Etowah Indian Mounds State Historic Site — Attraction in Cartersville

My children (8 and 5) are out of school this week (9/22/16). I was looking for something educational and fun to take them to. The website said that they offered beginning archery lessons for children seven (7) and up from 1om to 4pm. My son (8) was very excited for the archery lesson and my daughter (5) wanted to see the museum.

The museum is very small roughly a dozen displays and a 10 minute movie. Several of the diorama displays had the lighting burned out and were not able to be seen at all. We ventured out and climbed the mounds and looked at the river.

We returned to the visitor center and I paid the $5 fee for the archery lesson and filled out a waiver.. We were directed to the archery area and told the instructor would be there. We arrived at the sign-up no one was there. We waited for about 10 minutes and I called the visitor center from my cell phone. I was told they had no idea where the instructor had wandered off to. I was promised they would find her. We waited about 15 more minutes and then walked all the way back to the visitor center. The young lady at the desk told me it was for ages 9 and up. Despite the sign in front of her and the notice in their website. She refunded my money.

After this experience I will never return. I believe the site is terribly mismanaged and would actively discouraged anyone from making the trip or wasting their money on this venue. Take your kids to tellus or anywhere else. Even the county dump has a better display of cultural heritage which is a true tragedy given the history of the site.

Please, heed my warning. This is not the educational opportunity you're looking for. Five minutes on Wikipedia will be far more...

A very interesting historic site in northwest Georgia. The area is the site of a pre-Colombian Mississippian Indian settlement. The mounds themselves, or at least two of the three, were built beginning over 1000 years ago. They once served as elevated foundations for structures of note. The settlement covered the entire site. A model of what it may have looks like can be seen in the museum. Mounds A and B are original; mound C was fully excavated and what you see today is a reconstruction. On one side of the park you can see the pit from which all of the dirt for the mounds was excavated. At there far side there is also a very nice walk along the Etowah River where you still and relax by the river, a can see a fish-funneling dam that would have helped the original inhabitants to collect large amounts of fish. It is unclear whether the current dam is original (which seems unlikely), or perhaps is the remnants of later iterations built and maintained by later cultures in the area. Or perhaps it may have been restored for demonstration prepared. In any case, I have lived in the area for 13 years and never visited until today. It was very worthwhile and I intend to return in the future. Total time spent including visiting the museum, wandering the grounds, and hiking most of the trails was approximately 90 minutes. Admission was $6 for a regular...

The Etowah Indian Mounds Historic Site is home to several large Native American mounds, including a plaza, village site, and defensive ditch. These mounds were built by the Mississippian Culture around 1000 AD and were occupied until the 1600s.

Here's a brief overview of the site:

Mounds: There are three main mounds at the site, with the largest one standing over 60 feet tall. This mound likely served as a platform for a structure used by the chieftain or high-ranking officials. Museum: The on-site museum houses a collection of artifacts uncovered at the site, including pottery, tools, and ornamental objects. The exhibits provide insight into the lives, religion, and society of the people who lived here. Recreation: The area surrounding the mounds offers opportunities for picnicking, and there are nature trails where visitors can enjoy the scenic beauty of the region. Educational Programs: Guided tours and educational programs are often available, providing a deeper understanding of the historical and cultural significance of the mounds. Archaeological Importance: The Etowah Indian Mounds are a valuable archaeological site that has provided extensive information about the Mississippian Culture in the Southeastern...