National Register of Historic Places

Nanih Waiya Mound And Village

Fearns Springs, Winston County, Mississippi
Listed
March 27, 1973
Type
Site
Period
Pre Contact
Ref No.
73001032

About this property

Nanih Waiya (alternately spelled Nunih Waya; Choctaw for 'slanting mound') is an ancient platform mound in southern Winston County, Mississippi, constructed by Indigenous people during the Middle Woodland period, about 300 to 600 CE. Since the 17th century, the Choctaw and Chickasaw have venerated Nanih Waiya mound and a nearby cave as their sacred origin location. The earthwork mound of Nanih Waiya is about 25 feet (7.6 m) tall, 140 feet (43 m) wide, and 220 feet (67 m) long. Evidence suggests it was originally a larger platform mound, which has eroded into the present shape. At one time, it was bounded on three sides by a circular earthwork enclosure about ten feet tall, which encompassed one square mile. The Choctaw lost control of this property during the 1830s and period of their removal to Indian Territory. After being privately owned, the state acquired it to preserve the ancient site and operated it as a park. In 2006, the Mississippi Legislature's State Bill 2803 officially returned control of the site to the Luke Family, and T. W. Luke deeded it to the State on the condition that it be maintained as a park. In 2008, the Luke family deeded control of the site to the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, a federally recognized tribe. Nanih Waiya has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973 for its significance.

Location

Fearns Springs, Winston County, Mississippi

Categories

PREHISTORICHISTORIC - ABORIGINAL
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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The Land
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Geology
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Questions about this property

When was Nanih Waiya Mound And Village listed on the National Register?

Nanih Waiya Mound And Village was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 27, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Nanih Waiya Mound And Village?

Nanih Waiya Mound And Village is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Nanih Waiya Mound And Village?

The period of significance for Nanih Waiya Mound And Village is recorded as the pre_contact era.

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