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David Stanley Ford

'Big earthwork' will welcome travelers to Oklahoma
'Big earthwork' will welcome travelers to Oklahoma

By Johnny Johnson    Comments Comment on this article10
Published: August 27, 2008

Thousands of years ago, it may have taken centuries for the indigenous Americans to construct a mound like the new Central Promontory Mound at the southeast interchange of Interstates 35 and 40.

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Aug 26The 90 foot tall Central Promontory Mound is the centerpiece of a...

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Felix Gouge of Oklahoma City, a member of the Creek tribe, sings a song as George Tiger of Bristow, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) tribe, bows his head Tuesday. By PAUL B. SOUTHERLAND, the oklahoman

Central Promontory Mound
•90 feet: Height of Promontory Mound peak

•1,000 feet: Diameter of the earth work

•42,000: Truckloads of soil to build mound

•1.7 billion: Pounds of earth required to build mound

But using 21st century technology, officials with the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum were able to finish the 90-foot-high earthwork in about two years.

Much of the planned museum and cultural center remains under heavy construction, but Tuesday morning, officials were ready to celebrate their first milestone with the dedication of the monolithic earthen mound.

The towering mound, which was inspired by ancient earthworks constructed across Oklahoma and in eastern North America, was built using 1.7 billion pounds of red earth brought to the site by 42,000 dump truck loads.

Standing before the "big earthwork” Tuesday, Gena Timberman, executive director of the Native American Cultural and Educational Authority, said the question a lot of people were probably asking was, "Why build it?”

"From all across this continent, cultures indigenous to this land have experienced a continuous uprooting and dislocating of our people. We refer to these as ‘times of moving fires,'” Timberman said. "Well, if you look around and you see the construction and what's happening around the state, you see that the fires still burn. The progressive act of building something this challenging in today's world ... is proof that our cultures do endure.”

Site construction continues
After a Muscogee (Creek) Nation song was performed, a prayer was spoken and dignitaries cleared out Tuesday, construction resumed on various buildings and grounds, including the visitors center, which is almost shelled in and is expected to be completed in September.

The mound was the first phase of construction. When the entire project is finished, visitors will be able to walk up the grass-covered ridge of the Great Promontory, which represents a journey from earth to sky.

The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum will open its doors to people throughout the world.

"This will be a place that says welcome to Oklahoma, welcome to the geographic center of the continent and welcome to the heart of Indian country,” Timberman said.

The state Legislature previously approved $25 million in bond financing for the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum.

The museum was originally envisioned to cost $150 million.

The Legislature approved an initial $38 million in bond financing for the project, and about $5 million in federal funds have been secured.

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David Stanley Ford


Related Topics: Special Interest Groups, Native American Issues


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Mike, maybe so...Jill does gets things confused a LOT...LOL
Larry, Oklahoma City - Sep 6, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Maybe Jill meant outside or around rather than inside. Perhaps she had her prepositions confused.
Mike, Oklahoma City - Sep 2, 2008 at 3:23 pm
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Thanks for the info Mike, wonder what Jill meant when she wrote: "There's an entire complex being built inside the mound"? And in case anyone was wondering, I am not dogging this at all. It is an educational attraction that government funds should be used to support (and are). Looks and sounds impressive
Larry, Oklahoma City - Aug 29, 2008 at 8:56 pm
No, Larry, the museum will not be inside the mound, but there may have been sacred objects placed within the mound to give it a bit of Sacristy. I don't know about that, though, but I would imagine that to be the case, or earth from a sacred place was placed there, or tobacco pouches or something. I don't know how they do these sacred mounds, but they do make them sacred in Native American eyes and hearts. The museum will be in that area, and it will be really cool and wonderful to view. This will make OKC a bigtime destination place. You can see the Cowboys one day and the Native Americans the next - get both viewpoints, and perhaps we can have some outdoor dramas portraying these mindsets of yesterday and today. It will be great! Let's celebrate it!
Mike, Oklahoma City - Aug 29, 2008 at 10:53 am
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Jill, is the museum inside the mound? I didn't get that impression from this article...
Larry, Oklahoma City - Aug 29, 2008 at 5:31 am
Percy, once again, you manage to show your ignorance.... Educate yourself!!! "A man is judged by his children." Think about that and what you teach them. It'll be a direct reflection on yourself.
EyeSpy, All Over The Place - Aug 27, 2008 at 3:30 pm
constant neagativity from these red neck okies again. This museum will benifit all Oklahomans with the money it makes even the one who hate the idea. Another Native business and tourist attraction bringing $$$$$$ to this poor backwards state.
nocona, santa fe - Aug 27, 2008 at 3:07 pm
The museum in its' entirety was originally envisioned to cost $150 million, not the mound of dirt. There's an entire complex being built inside the mound, and it will be something we can all be proud of.
Jill, www.okcthunderfans.com - Aug 27, 2008 at 8:14 am
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Yeah really. I've been wondering what they were going to do with that giant pile of earth by the interstate. I think people may think it's another one of our beautiful landfills. Though I suppose once it's surrounded by the other buildings for the complex it might work out alright.
Ashley, Yukon - Aug 27, 2008 at 7:01 am
$150 million for a 90 foot high pile of dirt; yep, the culture does endurt. Did it not take so long because of the dump trucks, the proximity of the dirt, or the rubbing of the two sticks of financing together?
Percy F., Ardmore - Aug 27, 2008 at 6:49 am

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