You Are There 1939: Exploring Angel Mounds
Proudly sponsored by Cook Incorporated
At the Indiana History Center in Indianapolis, a new exhibit—free to Cook employees and their families—takes museum guests back in time to Indiana’s most significant archaeological dig, which was conducted at Angel Mounds by famous Indiana University archaeologist Glenn A. Black.
Upon entering You Are There 1939: Exploring Angel Mounds, guests meet Black and his amateur team of workers with the Works Projects Administration (WPA). The WPA was an American New Deal agency started at the height of the Great Depression in 1935, employing millions of people to carry out public works projects. Their work to uncover the site of a once-thriving Mississippian town profoundly expanded our knowledge of the pre-Columbian Native American people who once lived there.
Costumed actors portray Black and his wife, Ida, whom he met during his training and who assisted with archaeological digs. Guests may also meet actors portraying WPA supervisors Ruth Muschlitz and Merrill Grothe, assistant supervisor William Rude, clerk William Merimee, and workers George Van Bibber Sr. and John Henry Van Bibber. All were essential in documenting the cultural practices of the Mississippian people.
Hands-on activities help guests learn how archaeologists and workers surveyed the site, excavated artifacts, and processed their findings. Guests discover the tools and processes used to unearth more than 2 million artifacts in just a few years, and they hear about experiences living through the Great Depression and working for the WPA in Evansville.
Beyond the interactive experience, an accompanying exhibit features some original artifacts and tools, a recreated Mississippian home, and multimedia activities, including one that lets guests become archeologists by exploring their own theories about what became of the settlement.
About Angel Mounds
Prior to European arrival, Angel Mounds (near Evansville) was the site of a booming Mississippian town. It is estimated that, at its height, as many as 1,000 people lived and worked there for hundreds of years, leaving rather suddenly between 1400 and 1450 CE. Today, Angel Mounds is recognized as one of the most significant archaeological sites in Indiana. This was not always the case. For generations, it was left unprotected, falling victim to looting.
In 1938, a coalition of federal and state governments, along with the Indiana Historical Society (IHS) and Eli Lilly, organized to engage in expansive archaeological exploration at the site, which had been farmland purchased by the Angel family. Leading this effort was Glenn Black, who served as director of archaeology with the IHS and as the chief steward of Angel Mounds for 25 years, from 1939 until his death in 1964.
The work done by Black, along with hundreds of WPA workers, dozens of archaeology students from Indiana University, and many others, led to greater recognition of the significance of Mississippian history in the Ohio Valley and beyond. Angel Mounds is now preserved as a historic site under the care of the Indiana State Museum, which operates a museum and visitors center dedicated to telling the story of Mississippian people and their culture.
Below, you can watch a short video from the Indiana Historical Society about the Angel Mounds exhibit.
About the Indiana Historical Society
The Indiana Historical Society is a private, nonprofit organization, founded in 1830. Its mission is to be Indiana’s Storyteller™ and to collect, preserve, and share Indiana’s history in order to connect people to the past. The Indiana History Center headquarters building is the repository for the IHS’s extensive collection of more than two million documents and images and is a destination where guests can find educational and cultural programs. The IHS’s theater hosts numerous concerts, plays, and lectures, and the library provides direct, public access to historic documents and images. The IHS’s primary attraction is the Indiana Experience collection of interactive exhibits which was awarded a 2010 Best Practices Award from the Association of Midwest Museums and 2015 GEMmy Award from the Midwest Travel Writers Association. The IHS is a Smithsonian Institute Affiliate and a member of the Coalition of Sites of Conscience.
Free admission
Cook Incorporated employees and their families receive free admission for the duration of the exhibit. Take advantage of this offer by showing your Cook employee badge upon arrival. Free parking is available in the adjacent lot with an entrance off New York St.
Exhibit runs through March 9, 2019 – August 9, 2020
Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Photos and video courtesy of the Indiana Historical Society.
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Written by Special Projects Senior Manager Teresa Steinsberger in collaboration with Andrew Halter, the vice president of Development and Membership for the Indiana Historical Society.
Travelled to Indy this past weekend to see the exhibit. It was a good educational display and my wife and I had a great time learning about the Angel Mounds site and the local history.
Several years ago my family visited Angel Mounds. It is good to hear the rest of the story and a privilege to view the artifacts. Thanks, Teresa, and Cook Incorporated!
Thanks Mike. You should take a field trip and go to the display in Indianapolis and also take a trip to the interpretive center in Evansville (at Angel Mounds), both are wonderful to see.