Four Mounds Nomination to National Register of Historic Places
Planning Services Department
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4864
Phone (319) 589-4210
Fax (319) 589-4149
5U~%duE
~c/k.~
May 30, 2000
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
City of Dubuque - City Hall
50 W. 13th St.
Dubuque IA 52001
SUBJECT: Nomination of Four Mounds site to the National Register of Historic Places
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
This letters transmits the Four Mounds site nomination to the National Register for Historic
Places. The State Nomination Review Committee has asked for your review and comment
on this nomination, which pertains to the four burial mounds on the property.
The State Nomination Review Committee plans to consider the Four Mounds site for
nomination to the National Register of Historic Places during their June 9, 2000, meeting.
As a participant in the Certified Local Government (CLG) Program, the City of Dubuque is
required to review and comment on the proposed National Register nomination of property
within its jurisdiction. Enclosed are copies of the nomination, photographs, and review form
for this application.
The State Nomination Review Committee has asked that both the Historic Preservation
Commission and the City Council review and comment on this nomination. If the
Commission and Council disagree with one another on the property's National Register
eligibility, both views will be presented to the State Nomination Review Committee for their
consideration during the review of this nomination.
On May 18, 2000, the Commission reviewed this nomination. By a 5-0 vote, the
Commission recommends that the Four Mounds site be considered for National Register
eligibility. The Commission believes the Four Mounds site needs to be preserved and
recognized as an asset to the community through listing on the National Register of Historic
Places.
St:-:.:incereIY, I
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Ken Kringle, Chairper$on' -
Historic Preservation Commission
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Council Bluffs
Where past meets ftture
April 10, 2000
CITY OF DUBOOUE
City of Dubuque
ATTN: Mark Noble
City Hall
Dubuque, IA 52001
APR 14 2000
_.-' ""'''v._'
RE:
Four Mounds, Address not for publication, Dubuque Vicinity, Dubuque County
Dear Mr. Noble:
We are pleased to inform you that the above named property will be considered by the
State National Register Nominations Review Committee for nomination to the National
Register of Historic Places on June 9, 2000. The National Register is the Federal
Government's official list of historic properties worthy of preservation. Listing in the
National Register provides recognition and assists in preserving our Nation's heritage.
Listing of the property provides recognition of the community's historic importance
and assures protective review of Federal projects that might adversely affect the
character of the historic property. Listing in the Nationai Register does not mean that
limitations will be placed on the properties by the Federal government. Public
visitation rights are not required of owners. The Federal government will not attach
restrictive covenants to the properties or seek to acquire them.
,.
Listing in the National Register results in:
.
Consideration in the planning for Federal, federally licensed, and federally
assisted projects. Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of
1966 requires Federal agenCies allow the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation an opportunity to comment on projects affecting historic
properties listed in the National Register. For further information please refer
to 36 CFR 800.
.
Eligibility for Federal tax provisions. If a property is listed in the National
Register, certain Federal tax provisions may apply. The Tax Reform Act of
1986 revises the historic preservation tax incentives authorized by Congress in
the Tax Reform Act of 1976, the Revenue Act of 1978, the Tax Treatment
Extension Act of 1980, the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, and Tax
Reform Act of 1984, and as of January 1, 1987, provides for a 20 percent
investment tax credit with a full adjustment to basis for rehabilitating historic
commercial, industrial, and rental residential buildings. The former 15 percent
and 20 percent investment Tax Credits (ITCs for rehabilitation of older
commercial buildings are combined into a single 10 perceot ITC for
commercial or industrial buildings built before 1936. The Tax Treatment
Extension Act of 1980 provides Federal tax deductions for charitable
contributions for conservation purposes of partial interests in historically
important land areas or structures. Whether these provisions are
advantageous to a property owner is dependent upon the partlcuiar
circumstances of the property and the owner. Because tax aspects outlined
above are complex, individuals should consult legal counselor the appropriate
local Internal Revenue Service office for assistance in determining the tax
consequences of the above provisions. For further information please refer to
IOWA HISTORICAL BUILDING
600 East Locust. Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0290
Phone: (515) 281-6412. Fax: (515) 242-6498 or (515) 282-0502
www.uiowa.edu/-shsi/index.htm
City of Dubuque
AITN: Mark Noble
April 10,2000
Page Two
36 CFR 67 and Treasury Regulation Sections 1.48-12 CITCs) and 1.170A-14
C charitable contributions).
. Consideration of historic values in the decision to issue a surface coal mining
permit where coal is located, in accord with the Surface Mining and Control Act
of 1977. For further information please refer to 30 CFR 700 et seq.
