Moundville Archaeological Park - Moundville, Alabama - June 10, 2011

After lunch, we left Greensboro and drove north to Moundville, Alabama. The boys were so excited when we pulled into the park. The guides offered to show us a 15-minute video about the park history, but the boys were ready to race to the top of those mounds!

It was around 98 degrees in Moundville today so we were all soaking wet by the time we reached the top of the largest mound. We were a little disappointed that the hut at the top of the mound was locked and the thatched roof was no longer thatched. We were able to see most of the other mounds in the park from the top of the mound. We listened to the free audio tour on Christy's iphone as we made our way around the park. At this stop we learned that this mound has enough dirt to fill 11,000 dump trucks!

After about 15 minutes of playing around the top of the mound, the boys made their way back down the long stairway and across the street to another mound.

 They made it halfway up the second mound before their "path was blocked" (we think it was just too hot out there for them) so they ran back to the car and wanted to head to the museum.

The Museum recently went through a $5 million renovation and was very nice. It was a little strange to walk into this very modern building - complete with a Starbucks-style coffee shop - in the middle of all the mounds. The patio out the back door of the museum was situated over a small pond between two small mounds. It was the perfect spot for the boys to skip rocks and try out #2's new slingshot. 

You can tell they are beginning to wind down after a full day.

After a long day of ice cream at Peach Park, lunch at Pie Lab, and playing at Moundville it was time to head east for home. Where will our travels take us next? We're thinking North Alabama is feeling a little neglected!