In 1990, the remains of ancient American Indians were stolen from Effigy Mounds. The thief was a National Park official.

Effigy Mounds

Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa protects some of America’s most sacred Native American burial sites, where ancient earthworks shaped like bears, birds, and other animals rise from the Mississippi River bluffs.

These mysterious mounds survived centuries of destruction by European settlers, only to face an unthinkable betrayal from within.

Between 1990 and 2016, the monument’s own superintendent secretly stole the remains of 41 Native Americans to prevent their return to tribal communities, hiding over 2,100 bone fragments in garbage bags in his garage.

This shocking crime was just the latest chapter in a long history of both destruction and preservation that makes Effigy Mounds one of the most compelling historic sites in America.

Native Americans Built Spiritual Animal Mounds Across the Midwest

From 650-1200 CE, Native Americans in the Midwest built earth mounds shaped like animals and spirits. These weren’t random dirt piles but careful spiritual sites often used for burials.

Wisconsin became the center with over 3,200 animal-shaped mounds. Experts think 15,000-20,000 mounds once covered Wisconsin and Iowa.

The mounds took shapes of bears, birds, deer, panthers, turtles, and water spirits. The Ho-Chunk Nation traces their roots to these mound builders.

Settlers Destroyed Thousands of Sacred Sites for Farmland

Between 1830-1920, European-American settlers wiped out about 80% of Wisconsin’s mounds. Today, only 4,000 of an estimated 20,000 remain.

Settlers used the mounds as house foundations, road fill, or plowed them under for farms. Many newcomers refused to believe Native Americans built such complex earthworks.

Instead, they spread stories about a mysterious “Lost Race” of mound builders who had vanished long ago.

Increase Lapham Proved Native Americans Built the Mounds

In the late 1840s, Wisconsin scientist Increase Lapham mapped effigy mounds across the state. His 1855 book “The Antiquities of Wisconsin,” from the Smithsonian, challenged the popular “lost race” theory.

Lapham showed that items inside the mounds matched Woodland tribes’ culture. His careful records saved knowledge of hundreds of mounds later destroyed by farming and building.

Charles Brown Rallied Wisconsin to Save Remaining Mounds

Charles Brown started the Wisconsin Archaeological Society and later ran the State Historical Society museum.

In 1906, he published the first “Record of Antiquities” in Wisconsin Archaeologist magazine, with five more as people reported new sites. His maps and notes help modern archaeologists find lost sites.

Brown even took University of Wisconsin students on summer field trips to build public awareness.

Wisconsin Passed America’s First Mound Protection Law in 1911

Charles Brown pushed for Wisconsin’s first historic protection law in 1911, making the state a leader in archaeological protection. This law shielded sites on public lands from damage.

Nobody could harm mounds without special permission. Private landowners could even get tax breaks for protecting sites on their land.

Wisconsin’s early efforts set an example that federal laws would later follow.

Federal Government Created a Safe Haven for 200 Mounds

The government set up Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa in 1949, saving over 200 prehistoric mounds. Most date back to the first millennium CE during the Woodland period.

The site holds sacred meaning for 20 American Indian tribes who see these earthworks as part of their heritage.

The National Park Service took charge of protecting these sacred sites and storing human remains and artifacts properly.

New Law Required Museums to Return Native Remains

In 1990, Congress passed the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), changing how museums handled Native American remains.

NAGPRA made them list all American Indian remains and work with tribes to return these ancestors. The law covered human remains, burial objects, sacred items, and cultural objects.

Thomas Munson, who ran Effigy Mounds from 1971-1994, thought NAGPRA was a “bad law.

Park Superintendent Secretly Removed 41 Native Americans from Museum

In July 1990, Munson told a seasonal worker to help him take out skeletal remains of 41 Native Americans from the monument’s collection. On July 16, they carried boxes with about 2,135 human bone pieces to Munson’s car.

Munson drove these sacred remains home to hide them and block their return to tribal nations. He wanted to avoid NAGPRA rules while keeping burial objects.

Munson stored these ancestors in garbage bags in his garage.

Ancient Ancestors Sat in Garage Garbage Bags for Decades

Munson lied to investigators about the missing remains. He kept his secret for more than 20 years while tribal ancestors sat forgotten in his garage.

When authorities found the boxes, many human bones were broken beyond recognition. Munson kept the remains in garbage bags without proper temperature or humidity controls.

Questions first came up in 2011 when Iowa Tribe member Patt Murphy asked for an inventory.

Tribal Member’s Questions Cracked the Cold Case

The government started a five-year investigation after Murphy’s 2011 questions raised concerns. New Superintendent Jim Nepstad took Murphy’s worries seriously and looked into the missing remains.

Investigators tracked the remains to Munson’s garage, where they had sat since July 16, 1990. They found them on May 17, 2012, ending 22 years of hiding.

An Investigative Services Branch agent recovered the last remains during the complex investigation.

Former Guardian of Sacred Site Sentenced to Jail Time

Munson pleaded guilty in January 2016 to embezzlement and theft of government property.

The court sentenced him to 10 consecutive weekends in jail, one year of home detention, 100 hours of community service, and ordered him to pay $108,905 in restitution plus a $3,000 fine.

Tribal representatives called Munson’s actions “a racist and bigoted act” and criticized what they saw as a lenient sentence.

Current Superintendent James Nepstad committed to returning the remains as quickly and respectfully as possible.

By 2018, plans were in place for reburial of these ancestors on the national monument site where they had originally rested.

Visiting Effigy Mounds

Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa protects over 200 Native American mounds, some shaped like bears and birds.

You can walk trails to see these 1,000-year-old earthworks built by ancient peoples for spiritual purposes.

The visitor center has exhibits about the scandal where a park superintendent illegally removed artifacts and damaged mounds between 1999-2010.

This betrayal of trust happened after centuries of looting and farming had already destroyed many mounds. The remaining mounds are now carefully protected by federal law.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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