A group of platform and ridge mounds along the Mississippi River are the main attraction at C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa (adjacent to T. O. Fuller State Park, 901/785-3160, www.memphis.edu/chucalissa, chucalissa [at] memphis [dot] edu, Tues.–Sat. 9 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Sun. 1:00–5:00 p.m., adults $5, seniors and children $3).

The mounds were once part of a Choctaw Indian community that existed between A.D. 1000 and 1550. The village was empty when Europeans arrived, and the name Chucalissa means “abandoned house.”

The largest mound would have been where the chief and his family lived. The present-day museum, operated by the University of Memphis, consists of an exhibit about the Native Americans of the area and self-guided tour around the mounds and courtyard area, where games and meetings would have been held.

There is also a half-mile nature trail along the bluff overlooking the river. In addition to the opening hours listed above, Chucalissa is open on Sunday afternoon during the summer months; call ahead for details.