Summer Solstice Walks at Spiro Mounds

Start your summer with a trip to Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center for a special guided tour on the summer solstice, Sunday, June 20. There will be three walks led by archaeologist Dennis Peterson, who has served as archaeologist and site manager at Spiro Mounds for 35 years, will lead guided tours starting at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 7 p.m. Each walk will include one mile of easy walking and last about two hours.

Using his expertise and references to imagery depicted in artifacts, Peterson will teach about this unique, prehistoric mound site built by American Indians more than 1,000 years ago. He also will talk about the reasons for the mounds and the alignment of some of the mounds to track the movement of the sun throughout the year. Peterson will tell the history of the excavations of the site by both archaeologists and looters. The 7 p.m. walk will allow the observation of twilight wildlife and a view of the sunset, which is the most important part of the event.

There is a small fee for this series of tours of $5 for adults and $3 for children in addition to the regular daily admission fee. Oklahoma Historical Society and Spiro Mounds Development Association members do not pay the daily admission fee. No reservations are required, except for large groups. Payment can be made by cash or check, but credit cards are not accepted.

 The Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center is the only prehistoric American Indian site open to the public in Oklahoma and is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The center is open Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 5 p.m. (with the exception of this event when the solstice tours begin at 11 a.m. and end at 7 p.m. Daily admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, $4 for children older than six and $18 for a family. The center is located three miles east of Spiro on Highway 9/271 and four miles north on Lock and Dam Road. For more information or to schedule a group or school tour, please call 918-962-2062 or email spiro@okhistory.org.