MOUND EXPLORATIONS AT TOOLESBORO, IOWA. 37 



MOUND EXPLORATIONS AT TOOLESBORO, 

 LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA. 



Read before the Academy, August 2d, 1886. 



The village of Toolesboro, locally noted for its prehistoric mounds, 

 is situated on a commanding bluff, about two and a half miles above 

 the mouth of the Iowa River, which empties into the Mississippi fifty- 

 two miles below Davenport. 



A party from this Academy had opened some mounds here in 1875, 

 obtaining from them a number of interesting relics (see Proc. Dav. 

 Acad. Nat. Sci., Vol. I., p. 106); but, as several of the group re- 

 mained unexplored, we decided to make another expedition, devoting 

 a week to the trip and the work. Accordingly, on Saturday, July 

 24th, we started by skiff, carrying camp equipage, etc., and were on 

 hand, ready for work, Monday morning. 



The bluff at this point rises two hundred and ten feet above the Mis- 

 sissippi level, and commands a most magnificent view up and down 

 and across the broad valley common to the two rivers. Extending 

 along its brow, through the north-western outskirts of the village, is a 

 row of nine* large mounds, from fifty to three hundred feet apart, some 

 of which, as stated, had been more or less thoroughly explored — one 

 of them (No. 6) having been entirely removed by Mr. Pratt and his 

 party, leaving the earth piled up on either side marking its former 

 location. 



After a careful survey of the group, and having obtained free per- 

 mission from Mr. G. H. Mosier to open such as were on his land, we 

 decided to first make a thorough exploration of No. 7, a mound of 

 symmetrical outline, and one of the largest in the row. Accordingly, 

 we had our camp outfit hauled up from the river, and pitched our tent 

 hard by on the site of Mound No. 6. 



In outline, but for some erosion at the brow of the bluff on the 

 north, Mound No. 7 is almost a perfect circle, with a present diameter 

 of about eighty-five feet, and a height, from summit to floor, of just 

 ten feet; but, as it has been cultivated over for many years, it was 

 probably much higher originally than now, with a diameter propor- 

 tionately less. 



* In the report of the former expedition the number is given as twelve, hut we could only 

 make out nine at the time of this visit. 