. Qualification for Federal and State grants for historic preservation when funds
are available.
Owners of private properties nominated to the National Register of Historic Places
have an opportunity to concur in or object to listing in accord with the National Historic
Preservation Act and 36 CFR 60. Any owner or partial owner of private property who
chooses to object to listing is required to submit to the State Historic Preservation
Officer a notarized statement certifying that the party is the sole or partial owner of
the private property and objects to the listing. Each owner or partial owner of private
property has one vote regardless of what part of the property that party owns. If a
majority of private property owners object, a property will not be listed; however, the
State Historic Preservation Officer shall submit the nomination'to the Keeper of the
National Register for a determination of the eligibility of the property for listing in the
National Register. If the property is then determined eligible for listing, although not
formally listed, Federal agencies Will be required to allow the Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation an opportunity to comment before the agency may fund, license,
or assist a project which will affect the property. If you choose to object to the listing
of your property, the notarized objection must be submitted to the State Historical
Society of Iowa, 600 E. Locust, Des Moines, IA 50313 not more than 75 days from the
date of this notice.
"
If you wish to comment on the nomination of the property to the National Register,
please send your comments to the State Historical Society of Iowa before the State
Nomination Review Committee meets on June 9, 2000. A copy of the nomination and
information on the National Register and the Federal tax provisions are available from
the above address upon request.
You are invited to attend the State Nomination Review Committee meeting at which
the nomination wiil be considered. The meeting will take place in in combined
classrooms A & B at the State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust, Des Moines, Iowa. A
meeting agenda is enclosed.
If you have questions about this notification or the State Nominations Review
Committee meeting, piease feel free to contact Ms. Beth Foster, National Register
Coordinator at 515-281-4137.
Sincerely,
C1~<.,...g~
Elizabeth Foster
National Register Coordinator
NPSForm 1().900 OMS No. 10024-0018
. (0cl1990)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
tWational Register of Historic Places
egistration Form
This tonn is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in How to Complete the National Register of
Historic Places Regstration Form (National Register Bulletin 16A). Complete each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or by entering the information
requested. If an item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials and
areas of signlftcance, enter only categories and SUbcategories from the instructions. Place additional entries and narrative items on continuation sheets (NPS
Form 1().9()Qa). Use a typewriter, word processor, or computer, to complete all ~ems.
1. Name of Prooerlv
historic name Four Mounds Site
other names/site number Site 130821
2. Location
street & number 4900 Peru Road [)5J not for publication
city or town Dubuaue [)5J vicinity
state Iowa code IA county Dubuaue code 061 zip code 52001
3. State/Federal Aaencv Certification
As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this ~ nomination U request for
determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets
the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 80. In my opinion, the property [)Q meets U does not meet the
. National Register criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant
U nationally U statewide [)Q locally. (!J see continuation sheet for add~ional comments).
Signature of certifying otficialfrrtle Date
State or Federal agency and bureau
In my opinion, the property U meets U does not meet the National Register criteria. (U See continuation sheet for additional comments.)
Signature of certifying olficlaVT'rtle Date
State or Federal agency and bureau ,
4. National Park Service Certification
I hereby certify that the property is: Signature of the Keeper Date of Action
U entered In the National Register.
U See continuation sheet.
U determined eligible for the
National Reglstar.
U See continuation sheet.
U determined not eligible for the
National Register.
U removed from the National
Register.
U other. (explain:)
.
Four .Mounds Site
Name of Property
Dubuaue County Iowa
County and State
5. Classification
Ownership of Property
(Check as many boxes as apply)
Category of Property
(Check only one box)
Number of Resources within Property
(Do not include previously listed resources in the count.)
.
U private
~ public-local
U public-state
U public-Federal
U building(s)
U district
~site
U structure
U object
Contributing
Noncontributing
buildings
1
4
sites
structures
objects
5
Total
Name of related multiple property listing
(Enter -N/A- if property Is not part of a muttiple property listing.)
Number of contributing resources previously listed
in the National Register
N/A
o
6. Function or Use
Historic Functions
(Enter categories from instructions)
Current Functions
(Enter categories from instructions)
FUNERARY/craveS/burials
FUNERARY/craves/burial
.
7. DescriDtion
Architectural Classification
(Enter categories from Instructions)
Materials
(Enter categories from instructions)
N/A
foundation
N/A
walls N/A
roof N/ A
other N/A
Narrative Description
(Describe the historic and current condition of the property on one or more continuation sheets.)
.
Four Mounds Srte
Name of property
Linn County Iowa
County and State
8. Statement of Sianificance
Applicable National Register Criteria
(Mark Y In ooe or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property
for National Register listing.)
