Published: January 16, 2008 08:26 am            

Texas Historical Commission now managing Caddoan Mounds

The Texas State Railroad isn’t the only entity making “historical” changes in Cherokee County.

The Caddoan Mounds State Historic Site in Alto has officially been transferred into the hands of the Texas Historical Commission from the Texas Parks and Wildlife.

“We’re very excited and think this is a very positive direction for the site,” said site manager Jennifer Price.

The transfer of the Caddoan Site and 17 other state parks came about after the 80th Legislature passed House Bill 12. Officials hope allowing new management of the parks will help increase visitation. The transfers became official Jan. 1.

“The future of this site is very bright,” said Terry Colley, Texas Historical Commission deputy executive director. “It’s just a great site and we’re very excited to add it to our inventory of historical sites we oversee.”

According to the Texas Historical Commission’s Web site, Caddoan Mounds State Historic Site was the home of mound builders of Caddoan origin who lived in the region for 500 years beginning about 800. The 93.8-acre site opened to the public in June 1982. Facilities include a headquarters/interpretive center, an archeological experiment exhibit and a .7-mile interpretive trail.

Price said site staff and commission officials are already brainstorming on ideas to enhance the site’s facilities and exhibits, including a remodel of the headquarters and museum, adding more interpretive trails and a second Caddo hut to the grounds, lengthening the site’s operating hours and get a new roof.

“We’ve already added two new positions, which helps free me up to do more PR,” Price said. “In the past I’ve only traveled to schools. I’d like to extend that program to be able to include more county organizations that focus on historical preservation and archeology.”

Colley said commission officials are also interested in continuing archeological digging the site as well.

“We’re just itching to get out there to do additional excavating,” he said. “We have an inkling of what’s out there but we’ll have to do a survey to see what the potential is for uncovering new artifacts.”

Price said the improvements could start at any time in the next fiscal year.

“The improvement I’m most excited about is the expansion of the museum,” she said. “Our goal is to interpret the Caddo Indians, but we want to add the El Camino Real de las Tejas.

“A lot of people don’t realize that Highway 22 is the original El Camino Real. What we want to try to do is offer a walk-through exhibit that would be a time line of the El Camino Real — unveil it from when it was an Indian footpath and following its history to the present date modern-day highway.”

Colley said he anticipates the commission will spend six months to a year planning these changes.

“We want to be able to do the necessary planning on these projects,” Colley said. “There’s so much more that can be done with this site — we really want to jump in and see it all happen right now, but we want it done right, too.”

The Texas Historical Commission administers several programs that help preserve the state’s archeological, cultural and historical resources.

Price said the site averages 550 to 600 visitors a month.

        

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