ST. LOUIS – The Osage Nation Historic Preservation Office has reacquired Sugarloaf Mound, a sacred site believed to be St. Louis’ oldest human-made structure and last Native American mound.
Osage Nation formally announced the acquisition on Monday.
Sugarloaf Mound was built between 600 and 1200 AD when Osage people inhabited Missouri. It is the only surviving Native American mound among the hundreds that once existed in the area, often referred to as “Mound City.”
Reacquisition efforts began in 2008 when the Osage Nation purchased around one-third of the mound. Nearly two decades later, it is now entirely under Osage control.
“The Osage Nation Historic Preservation Office has been dedicated to securing Sugarloaf Mound for the Nation, and we consider this work an honor,” said Dr. Andrea Hunter, Osage Nation Historic Preservation Officer. “It has been a long 17-year journey, and I am thrilled to finally see the entire mound come under Osage Nation control.
CounterPublic, a St. Louis-based arts and culture organization, provided advocacy and financial support leading up to the acquisition, according to Osage Nation.
The Osage Nation has significant historical ties to the St. Louis area and considers the mound a sacred site. Oral traditions, linguistic studies and archaeological evidence demonstrate the tribe’s long-standing presence in the region for more than 1,000 years.
Archaeologists believe the mound may have been either a burial mound from the Woodland period or a platform mound from the Mississippian period, during which St. Louis served as a key civic-ceremonial center and had connections to Cahokia and the East St. Louis Mound Group.
Sugarloaf Mound was added to the National Register of Historic Place in 1984.
The Osage Nation is seeking funding for both short-term and long-term preservation efforts, including for careful demolishing of remaining structures, stabilizing the mound, and developing an interpretive center.
“We have a significant amount of work ahead of us to remove all the structures from the properties and stabilize the mound,” said Hunter. “Now more than ever, our office is dedicated to preserving this sacred site while also educating people about our rich history in the St. Louis area.”
NOTE: Video of 2023 DroneFOX footage of Cahokia Mounds in nearby Collinsville, Illinois.
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