& A Property is associated with events that have made
a significant contribution to the broad pattems of
our history.
Areas of Significance
(Enter categories from instructions)
ARCHEOLOGY/Prehistoric
U B Property is associated with the lives of persons
significant in our past.
Qg C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics
of a type, period, or method of construction or
represents the work of a master, or possesses
high artistic values, or represents a significant and
distinguishable entity whose components lack
Individual distinction.
Period of Significance
A.D. 350-1250
Qg 0 Property has yielded, or is likely to yield,
infonnation important in prehistory or history.
Criteria Considerations
(Mark Y In all the boxes that apply.)
Significant Dates
N/A
Property is:
U A owned by a religious institution or used for
religious purposes.
~ B removed from its original location.
U C a birthplace or grave.
Qg 0 a cemetery.
Significant Person
(Complete if Criterion B is marked above)
Cultural Affiliation
Late Woodland
U E a reconstructed building, object, or structure.
U F a commemorative property.
U G less than 50 years of age or achieved significance
within the past 50 years.
Architect/Builder
N/A
Narrative Statement of Significance
(Explain the slgnlflcance of the property on one or more continuation sheets.)
9. Malo.. BlblioaraDhlcal References
Bibliography
(Cite the books, articles, and other sources used In preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets.)
Previous documentation on file (NPS): Primary location of additional data:
U preliminary detennination of individual listing Qg State Historic Preservation Office
(36 CFR 67) has been requested U Other State agency
U previously listed In the National Register U Federal agency
U previously detennlned eligible by the National U Local government
Register U University
U designated a National Historic Landmark U Other
_#reCOrded by Historic American Buildings Survey Name of repository:
~ recorded by Historic American Engineering
Rocord #
Four'Mounds Site
Name of Property
Dubuaue County Iowa
County and State
10. GeoaraDhical Data
Acreage of Property less than one acre
~ References
(Place additional UTM references on a continuation sheet.)
1 ~ ~ Wzl1lill1.gJQ}
Zone Easting Northing
3 ill illJJJJ WllllJ
2 ill illJJJJ WllllJ
Zone Easting Northing
4 ill illJJJJ WllllJ
U See continuation sheet
Verbal Boundary Description
(Describe the boundaries of the property on a continuation sheet.)
Boundary Justification
(Explain why the boundaries were selected on a continuation sheet.)
11. Fonn Preoared Bv
name/title
Leah D. Roqers/Consultant
organization
date March 10. 2000
street & number
217 NW 5th Street
telephone
319-895-8330
city or town
Mt. Vernon
state
Iowa
zip code 52314
Additional Documentation
Submit the following items with the complete form:
~ntinuation Sheets
Maps
A USGS map \1.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location.
A Sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources.
Photographs
Representative black and white photographs of the property.
Additional items
(Check with the SHPO or FPO for any additional items)
Prooertv Owner
(Complete this item at the request of SHPO or FPO.)
name
Citv of Dubuque. Contact Mark Noble. Citv Planninq Services Department
street & number
CitvHall
telephone
319-589-4210
city or town
Dubuque
state
Iowa
zip code
52001
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information Is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties
for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance
with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.).
_timated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 18.1 hours per response including time for reviewing instructions,
thering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Chief,
mlnlstratlve Services Division, National Park Service, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, DC 20013-7127; and the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork
Reductions Projects (1024-0018), Washington, pc 20503. .
NP5 Fotm 10-a::0..a
~ .
'United states Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMB Approval No. 10244118
~ational Register of Historic Places
~ontinuation Sheet
Section number
7
Page
1
Four Mounds Site
Dubuque County. Iowa
Narrative Description
Introduction
The Four Mounds Site (13DB21) includes four e",1ant conical-shaped mounds that line a bluffiop overlooking the
Mississippi River on a wooded estate known as "Four Mounds" just north of the City of Dubuque in Dubuque County, Iowa.
The site has been referred to as the "Four Mounds" since the early twentieth century. The site was first recorded in the state
site records in 1977, although there are earlier historical references to the site's presence. The mounds average 10.92 meters in
diameter and 0.67 meters in height. There are no obvious indications of previous pothunting or other excavation activities,
although there are two historical references that indicate that the mounds "have been opened" (Collier 1924; Till 1977). There
are no known or documented collections of artifacts related to these mounds. Despite the possibility that the mounds have been
previously e.xcavated, they still retain an undamaged appearance in that their size and shape appear consistent with the size and
types of mounds being constructed in the region during the Late Woodland period. The Four Mounds Site constitutes one
contributing site and lOur contributing structures (i.e., the mounds).
