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Poverty Point State Historic Site
Historic Sites in Louisiana
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Located near the small Northeast Louisiana town
of Epps, Poverty Point State Historic Site protects
the remains of one of the most astounding
archaeological sites in the world. The prehistoric
earthworks at Poverty Point are the largest in the
western hemisphere, stretching more than 3/4 of
a mile across.
It takes a bit of imagination to see the Poverty
Point site as it once appeared. 19th and 20th
century agriculture greatly reduced the height of
some of the earthworks before they were acquired
and preserved by the State of Louisiana. The staff,
however, does a phenomenal job of helping to
bring this important archaeological site back to life.
Located atop a bluff along Bayou Macon, which
may have been a large shallow lake at the time
the site was occupied, Poverty Point represents
the focal point of one of the first great Native
American civilizations of the Americas. It is
estimated that it took more than 5,000,000
baskets of earth to construct the massive mounds
and earthworks, portions of which are more than
3,000 years old.
To begin your exploration of this fascinating site,
please follow the links to the right. If you have
questions, feel free to email us by clicking the
"Contact Us" link at the top of this page. We'll do
our best to find the answers for you.
of Epps, Poverty Point State Historic Site protects
the remains of one of the most astounding
archaeological sites in the world. The prehistoric
earthworks at Poverty Point are the largest in the
western hemisphere, stretching more than 3/4 of
a mile across.
It takes a bit of imagination to see the Poverty
Point site as it once appeared. 19th and 20th
century agriculture greatly reduced the height of
some of the earthworks before they were acquired
and preserved by the State of Louisiana. The staff,
however, does a phenomenal job of helping to
bring this important archaeological site back to life.
Located atop a bluff along Bayou Macon, which
may have been a large shallow lake at the time
the site was occupied, Poverty Point represents
the focal point of one of the first great Native
American civilizations of the Americas. It is
estimated that it took more than 5,000,000
baskets of earth to construct the massive mounds
and earthworks, portions of which are more than
3,000 years old.
To begin your exploration of this fascinating site,
please follow the links to the right. If you have
questions, feel free to email us by clicking the
"Contact Us" link at the top of this page. We'll do
our best to find the answers for you.
| Mound A at Poverty Point Epps, Louisiana |
A Cradle of American Civilization
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