CHUCALISSA

Choctaw meaning, "House Abandoned"

ANCIENT HISTORY: CHUCALISSA

In the 1930's a work crew happened upon a major discovery while excavating a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River just south of Memphis.  Their digging unearthed the remains of a prehistoric Indian Village and opened the door to the past.  For the next 20 years, archaeologists continued to excavate, and a historic town was reassembled piece by piece.

Today, Chucalissa (a Choctaw word meaning "house abandoned") is a community of thatched-roof huts that stands above the original earthworks built by the Indians.  According to experts, Indians may have camped in the area as early as 3,000 years ago, but the first permanent structures were not built until 1000 A.D. During the next several hundred years, the community was abandoned and then reassembled, with the last settlement occurring in 1500 A.D.  Although it is unclear exactly why, these inhabitants abandoned the site before the arrival of De Soto in the mid-South.

Chucalissa is now a living history museum, dedicated to the research, education and preservation of Native-American History.

Chucalissa offers fun and educational events year-round, the most popular being the Choctaw Heritage Festival.  Held annually each August (this year's dates are August 6-7, 1999), the Festival offers visitors the chance to stroll the grounds of the reconstructed village, observe demonstrations, absorb the history in the museum's displays, and participate in the fun and activities of the event.  Live entertainment; stick-ball games; authentic, ethnic food; and arts and crafts of all kinds contribute to the experience.

For more information on Chucalissa or the Choctaw Heritage Festival, contact the Chucalissa Museum at (901)785-3160.