Environmenl:1.! Sctting
. The Four Mounds Sitc is located on a narrow upland interfluve summit oriented roughly parallel to the Mississippi River,
which the site overlooks. The ridgetop is oriented at a northwest to southeasterly angle. A steep drop-off or bluff that descends
approximately 200 fi:et (61 meters) to the river bank below bounds the site on the east, with a narrow, more gently sloping
drainagc ravine bounding the site on the west. The elevation of the site ranges from 820-835 feet (249-254 meters) amsl. The
present v~'Ctation at the sitc consists of relatively young, secondary-growth deciduous trees. The underbrush is kept to a
minimwll by low-impact maintenance of the mounds and the surrounding landscape. This maintenance consists oftrimming the
grass and brush with a hand-held trimmer. TIle owners do not allow machinery, even lawnmowers, to disturb the mounds.
Thc Four Mounds Site is situated within the Iowa landform region known as the Paleozoic Plateau (Prior 1991:31). This
an:..'l of northcastem Iowa was glaciated repeatedly prior to the Illinoian glacial stage as evidenced by the Wolf Creek and
Albunlett glacial till formations. The younger of these two fOnllations, the Wolf Creek, has an estimated age of 500,000 years.
Since the last glacial advance, stream erosion and hill slope development in northeastem Iowa have produced "a deeply
disscct<x1landscape with V-shaped valleys and plateau-like uplands" (Celmer et al. 1984:14). The upland surfaces typically
have a 3-6 meter mantle ofP<'Orianlocss which was deposited from ca. 25,000-ca. 14,000 years before present (B.P.). The site
location is also situated just south of an alluvial plain known as the Peru Bottoms, where the Little Maquoketa River drains
into ule Mississippi River.
T<'mjlQIill and Cultuml At1iliation
It is not kno\\11 e.xactly when Ule first mounds were eonstmeted in northeast Iowa, although it is known from investigations
in Illinois (Charles and [luikstm 1983), ''that ritual intensification as reflected by intemlent of human remains in cemeteries and
c,,"thell mounds IK'Comcs evident as early as UIC Latc Archaic Period" (Stanley and Stanley 1988:E-I).
.
This intcnsiticnlion of ritunl :Ippcars to correspond with an increase in regional interaction and territoriality. more
scdcllt:ll)' sclllcmcllt I~lllcrns, II redlletioll ill mobility. a greatcr reliance on redundant resources, and the eventual
(111(I'~Clh..'C of n dU:l1 subsistence mode of productiou which focused on hunting, gathering, and limited horticulture
(St:l1Ilcy :llId Sl:llllcy 19~~:E-t).
NPsFol'tn1~
(M6)
United states Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMS Approval No. 1024.{)()18
at-Jational Register of Historic Places
~ontinuation Sheet
Section number
7
Page
2
Four Mounds Site
Dubuque County, Iowa
Archeological manifestations of ritual intensification can include exotic and specialized artifacts, petrogylphs, earthworks, and
earthen burial mounds (Stanley and Stanley 1988:E-I).
In northeastern Iowa, the known burial mounds are generally identified with the Woodland Period occupations of this
region, although Late Arcbaic (4,000-2,400 years B.P.) mounds may exist but the association has gone unrecognized. There
are, however, a number of mounds that have been excavated that can be identified with the various periods of the Woodland
manifestation in northeast Iowa. During the Early Woodland Period (2,400-2,100 years B.P.) it is known that earthen mounds
were constructed in this region. The manifestation of the Early Woodland Period in northeast Iowa has been termed the Ryan
Comple.x (Benn 1979; Logan 1976). Early Woodland mounds are generally identified by the presence of red ocher (Stanley and
Stanley 1988:E-2).
Middle Woodland Period (2,100-1,600 years B.P.) mounds are also known and are associated with a northeastern Iowa
cultural manifestation termed the McGregor Phase, which is defined by "Havana-like ceramics and a localized version of the
mortuary cult similar to that which developed in illinois and Ohio" (Stanley and Stanley 1988:E-2). The Middle Woodland
Period in northeastern Iowa appears to have some relationship to the Hopewell Interaction Sphere, which is "a stratified social
system which is characterized by labor intensive burial mounds, exotic grave goods, population coalescence, and an e,,"tensive
e.xchange network" (ibid.).
