September 19  – “The Great Pyramids of St. Louis: An Ancient Metropolis” by Mark Leach at Friendship Village South in Sunset Hills. Mark Leach details the history of the mounds and the culture of the Native American population.

Approximately 1000 years ago, the St. Louis area was the very epicenter of an extraordinary explosion of culture, population, and grand civic construction. When most people think of Native Americans, scenes from movies such as Dances with Wolves come to mind: small bands of hunter-gatherers, living in teepees and enjoying harmony with fellow humans and nature. When contemplating what took place in the heart of America at and for several hundred years after 1050 AD, erase all such thoughts from your mind.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a highly complex civilization erupted on the scene, drawing thousands of people from across the mid-continent, all hoping to take part in an exciting and sometimes dangerous cultural revolution. In nearly a blink of an eye, a massive city of earthen pyramids, causeways, roads, plazas, neighborhoods, and temples was constructed: stretching from present day St. Louis, across East St. Louis, and onward to the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site. Join the world’s top researchers as they unravel countless mysteries of this long-lost civilization. New and often startling answers come forth from the soil every excavation season. However, no one has yet to answer the most burning question: Why do so few people in our region know or care about the Great Pyramids of St. Louis?

Get more specifics about the venue on the page: Friendship Village Sunset Hills