While Stonehenge and the pyramids were being built, equally impressive structures were being constructed here in northeast Louisiana near the community of modern day Poverty Point.
On Saturday, July 23, the Poverty Point World Heritage Site hosts a ranger-guided morning hike through these ancient structures. The hour-long hike begins at 9:30 a.m. and passes through the outer ridges and the two oldest mounds of the site.
According to Park Director Stephanie Perrault, the stone age people who built the massive mounds had a thriving civilization, and the settlement served as a massive trading center. Perrault says that Old Natchitoches Road actually follows part of the old trail connecting the settlements of Poverty Point and Natchitoches Indians.
It's part of your culture, and it belongs to everyone. -- Stephanie Perrault
"The modern day people of Poverty Point still harbor a deep affection for the ancient site," explains Perrault.
"The People there are very possessive. They like taking care of it, and so they come by often. Our job is to bring in people from the rest of Louisiana and from around the world since our World Heritage designation."
The park today attracts travelers from across the globe, who come to see one of the oldest examples of human civilization in North America.
Perrault elaborates that as a World Heritage Site, Poverty Point is an important part of the human story.
"It's part of your culture, and it belongs to everyone," she says.
For more information about upcoming hikes, events, or the history of Poverty Point, visit the website or call 318-926-5492.