The Late Woodland Period (1,600-700 years B.P.) in northeastern Iowa has been subdivided into the Allamakee Phase and
_e Keyes Phase (Logan 1976; Mallanl 1976). The latter is a variant of the Effigy Mound tradition, while the Allanlakee Phase
~ lx.= viem:d as a transition from the McGregor to the Keyes Phase," a transition that is defined by differing mound
construction teclmiques and artifact types (Stanley and Stanley 1988:E-2, E-3).
111e latest mound construction may have been accomplished by the Oneota (1,000 years B.P. to contact), a Late Prehistoric
group who were initially thought not to have been mound builders. However, at least one Oneota mound has been investigated
in northeast Iowa suggesting that thc mound building traditions continued into this period. While the Oneota are generally
considered to have lx.'Cn ancestral to the historic Ioway, Oto, and Missouri, who occupied Iowa at various points in time during
the period of contact with peoples non-nativc to this continent, no known historic period mounds have been identified as yet in
northeast Iowa (Stanley and Stanley 1988:E-6).
Various types of mounds are associated with the diffcrent cultural phases and temporal periods. "Large conical mounds
with exotic grave goods and entombed burials" are associated with the Middle Woodland Period McGregor Phase "suggesting
a rank<-d social system and a relationship \vith the Hopewell Interaction Sphere" (Stanley and Stanley 1988:F-I). 111e mounds
associated with the early Late Woodland Allanlakee Phase are conical in shape and "usually haphazardly constructed, lacking
the exotic items generally associated \vith the McGregor Phase Mounds, they are usually much lower" (ibid.). 111e mounds
associak-d with the late L~te Woodl:U1d Keyes Phase are effigies in a variety of shapes and sizes but can include linear and
conical mounds (ibid.).
While the cultural aftiliation and pcriod of constmction for the conical mounds at the Four Mounds Site cannot be
sp<'Citic.:1.l1l' id<:lltifi<-d bcc.~use of the lack of associated artifacts and archeological information on the actual mound
constrnetion, it aUl be stat<-d that the size and shape of the mounds suggests a Late Woodland association. Little is knOW"I,
however, of Ille constmction, size and shape of Late Archaic and Early Woodland Period mounds as well as of the Late
Prehistoric One<lta t)1les of mound eonstmetion. 111e one Oneota mound identified in northeastern Iowa was a small, low
conic.almouud (St:U11ey and Stanley 1988:F-2).
11\c only w"'l' to more sp<'Cilically pinpoint cultural affiliation for thc Four Mounds Site would be to excavate the mounds,
_scenario that is not possible under Iowa Code nor is it desirable to disturb a potcntial burial site that appears to bc relatively
tact simply ti.1r the sake of infonnation.
NPSFofTtl10-0C0-a
(MOl
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMB ApptOval No. 1024~18
~ational Register of Historic Places
~ontinuation Sheet
Section number
7
Page
3
Four Mounds Site
Dubuque County. Iowa
Phvsical Characteristics
The four mounds are generally circular in plan and gently rounded in a profile that is commonly referred to as conical. The
dimensions of the mounds are as follows (the mounds are numbered consecutively going from north to south on the site; see
attached plan map):
Mound 1 - 9.5 meters (north-south) by 11 meters (east-west); average 0.795 meters in height
Mound 2 - 10 meters (north-south) by lOA meters (east-west); average 0.65 meters in height
Mound 3 - 11.3 meters (north-south) by 11.3 meters (east-west); average 0.66 meters in height
Mound 4 - 10.7 meters (north-south) by 11 meters (east-west); average 0.565 meters in height
Most of the mounds have trees of varying ages growing up either on the mounds themselves or around their edges. Mound
# 1 also has the stump of a tree approximately two feet in diameter that has been cut off close to the ground. This stump will
remain in place, with no attempt made to remove it. Likewise, the living trees will remain in place, with their health monitored.
Any dying trees will be cut down before they have a chance to fall, thus potentially uprooting a segment of the mound
structure.
eistOriC Aooearance
Thc historic appearance of the site location was probably very similar to its current state, with the high blufftops
ovcrlooking tllC Mississippi Rivcr Valley having been forested during the Woodland period. In general, in Iowa, the Woodland
Period was a time of altcrnating climatic episodes of wet and dry periods of comparatively short duration. Throughout these
episodes, the deciduous forest expanded southward in Iowa; however, "the forest remained open and intermixed with prairie"
due to tile alternating pattern of drought and rainfall (Kunkel et aI. 1990:3-20).
The historic appearancc of the mounds themselves has also changed little, although if these features have been excavated in
the past, then tlley may now be lower in elevation than they were originally. The present height of each mound, however, is
within an e."peeted range for mounds of this size in Iowa.
