana so its dirt could be used to construct the western bridge approach for the first bridge to cross Black River at Jonesville.
The state has built a new bridge to replace the 1932 structure and some of the dirt from the Great Mound is available. With acquisition of this historic dirt the Town of Jonesville is in the process of building a large replica of the Great Mound with portion of the mound’s original dirt.
In addition to the replica the Town of Jonesville is working to establish a museum dedicated to the ancient mounds of the Ouachita River, from its mouth at Jonesville to the Arkansas border. This stretch of river has the oldest earthen mounds in North America, even older that Stonehenge or the Great Pyramids of Egypt.
How it began
Jonesville Mayor Hiram Evans asked several citizens to serve on a committee to develop the Native American heritage of our area. Among the possibilities to pursue it was mentioned that there might be a possibility of building a replica of the Great Mound that once stood in Jonesville. And with the old Black River Bridge being removed there was hope that some of the original Great Mound dirt could be used for the replica.
Pursuing the development of our Native American heritage, and to hopefully receive their blessings, the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians were contacted and inform of our desire to use some of the original mound dirt to build the replica. Initial support was given and reinforced during several meetings with their council.
It was decided to place the replica somewhere along U.S. Hwy. 84. The ideal location was determined to be the southwest corner of the Block High School football practice field, close to where the new bridge touches the ground in Jonesville. This location would give the replica tremendous visibility and place it adjacent to the building that will serve as the ancient mounds museum, plus it would be near the Great Mound’s original location.
With the ideal location in mind the Catahoula Parish School Board was approached with a presentation of what the town wanted to accomplish. In support of the project the school board voted to allow the Town of Jonesville to use a portion of the football practice field.
Difficulties
With a site for the replica established the next step was to secure the remains of the Great Mound dirt from the bridge ramp. Initial indications from the bridge contractor led us to believe they would donate the dirt as well as haul it to the replica site after archaeologist reviewed it. However, at a subsequent public meeting the contractor said “this dirt is rare” and that they were going to use it for road fill. But they did say that if the town wanted this dirt they could purchase comparable dirt to replace it.
Being a small town Jonesville didn’t have the financial resources to purchase replacement dirt. Therefore, numerous calls, emails and letters were sent to state officials pleading for help. Eventually the Louisiana Department of Transportation told the town that the state was going to compensate the construction company in other ways and the Great Mound dirt would be available to the town.
Now that the town has a location for the replica and a commitment for the dirt what comes next? Several questions come to mind:
How do you build an Indian mound shaped as a two-step pyramid with a conical mound at its top?
We found that building an Indian mound isn’t as easy as it seems, especially when you want it shaped like the Great Mound. The first step of the pyramid shaped mound would be fairly easy; shape the base into a square and add dirt at 42 degrees to the desired height. A bulldozer can do this without much difficulty.
The second step of the pyramid shaped mound presents the first construction difficulty because there is a terrace of several feet before it begins to rise from the top of the first step at 42 degrees to its height. It would be next to impossible for a bulldozer to shape the second step without destroying the terrace at the top of the first step. While manual labor could shape the second step it is doubtful that would adequately compact the soil. Plus, the town doesn’t have the financial ability to pay such laborers.
Then there is the construction problem with the top. With another terrace of several feet at its base the top conical dome rises at 50 degrees to its height. Once again, if a bulldozer is used there is the problem of destroying the terrace, and a 50-degree incline is another issue.
Building the replica shaped as a two-step pyramid with a conical mound at its top, and using only dirt and modern machinery is extremely challenging.
How large will the replica be?
Everyone involved wants the replica to be as large as possible, but everyone knows the replica will be much smaller than the original Great Mound.
The size will be dictated by the amount of dirt that will be available from the bridge ramp. After receiving several confusing estimates of the amount of dirt in the ramp the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Department told us they had shot a cross section of the ramp and determined that 4,788 cubic yards would be available for the replica.
Taking everything into consideration the decision was made to use all of the bridge ramp dirt for the first level of the replica, which will provide a very impressive size for the replica’s first level.
The second and third level of the replica will be prefabricated and attached to the first level, which will give the replica a true, and large, representation of the Great Mound.
By understanding Catahoula’s Native American Heritage and other historical events and sharing them with family and friends we will begin the process of bringing our area to the attention of a large and growing segment of American society…tourist.
A few other Catahoula historical considerations, in no particular order are:
-- A map in the French National Archives in Paris documents French settlers in Catahoula as early as 1720, four years after Natchez was founded and two years after New Orleans was founded.
--According to some reports, the Native Americans of Catahoula Parish encountered Spanish Conquistadors as early as 1542.
-- The Natchez Indians, who massacred the French at Fort Rosalie in Natchez, were annihilated in Catahoula in 1729.
-- The Territorial Legislature, appointed by Congress, recognized Catahoula Parish in 1805 when it established the original 12 counties of the Orleans Territory after the Louisiana Purchase.
-- Revolutionary soldiers settle here, Spanish land grants were awarded here, Philip Nolan, made famous in the book A Man Without a Country, passed through here, Jim Bowie spent his formative youth in Catahoula.
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