St Paul is the site of some of the tallest Native American burial mounds in Minnesota and Wisconsin, dating back about 2000 years to the beginning of the Christian era.
Indian Mounds Regional Park, situated on high bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, features six mounds used by various tribes to bury their dead over the centuries. At least 31 more mounds were destroyed during development in the 19th century, but these remaining mounds are preserved and protected by the State of Minnesota and are part of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, a unit of the National Park System.
It's hard to comprehend the historic significance of these seemingly unimpressive mounds that date back to a time when there were still pharaohs in Egypt. They are remnants of one of mankind's earliest organized civilizations.
We learned on a recent visit to the site that this setting atop the bluffs overlooking the river was not only a revered ancient Native American site... today it is also a perfect spot for flying model gliders.
The men we met flying there said it was a favorite spot, with just the right lift for great model glider flying. It was fun watching them soaring in the sky near the St. Paul airport.
The home that architect Sara Susanka built for herself that started the Not So Big House movement
