Page 4 - ImmenseJourney

Prologue

Known as one of North prehistoric Glenwood house lodges in the south and cultural
America’s natural trea- palisaded Mill Creek villages in the north. These two resources in
sures, the Loess Hills is also very different ancestral Plains Indian cultures provide the Loess Hills
one of our country’s archaeo- unparalleled opportunities to explore 300 years of on behalf of
logical gems. This unique cultural diversity linked to landscape. Archaeologi- the National
landscape harbors hundreds cal events in the region are also tied to the struggle Scenic Byway
of well-preserved earth lodge for Native Indian rights—guiding the country along a Council led
dwellings and palisaded vil- by Golden
lages built by ancestral Plains Indians. The descen- course ultimately lead- Hills RC&D, a
dants of these early Iowa farmers were first described ing to the protection and nonprofit or-
in the journals and accounts of 18th- and 19th-century reburial of American ganization serving western Iowa. This research made
travelers and explorers. Celebrated artists, such as Indian human remains. important new discoveries that clearly demonstrated
Karl Bodmer and George Catlin, forever fixed the the national significance of many sites. A partner-
vibrant life ways of these people in our mind’s eye. George Catlin. The University of Iowa’s ship among local communities, landowners, and
Office of the State Ar- the interested public created plans for the ongoing
The historical legacy of the Loess Hills lies in a rich chaeologist conducted a protection, preservation, and interpretation of these
archaeological record that boasts hundreds of late study in 2008 and 2009 wonderful resources.
to identify important

2 University of Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist