Ancient Mounds at Floyd, Iowa¹

Abstract

ON the west side of the Cedar River, one half mile east from Floyd, Iowa, are located a group of three ancient mounds. These mounds, instead of being located on the highest eminence in the region, as is most usually the case, are arranged in a slightly curved line, on a high but level space, fifty feet above, and two hundred and twenty yards back from the stream, and midway between two points (from fifty to sixty rods from each) which face the river, and rise from twenty-five to fifty feet above this level space. The ground, between the mounds and the Cedar, has a rather gently sloping surface. At this point the stream makes a bend to the east, and the mounds thus occupy a position on the south side. The north side of the stream is occupied by a steep, and somewhat broken, wooded bank, which affords a limited though beautiful bit of scenery to this place.