The Mound Building Indians of Peck Village

Peck Mounds Historical Marker

Dr. Kilpatrick writes in 1851 from his history of Catahoula Parish in De Bow's Review, Vol. 12,:

"There are numerous mounds all over the parish, from one side to the other, but the writer doubts their being constructed by the present race of Indians.  They are more likely the work of a far superior race, who have long since passed away, leaving these monuments of their energy and grandeur.  As far as I have been able to ascertain, the present Indian races do not claim any connection with the builders of these tumuli, or pretend to know by whom, or for what purposes they were built.  The works themselves, together with their contents, and relics of pottery etc., show a race superior to our Indians; and I would suggest, that a race which had attained to such skill as these vestiges indicate, would hardly fall back so far as our Indians now are, or were, at the time of the discovery."

From Louisiana State Archaeology:

Peck Mounds was a five-mound complex on the edge of Maçon Ridge overlooking Lake Louis, in the Ferry Place National Register District; one mound is no longer visible. The largest mound (Md. E) is an 18-foot tall platform mound, 165 by 180 feet at the base and about 65 by 55 feet at the summit; its flank is visible south of the marker. The three other remaining mounds are dome-shaped, averaging 4 feet tall and about 100 to 130 feet in diameter. About 150 feet north of the marker, in front of the old Peck home place, is one of the smaller mounds (Md. C); two others (Mds. A and B) are on either side of the modern brick house north of the marker, and one of these dome-shaped mounds (Md. A) is also the family cemetery. Each of the smaller mounds was built in a single stage on top of refuse heaps. Charcoal from under Md. C dates to AD 650–860 (late Troyville/early Coles Creek periods). Nearby is the Peck Village site, where archaeologist James A. Ford conducted a landmark study in 1933. Based on prehistoric pottery from that site, he established a chronology still used today.

Peck Village Historical Marker

Mound C - In front of the old Lovelace/Peck home place

A view of Lake Lovelace from the old Lovelace/Peck home place

From Catahoula Parish History:

The Lovelace/Peck House

The "Lovelace House" in Sicily Island, is Ferry Place Plantation located on Lake Lovelace (now called Lake Louie). Legend says that the Native Americans ferried across the lake at this point; hence, its name. The house and land of the plantation are on the National Register of Historic Places, as there are several Native American mounds which are included and recognized as significant. Built by John Lovelace (1740-1816) for his wife Anne Hughson (1742-1821), cousin of George Washington, the home became the residence of their son Richard Lovelace (1787-1826) and Louisa Holstein (d.1826), then of their son John Henry Lovelace (1821-1891) and Julia Patience Kirkland (1827-1853), who was born at Pinehill Plantation in the Sicily Island Hills. -Barbara Peck Gilbert Haigh