The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1935-03-07
Earliest Residents EARNED
and Traded Muck Like
Modern PEOPLE

Modern People
Editors Note: This special art
lcle has been written for the Red
wood Gazette, by Ray E. Cotton,
globe trotter and archaeologist
who is now engaged in the study
Of prehistoric Indian remains in
Minnesota. In the following art
icle, Mr.. Cotton, who has explored
the relics of the ancients in Mexi-
CO, Egypt and Central America,
tells of what has been discovered
regarding the early aboriginal in
habitants of what is now the state
of Minnesota and Redwood and
adjoining counties.
The Mound Builders Trail
Thousands Of years previous to
the colonization of what is now
the continent of North America
by European adventures, another
cultural race was busy establish
ing its cultural development, rel
les of which in the shape of earth
mounds, pottery, arrow heads and
human skeletal remains have been
found at various points in Red
wood county and other portions of
what is now central Minnesota.
The study of these artifacts by
competent archaeological and an
thropological authority, has re-
vealed something which is hard to
visualize, in view of the fact that
over 5000 years have elapsed
since the people who left these
mute relics lived here. The earth
mounds, reveal, to US of today
that there were skilled engineers
among these ancient races who
were able to construct artificial
earth tumuli which down through
the ages have withstood the as
saults of nature and the elements.
The relics also reveal that the
mound builders, who were the
first cultural race to arrive on the
North American continent, were
highly proficient in the art of pot
terry manufacture and that through
astronomical calculations, their
seers and high priests were able to
foretell solar disturbances and to
advise the ancient farmers of
these tribes just when to plant the
crops which they grew in profu-
sion. Even in that time of long
ago, agriculture was carried on
as people had to eat. The petri-
fled remains of corn, wheat and
even tobacco which have been
found, are indisputable proof that
agriculture was a large industry
in the days of these ancient abort
ginal races who pre-dated the pre-
sent Indian and white races by at
least 5000 years. Over a period
Of years, since the first discover
les were made of the mounds of
the Mound builders, archaeologists
and the lay public have been
somewhat mystified as to just
where the Mound builders who
erected these earthworks of anti
guilty came from. Painstakingly
working over this period, careful
ly checking and re-checking every
angle as each new find was made,
the secret of this once mighty
ancient American race has been at
last solved.
Competent archaeological au-
thority has determined that the
Mound builders migrated from
Mongolia by way of the Boring
Straits about 1000 B. C. This
migration is believed to have been
one of the greatest ever attempt
ed in prehistoric times and con-
sisted of approximately 100000
men, women and children of Asia
tic origin. Arriving at point in
what is now the territory of Alas
ka, the migratory movements OF
the Mound builders is believed to
have been south by southeast. The
first works of this strange race
were discovered about Is years
ago, near the city of Brandon
Manitoba, Canada. This find was
in the shape of several artificial
earth mounds, and from these
mounds, Canadian archaeologists
from the University of Toronto
Ontario, Canada, removed severa
pounds of arrow heads, some pot
terry vessels of strange design anc
several complete skeletons of hu
man origin.
The greatest works of thu
Mound builders appear near Ne
wark, Ohio, where the great ser
pent mounds are the wonder o.
the archaeological world. At Lew
istown, Illinois, the famous Dol
Dickson Mound builders tomb'
have caused the professors from
all parts of the nation to visit ant
examine this outlay of a lont
gone race. Further south, neal
Wickcliffe, Kentucky, the recentl!
excavated Fain King mounds ar
now being studied by a joint ex
petition from Tulane and Kentuc
Ky universities. The empire Of tn
Mound builders is believed to hav
spread from a point near tn
Ohio-West Virginia state line
south to northern Tennessee ant
thence west as far as Fort Smith
Arkansas. From the Canadian lin
down as far as Winfield, Kansa
and passing through the presen
states of Minnesota, Iowa, Mis-
souri,, Kansas, we find the relic
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