Beattie Park Mound Group
Also known as: 11wo11
Why it's listed
Beattie Park Mound Group is a cluster of prehistoric earthworks beside the Rock River in downtown Rockford, Illinois. The surviving mounds include two conical mounds, a long linear mound and a turtle effigy mound in the park, plus the remnant of another conical mound in a front yard on Indian Terrace. Nineteenth-century surveys recorded many more, including nine conical mounds and a bird effigy, but city development destroyed them, among them one removed for a museum parking lot in the 1950s. The turtle effigy and probably the other mounds were built by people of the Effigy Mound tradition in the Late Woodland period, between about A.D. 300 and 1100. Shovel tests in 1990 found only sparse stone flakes, suggesting the mounds were built from fill brought from elsewhere. A test pit in the linear mound showed it was built in one episode from local sand. The group was listed for its distinctive mound forms and its research potential.
Significance in brief: The mounds are argued to be significant under Criterion C as examples of a type, period and method of construction: Late Woodland earthworks in conical, linear and turtle effigy forms. The form also marks Criterion D, since the site may yield information about the Effigy Mound tradition. The group is a surviving remnant of a much larger set of mounds recorded in the 1800s.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 91000084, listed February 27, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N. Main St. between Park and Mound Aves., Rockford |
|---|---|
| County | Winnebago County |
| Listed | February 27, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000084 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | From about A.D. 300 to about A.D. 1100 |
| Architectural style | Other: Effigy/Conical Mounds |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Prehistoric, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The mounds are relatively well preserved, with some damage from foot and vehicle traffic. The park is used for outdoor recreation, and other mounds in the original group have been destroyed by city development. |
| Acreage | 7.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.27457, -89.09191 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 91000084.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4877297
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.