Caddo Mounds State Historic site reopens Visitor Center with outdoor activities, archaeology tour (2024)

NACOGDOCHES — The Texas Historical Commission (THC) commemorated the reopening of the visitor center at Caddo Mounds State Historic Site this weekend with a variety of outdoor activities including atlatl throwing, flintknapping and a friction fire demonstration. Archeologist Victor Galan led visitors on a tour of the site, examining the history and culture of the Caddo people.

County Judge for Cherokee County Chris Davis and State Representative Cody Harris were in attendance and spoke about the importance of restoring the cultural site.

“We have a rich, rich history along our stretch of the king’s highway here, and these sacred mounds have been landmarks that guided the way for many of our early explorers,” Davis said, explaining how his own ancestors also farmed the land the Caddo once did. “Having a museum like this one to display the objects of the past and protect the culture of the Caddo people was a dream of many of our area historians.”

The site was nearly destroyed after a tornado hit the area during Caddo Culture Day in April 2019. The reopening highlighted the completion of the new $2.5 million visitor center and the restoration of the site’s traditional grass house.

The 5,150 square-foot visitor center houses an exhibit dedicated to the history and culture of ancestral Caddo people who built a ceremonial center there more than 1,200 years ago. Designed by Richter Architects with input from members of the Caddo Nation, the rebuilt center features architectural elements intended to blend with the surrounding landscape, including a self-weathering steel roof to mimic the original Caddo mounds. Additionally, enhancements for tornado preparedness have been integrated to protect the site.

The traditional grass house was meticulously rebuilt in 2022, led by the Caddo Nation and the THC. The THC, along with the Friends of Caddo Mounds, provided funds to hire five female Caddo apprentices to rebuild the house, and over 20 members of the Caddo Nation assisted with the reconstruction.

At the event, Cathy McKnight, vice chair of the Texas Historical Commission, spoke about how the Caddo settlement was part of a vast trade network.

“The mounds they constructed are among the oldest preserved structures within all of the sites we manage, standing silent witness to the passage of time,” McKnight said.

In addition to the visitor center, grass house, and ceremonial mounds, Caddo Mounds State Historic Site is fully accessible and offers three miles of scenic walking trails, including connection to El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail. There is also an educational garden on site, and a variety of ongoing programming is offered on topics such as stargazing, birdwatching, and foraging. Please visit the Texas Historical Commission website for more information.