Caddo Culture Day Returns to Historic Site

Caddo Mounds State Historic Site hosts Caddo Culture Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 2 to encourage learning and appreciation of Caddo culture. The historic location is an archaeological site near Alto in Cherokee County operated by the Texas Historical Commission.

Activities include a Caddo Basketry Revival student presentation and show; a traditional cooking demonstration with Chase Earles; and an archeology tour with Victor Galan, PhD. The event also features artists, vendors, activities, and food.

The Caddo Nation is located near Binger, Oklahoma, but many members visit the ancestral homeland site in Cherokee County. The tribe lived at the Hasinai village site more than 1,200 years ago. Located roughly 25 miles west of Nacogdoches, the historic site was the southernmost ceremonial location of the Mound Builder culture.

A new visitor center is under construction to replace the one destroyed by a tornado in 2019. Last year volunteers helped rebuild the grass hut. Others work year round on various cultural preservation and improvement projects such as Snake Woman’s Garden, nature trails, and bird blinds.

Admission is free to the Culture Day event but donations to the Friends of Caddo Mounds are appreciated. For information call (936) 898-3218 or visit www.thc.texas.gov.