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Mounds

Mounds

2,663
Life MemberLife Member
2,663

PostJul 10, 2023#1

Had an idea on my way to KC today:

STL should really be embracing its identity of "Mound City" more. We only have on surviving original mound, and it's in a very inaccessible location. We should build new mounds in high traffic areas of our park system. Should have some decent height too, with some being at least as high or higher than the surrounding tree line.  They are cheap (literally just piles of compacted dirt), interesting to interact with (climb to the top, enjoy the view), and could be a unique thing that no other city is doing right now. 

Lafayette Park would be a great starting place, it already has a higher elevation, but a mound would give you spectacular arch, city, and neighborhood views.

The Gateway Mall could have several different styles and sizes of mounds, each interacting with their plazas in different ways. 
1,635
Totally AddictedTotally Addicted
1,635

PostJul 11, 2023#2

No. 

At least not at the proposed locations.  
sc4mayor
sc4mayor

PostJul 11, 2023#3

One of the original Gateway Mall plans had a mound built at the terminus on the Aloe Plaza Extension. Fortunately the soccer stadium ended up there instead.  I would fight a giant artificial hill in Lafayette Park to the death lol.

I think I’d rather see money go into improving Cahokia Mounds and the Osage Nation’s plans for Sugarloaf instead of just building random piles of dirt around the city.

I could maybe get behind a small scale replica of Big Mound near the North Riverfront somewhere, but I just don’t see the need to expend on anything like that when projects like the Mississippi Greenway Park and the Trestle sit on the shelf collecting dust.
1,792
Never Logs OffNever Logs Off
1,792

PostJul 11, 2023#4

I'm not sold on replica mounds but would be open to a something well implemented.  I could maybe see it being integrated into a childrens playground as sort of an homage, but good luck keeping grass on the thing.  Another thought would be replicas on the site of old mounds.  There were several in Forest park at one point.

There is almost no cost to a pile of dirt, but there is also very little value,  Its an extremely limited group that would appreciate a replica mound.  I can see the marketing campaign now.  St. Louis: we got piles of dirt.

I think its far better to protect and improve access to the ones we currently have.
344
Full MemberFull Member
344

PostJul 11, 2023#5

I could see building one on one of the blocks surrounding Soldiers Memorial. Like, we recognize we destroyed part of our city's history by destroying these indigenous structures. We can't fully replace them, but here is a replica to honor our history and the history of a wronged people. Please visit Cahokia for an authentic mound.

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6,157
Life MemberLife Member
6,157

PostJul 11, 2023#6

Good signage might achieve the same goal. And the money saved could be donated to a descendant tribal council. Donate the money to the Osage Nation to help them with Sugarloaf, for example.
2,419
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2,419

PostJul 11, 2023#7

I would love to see St. Louis do something to honor the mounds that used to be here. My pick for where would probably be in Forest Park somewhere near the Missouri History Museum. I wouldn't mind seeing it on one of the empty fields in Tower Grove Park, either.     

But first, I'd like to see St. Louis do something to recognize the 1917 race riots of East St. Louis, where a significant number of people were murdered and harmed, and over 6,000 blacks were made homeless. 

I'd love to see some kind of statue depiction of individuals running across Eads Bridge to the Missouri side, as they did. I think this could be a huge tourist draw. 

The Centennial Land Run Monument in Oklahoma City is my inspiration for what I'm envisioning. 
525
Senior MemberSenior Member
525

PostJul 12, 2023#8

symphonicpoet wrote: ↑
Jul 11, 2023
Good signage might achieve the same goal. And the money saved could be donated to a descendant tribal council. Donate the money to the Osage Nation to help them with Sugarloaf, for example.
Improving Sugarloaf would be so much better than building new mounds that don't carry the history or significance of the original. The priority should be to preserve what we still have.
12K
Life MemberLife Member
12K

PostJul 12, 2023#9

No Fake Mounds. 
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New MemberNew Member
32

PostJul 13, 2023#10

The city does have one good candidate for a mound with great views: Compton Hill Reservoir. You’d get a spectacular panoramic view of Downtown and the CWE if you could climb a couple of stories higher than the public staircase at the northeast corner.
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