Rockwell Mound
Posted by: 
NoLemon
N 40° 18.268 W 090° 03.829
15T E 749533 N 4465688
Rockwell Mound, which dates back 2000 years, is the second largest burial mound in the midwest.
Waymark Code: WMQQN
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 09/17/2006
Views: 25
The monument reads:
The Rockwell Mound
Built in about A.D. 150, this massive mound is thought to be the largest prehistoric earthwork in the Illinois River valley. it is the largest known mound built by indians of the Western Hopewell or Havana culture. Found along major rivers of the midwest, mounds of the Havana culture were usually built over the log-covered tombs of prominent leaders. Ceremonial and everyday items were often placed with the burials. It has been estimated that this two-acre, 14 foot high mound required about 1,700,000 basket loads of earth to construct.
Because of its size and strategic location opposite Spoon River, Rockwell Mound was probably the most important of the Havana site's more than twenty mounds. Havana was a trading and ceremonial center with trade routes that spanned much of the midcontinent.
The mound was not scientifically verified until 1986, where a small test trench yielded pottery fragments and a variety of other identifiable material. Individual baskets loads of earth were clearly visible in the walls of the trench. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
The second marker reads:
Lincoln and Douglas Speaches
This mound was the site of major campaign addresses by Abraham Lincoln and Staphen A. Douglas during their campaign for U.S. Senate in 1858. Music, fireworks, banners, and parades characterized the campaign. After firing a cannon to assemble a crowd of one thousand, Douglas spoke here for several hours on August 13th, 1858. Half the crowd left to greet Abraham Lincoln at the landing several blocks to the south, as he arrived witha brass band on board the flag draped steamboat "Senator". After spending the night with friends, Lincoln spoke for two hours in the grove on this mound on August 14th, highlighting his opposition to slavery and responding to Senator Douglas's claims. Lincoln remained in Havana for several days, visiting old friends and campaigning. On april 16th, he spoke at Bath, after renewing acquaintances all along the route. Lincoln departed on the Havana ferry on August 17th.
Abraham Lincoln was well known in Mason county. During the 1830's and 1840's, he surveyed and practiced law here, campaigned for other offices, and owned a Mason county farm.
This park has been the scene of social and recreational activities ever since it was donated by the Havana Pioneer Northrup J. Rockwell in 1849. The mound was crowned with a large bandstand near the beginning of the 20th century.