Current and Past Imoacts
TIle l"1l0\\11 history of tile property that cncompasses the Four Mounds Site begins in 1847 when William Hempstead
purchased thc I:Uld on which tllC Four Mounds estate would later be established. Little of importance was recorded about the
propcrty until the early twcntieth century when George A. and Viola Rider Burden retained an architect and a landscape
architect to dcsign a mansion and landscape plan for the property. The mansion, known as the Grey Mansion, was built in 1908
and is situat~'(\ to the southeast of, but very near, the Four Mounds Site. Other extant buildings on the estate include the White
House built in 1924 for George R. and Elizabeth Adams Burden, son and daughter-in-law of George and Viola Burden: the
gardener's house built in 1910 for the Heitzman fanlily who were the estate gardeners; the chauffeur's house built in 1907 and
the first building constmcted on the estate; a barn for thc Burden family's farming operation; an ice house; a hog house; and a
pump house. Other stmctural features include a rock garden, a playhouse, garden shed, woodworking shop, and root cellar.
In 1992, Elizabeth Durden bequeathed the property to tile City of Dubuque with the intention of having the property
&,.ervcd for public use. Fivc yc.,rs later, the Four Mounds Foundation was established to carry out Mrs. Burden's wishes.
'Wfi;~ foundation is a volunt~'Cr-mn public charity that holds a long-term lease on the property. The Grey Mansion has been
restored for use as a relrc.,t ccnter, with other areas of the estate used for a youth project, an interpretive farm, and teamwork
NPS Form 1Q..QOO-a
(8-<l6)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMB Approval No. 10244118
~ational Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number
7
Page
4
Four Mounds Site
Dubuque County,lowa
and self-esteem courses. As part of the latter, a ropes course and an orienteering course have been added to the property (Four
Mounds Foundation 1995; Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation 1988).
The historic occupation of the Four Mounds estate has had some impact on the four mounds themselves; however, this
impact appears to have been negligible. A cabin was built at the north end of the Four Mounds site for John and Frindy
Gronen, son-in-law and daughter of George and Elizabeth Burden in the mid-1950s as a home for them to live in upon their
marriage. The cabin abuts the edge of the northernmost mound (Mound #1) and had some impact on the original site deposit
associated with this mound as well as potentially to the mound deposit itself. An asphalt driveway was built along the west
edge of the site with a parking area constructed in-between Mounds # I and #2. Tbis parking lot and driveway also had an
impact on the edges of the mound deposits and potentially upon an associated, surrounding site. In general, however, this
construction was designed to have a minimal impact upon the mound features.
As noted above, there are historic accounts that the mounds had been previously excavated, although it is not known to
what extent. These references include a questionnaire that was completed by J.C. Collier and dated January 25, 1924, on file in
the Oubuque County File of the Charles R. Keyes Collection housed at the State Historical Society in Iowa City. This
questionnaire had been sent out by Benjamin F. Shambaugh, then of the State Historical Society ofIowa, as part of the initial
background research for the statewide archeological survey that was subsequently carried out by Charles Keyes. Collier, a
resident ofOubuque and a relative of the Burden family, who then owned the Four Mounds Site, responded to the first question
.f "Are there any mound groups in your county?" with the following:
Very few. On Mr. George Burden's place five miles north of the city [Dubuque] are Four Indian mounds which have
been opened (Collier 1924).
Tbis was the only reference to the Four Mounds Site in the Keyes Collection. It appears that Keyes himself never visited the
site.
The only other reference that has come to light during the current research has been the item noted on the Iowa Site Record
for site 130B2!. In 1977, when the site was recorded, archaeologist Anton Till interviewed Elizabeth (Mrs. George) Burden,
who recalled that the mounds had been excavated (Till 1977). However, no other information about these excavations was
indicated. Therefore, it is not known exactly when the mounds were excavated, what was recovered, or how e>.1ensive those
excavations might have been.
As was noted on the Iowa Site Record for site 130B21, however, the mounds presently show little sign of damage and
certainly do not exhibit the tell-tale central depression that commonly marks former pothunting activity on many of the other
extant mounds in Iowa.
Previous Investigations
The only professional investigation of the site that has been documented occurred in 1977 when archaeologist Anton Till
recorded the Four Mounds Site in the state site records. Tbis site record noted the location, landform, setting, and size and
shape of the mounds. It also contained the brief reference from the interview with Mrs. Burden that the mounds had been
previously excavated as well as a notation that a red stone pipe had been found in the "neighborhood," although its owner was
listed as "unknown." Till did note that the mounds were "undamaged as far as can be determined" and that "they show no sign
of damage" (Till 1977).
