Long before Ottumwa was established, people were living throughout the area we now call Wapello County. Evidence of those early inhabitants could once be seen across the landscape in the form of ancient earthen mounds.
A history of Wapello County published in the 1800s documented several groups of mounds in and around Ottumwa. Among them were the Caldwell, Hedrick, Sugar Creek, Trowell, Stiles and Village Creek Mounds.
The Caldwell Mounds were located near what was then the northwestern edge of Ottumwa. The Hedrick Mounds were described as being about a quarter of a mile south of Caldwell. The historical account even suggested that the Hedrick Mounds may have been used as observation points because of their location on higher ground.
Other mound sites were recorded near Sugar Creek and in areas identified as the Trowell and Stiles Mounds. Farther south, the Village Creek Mounds were documented in the area near Village Creek.
At the time these records were written, historians did not fully understand who built the mounds or why. Much of the early discussion centered around what was commonly called the “Mound Builders.”
Modern archaeology has provided a better understanding. Indigenous people living in what is now Iowa constructed different types of earthen mounds over thousands of years. Some were associated with burials, while others may have had ceremonial or other purposes.
Unfortunately, many of the mounds recorded around Ottumwa in the 19th century have disappeared or been significantly altered. Farming, development, erosion and other changes to the landscape have made some of these sites difficult, if not impossible, to recognize today.
The early records are important because they preserve information about a part of Wapello County’s history that might otherwise have been forgotten.
When we think about Ottumwa’s history, we often think about the city’s founding, the Des Moines River, the railroad, coal mining and the industries that helped shape the community.
But Ottumwa’s history goes back much further.
Long before streets, businesses and homes covered the landscape, people were already living here and leaving their mark on the land.
The ancient mounds are a reminder that the history of Wapello County did not begin with the arrival of European settlers. There is a much older story beneath the ground — one that can still be found in the historical records left behind by those who documented these mysterious landmarks more than a century ago.
For today’s residents, the exact locations of some of these mounds may no longer be obvious. But their names remain in old county histories, providing a glimpse into a very different Wapello County and the people who lived here thousands of years ago.
Sources: The History of Wapello County
