re: LSU Indian Mounds oldest in North America

There are LSU site surveys that show the mounds prior to the construction of HP Long or any excavation for the swimming pool if required.

The pool is on the downslope of the hill and might not have even been excavated. There might be reinforced concrete walls for the pool and some of the adjacent building areas. The deck at the west end of the pool is about 12'-15' above grade that leads to the PMAC and the gymnastics building. Excavation would have been unnecessary.

One site survey that I have reviewed is titled Preliminary Plan of Louisiana State University by Olmsted Brothers-Landscape Architects, Brookline, Mass.-October 1921.

Another survey/plan is by Theo C. Link-Architect, Dated 1922.1924, Woogan & Bernard-Architects. Note that Link died in 1923.

Both drawings have two circular objects with line indications with “Indian Mound” on each mound location. Neither drawing indicates the HP Long building or pool which means they predate the planning for that building or the construction.

There is also a very old Theo Link drawing without a date. It has an area designated as “Indian Reservation” defined with an ellipse that encompasses the area of the two mounds that are marked with an “M” on each. The old railroad tracks that ended by the powerhouse and depot buildings are also indicated.

It is always possible that excavated materials were added to the mounds later during the HP Long work.