. Shirley Schermer of the Iowa Burial Program and a staff member of the Office of the State Archaeologist in Iowa City
noted that the site has also been designated as Burial Project #238 but that no investigations have been conducted at this
location since 1977 (Shirley Schermer, personal communication 1995).
NPS Form 1Q..9OO.a
(S""l
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMBAppn:;valNo. 1024-0018
~ational Register of Historic Places
~ontinuation Sheet
Section number
7
Page
5
Four Mounds Site
Dubuque County, Iowa
As far as the previous excavations of these mounds, it can only be stated that they occurred prior to 1924 when it was
noted that the mounds "have been opened" (Collier 1924). The disposition of any material recovered from these excavations is
not known. Any material found did not remain in the Burden family's possession, nor were there any details about these
excavations passed down to the surviving family members (Jim Gronen, personal communication 1995).
tit
.
NPS Form 10-9OO-a
(""')
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMS Approval No 1024-{)(J18
~ational Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number
8
Page
6
Four Mounds Site
Dubuque County, Iowa
Narrative Statement of Significance
The Four Mounds Site (13DB21) is considered locally significant under Criterion A for the site's reflection of prehistoric
ideology and ritual intensification and for its association with the broad patterns of prehistoric occupation of the Upper
Mississippi River Basin; under Criterion C for the embodiment of the distinctive characteristics of a method of mortuary ritual
construction; and under Criterion D for the site's potential to yield material items and deposits that might be important to our
understanding of Woodland Period mortuary rituals in northeastern Iowa. As such, Criterion Consideration D is satisfied under
Criteria A and C for this site. In general, mounds are significant because they "are one of the few physical representations of
prehistoric ideology" (Stanley and Stanley 1988:F-2). Mounds were not constructed simply for the deposition of the dead;
rather, the construction of the mound itself is considered to have been an important ritual act symbolizing "the reaffirmation
and renewal of relationships between man, his environment, his ideology, and his means of production" (Benn 1979 as quoted
in Stanley and Stanley 1988:F-2). It is for this representation, that the Four Mounds Site is considered significant. The period
of significance for this site is from A.D. 350-1250, the general temporal range for the Late Woodland period in northeastern
Iowa as determined by previous archeological studies.
Integrity
.
The majority of prehistoric mounds once extant in northeastern Iowa have been either completely destroyed or greatly
impacted by agricultural activities or have been vandalized by pothunting and plundered of their artifacts and potentially of the
skeletal material (if originally present). As a result, undisturbed mounds are extremely rare.
However, because of the intrinsic nature of these features, even a small portion of one can generate significant data if
properly documented and analyzed. Intact soil profiles, however limited, can reveal a great deal of information about
construction stages and teclmiques. In many cases, plowed down or pastured mounds may still contain sub-mound
floor deposits (Stanley and Stanley 1988:F-3).
Therefore, the fact that the mound features at the Four Mounds Site may have been excavated to some extent by pothunters
does not mean that significant deposits or materials are no longer extant. In fact, the current condition of the mounds suggests
that any previous excavations were minima1 and resulted in little discernible (surface) damage to the mounds. 111is mound
group compares favorably to two previously National Register-listed mound groups in northeastern Iowa-the Fish Fann
Mound Group and the Slinde Mound Group.
While there is little presently known about the temporal and cultural affiliation of the Four Mounds Site, it can be stated
that it likely has a Late Woodland origin and may still contain artifacts and other data sets that could yield significant
information concerning this affiliation.
Future Plans
The Four Mounds Foundation has included the protection and prescrvation of the Four Mounds Site in their overall site
development plan (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation 1988). The entire estate has effectively been "set aside as a preserve or
sanctuary with limited public use" (ibid.). One of the slated goals of the Foundation is "to restore and preserve, to the extent
&actical, existing structures and archeological sites" (ibid.: I) on the estate. It is noted in the self-guided tour map for the estate
~lat the burial mounds arc sacred, and the Foundation's care in the upkeep of the site area reflects their reverence for this site
(Four Mounds Foundation 1995). It was through the initiation and funding of the Four Mounds Foundation that the present
nomination has been complcted.
NPsFoqn 10-900-a
(l>ll<l)
United states Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMS Approval No. 1024.0018
aJational Register of Historic Places
~ontinuation Sheet
Section number
9
Page
7
Four Mounds Site
Dubuque County,lowa
Major Bibliographical References
Beon, David W.
1979 Some Trends and Traditions in Woodland Cultures of the Quad-State Region in Upper Mississippi River Basin.
Wisconsin Archaeologist 60(1):47-82.
