Mound 97

Examination of the easternmost aerial photo taken of the Cahokia site in 1933 by Lt. Dache Reeves reveals soil disturbances suggestive of elevations being leveled by team-and-slip operations. Although the flight lines of these aerial photos are such that it is difficult to get good stereoscopic examinations of these points, they appear to be mounds that were being leveled at that time. Examination of the 1922 oblique photographs of the same area show no indications of mounds, possibly because of the distorted view that these obliques give of this easternmost area near Canteen Creek. The USGS topographic map indicates some contour line elevations in the general area, although not in exactly the same spots indicated by the aerial photographs. There was probably a series of mounds in this area.

Only those mounds visible in the Dache Reeves photos are considered in this section. As noted above, other elevations on the USGS maps may indicate mound locations. The data on those locations are, however, insufficient, so no further mention of them will be made in this publication. More intensive examination may confirm details of the topographic map, allowing identification of more mounds. The ones considered here appear on the Dache Reeves photos, on the 1966 UWM Map, and were identified by surface examination. Together these data make it possible to suggest these are mound locations.

One mound so indicated is located at N520E1584. In 1933 this area was an open field, but it is now intersected by a street paralleling Black Lane. The Dache Reeves photo shows a white soil disturbance scar at this point. This is Mound 97.