Native Americans , Artifacts and Explorers

When the first Delta tourist – Portuguese explorer Hernando DeSoto – initially glimpsed the majestic Mississippi River in 1541, he was standing on a Coahoma County river bluff. The Tunica Indians built their mounds in between the present sites of Friars Point and Clarksdale. Their village, Quizquiz, was the capital of a rich province of thousands of Tunica Indians conquered by DeSoto. Located in the southwestern corner of Coahoma County, Sunflower Landing at DeSoto Lake was likely the explorer’s post. Historic markers are scattered throughout the county, whether on U.S. 61 or rural roads, attesting to the historic impact of the Tunicas.

Choctaw Indians also made their homes on the river bluff and left a dramatic imprint on the area. The state’s largest tribe, the Choctaws, at one time numbered more than 20,000.

Indian Mounds can be seen at Alligator, Roundway, and Jonestown, although many are on private land. Please remember that it is against the law to disturb these sites. To see arrowheads, pottery shards and other artifacts, visit the North Delta Museum. Located at the base of the levee of the banks of the Mississippi River in Friars Point, the museum is an eclectic mix of Indian, Civil War and pioneer memorabilia. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., only closed Sundays and holidays. Call Flo Redmond at 383-0051 or Friars Point City Hall at 383-2233 for more information about one of the most unique small museums in the South. Admissions are $2 for adults and $1 for children ages 7 and under.

Robert Birdsong, 624-6051, leads tours of Indian mounds. To arrange a guided canoe tour, call John Ruskey at 627-4070. He also leads tourists to Montezuma, an island formed in the middle of the Mississippi River in 1829 by a sunken steamboat.