What do the effigy mounds represent?
Clues can be found in American Indian legends and mythology and to a lesser extent, scientific research. The stories and legends of the Native Americans whose ancestors built the mounds describe the effigy mounds as ceremonial and sacred sites. Archeologists believe the effigy mounds delineated territories of choice gathering and hunting grounds. Unfortunately, much of the data is inconclusive. How do I get to Effigy Mounds National Monument ? The site is located in northeast Iowa along the upper Mississippi River, four miles north of Marquette on Highway 76. The Monument lies (almost) exactly between Dubuque, Iowa and La Crosse, Wisconsin. U.S. Highway 18 crosses the upper Mississippi River at Marquette to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