Celmer, Gail C., Leslie H. Knapp, and Rolfe D. Mandel
1984 Phase I Intensive Cultural Resource Survey of the Cedar Cross Corridor, Dubuque County, Iowa, Project No.
M2981 (6)-81-31. Brice, Petrides and Associates, Inc., Waterloo and Des Moines.
Charles, Douglas K., and Jane E. Buikstra
1983 Archaic Mortuary Sites in the Central Mississippi Drainage: Distribution, Structure, and Behaviorallmplications. In
Archaic Hunters and Gatherers in the American Midwest. James L. Phillips and James A. Brown, editors. Academic
Press, New York.
Collier, J.C.
1924 Questionnaire for Iowa Archaeological Survey. Dubuque County File, Keyes Collection, Manuscript
Collections, State Historical Society ofIowa, Iowa City.
Four Mounds Foundation
.95 Four Mounds Self Guided Tour. Brochure available at the Four Mounds Foundation, Dubuque, Iowa.
~ Natural Heritage Foundation
1988 Four Mounds Park and Bluffland Project Report. Prepared for the Four Mounds Foundation, Dubuque, Iowa.
Kunkel, Elizabeth, A., Teresa M. Halloran, and Curtis M. Hudak
1990 Effective Environment. In Phase I Cultural Resource 1nvestigation of the Burlington fo Des Moines Highway
Corridor: Section II. BRW, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Logan, Wilfred D.
1976 Woodland Complexes in Northeastern Iowa. Publications in Archeology 15. National Park Service, Washington, D.C.
Mallarn, R. Clark
1976 The Iowa Effigy Mound Manifestation in Iowa: An Interpretive Model. Report No.9. Office of the State
Archaeologist, Iowa City.
Prior, Jean C.
1991 Landforms of Iowa. University ofIowa Press, Iowa City.
Stanley, David, and Lori Stanley
1988 Prehistoric Mounds of the Quad-State Region of the Upper Mississippi River Valley. Draft. National Register of
Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form. On file at the State Historical Society ofIowa, Des Moines.
Till, Anton
1977 Iowa Site Record, Site l3DB21. On file Office of the State Archaeologist, University of Iowa, Iowa City.
.
NPS Fprm 10-Q0:)..a
("'"l
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMS Approval No. 1024~18
~ational Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number
10
Page
8
Four Mounds Site
Dubuque County, Iowa
Verbal Boundary Description
The site boundary encompasses the four mound features and measures 60 meters northwest-southeast by 15 meters southwest-
northeast. This is the distance north-south between the north edge of Mound # I and the south edge of Mound #4 and the
maximum distance east-west between the west edge of Mound #3 and the east edge of Mound #4. The boundary is shO\\TI as
the dashed line on the attached map entitled "Plan Map of Four Mounds Site (13DB21)."
Boundary Justification
This is the area that fully encompasses the extant mound features as they are visible on the present ground surface.
.
.
NPSForm10-0Cl0-..
(....)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMS Approval No. 'O24-~ 18
~ational Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Additional
Section number Documentation Page 9
Four Mounds Site
Dubuque County, Iowa
~
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Map 1 - Sketch Map Showing Present Features and General Location of Four Mounds Estate
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NPS Foml l0-000-a
(M8)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
~ational Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Additional
Section number Documentation Page 10
OMB Approval No_ 1024..()()18
Four Mounds Site
Dubuque County, Iowa
Map 2 - Plan Map of Fout Mounds Site (13DB21)
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~ ~.4rete Property
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NPSFocm 10-G00-a
ll""'l
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMB Approval No. 1024-<<118
alational Register of Historic Places
~ontinuation Sheet
Additional
Section number Documentation Page 11
Four Mounds Site
Dubuque County, Iowa
#2
#3
.
.
Photographs
#1
Four Mounds Site (Mound #4 to right, then #3-1 looking to left)
Photographer, Jim Gronen
Fall 1994
Negatives curated in Boulder, Colorado
View to the North
Four Mounds Site (Mounds #2-4 from foreground to back)
Photographer, Jim Gronen
Fall 1994
Negatives curated in Boulder, Colorado
View to the Southeast
Four Mounds Site (Mound #1 as taken from #2 with cabin in background)
Photographer, Leah Rogers
August 18, 1995
Negatives curated at Four Mounds Foundation, Dubuque
View to the Northwest
NPS"Focm , Q...9X).~
(8-<<l)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
OMB Approval No. 1024.0<)18
.National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Additional
Section number Documentation Page 12
Four Mounds Site
Dubuque County, Iowa
Map Showing Direction of Photographs
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