Moundsville, West Virginia

Moundsville got its name from the Indian Mounds in the area. I was looking for the Grave Creek Burial Mound and my GPS said I had arrived. What I saw first was this huge building encompassing an entire city block.

The Indian Mound was across the street and much smaller in size. 

 Turned out that this was once the WV State Penitentiary.

 And they give tours, but they don't start until 11 a.m. We won't wait around that long.

 But while I waited for the Mound Museum to open at 9 a.m., Roe and I walked around the prison. I think from what I saw, the tour might be interesting.

 North side showing a guard tower.

 Looking through the north gate.

 Hmmm...

 With the roses, it could almost be a castle.

 On to the Grave Creek Mound

Admission is free to the museum and mound complex. 

 The Mound was built during the Woodland Period which began around 1000 BC. The diorama shows the kinds of structures they built.

Diorama of the burial mound.

Showing where graves were found upon excavation.

Some artifacts found in the area.

These early photos of the mound and historic uses...ie Civil War lookout and racetrack. It was once covered with trees.

Most of the trees are gone now.

THe stone steps were wet and slippery from recent rain.

View looking south. The building with the caved-in roof was a former visitor center.

Looking north on a foggy morning. The obelisk was built in 1942.

Looking west at the bridge I will cross over to Ohio.

The museum was not all about the mound, but had an interesting collection of other things West Virginian. Like these 19th Century Dolls.

 Each doll had a name and a description of her clothing was found in this booklet.

 It looked like the bodies (heads anyway) were made of cloth.

 Unfortunately, I can't remember any details.

 But there were a lot of them.

Another big collection was Homer Laughlin China

 And Ron Hinkle blown glass

 But my favorite was the marbles.

 Everyone remembers playing marbles as a kid....at least from my generation.

 I don't remember getting free marbles. Probably because my father owned a Mobil Station.

 I loved this mural...

 made entirely of marbles.

 I used to call these "biggies."

One place I missed on my white-knuckled ride over the mountains on WV Rte 250 was the turn to the Palace of Gold. The sign said 3 miles down a side road, and since I wasn't sure what it was, and I was tired, I skipped it. Later I googled it. It is billed as America's Taj Mahal.

 Tours cost $8.00.

Or you can take a virtual tour for free at their website:

http://www.palaceofgold.com/vt1.htm