Archaeotrek
Onondaga Town & Hilltop Fort, New York Mound, Earthworks, & Village • Woodland/Oneida
By Dr. Greg Little
New York State actually had hundreds of mounds and village areas inhabited by Native Americans dating from the Adena era to historic times. There were even several mysterious Hilltop Forts typically attributed to Hopewell cultures in New York. The vast majority of these mound sites were destroyed by the early settlers. Onondaga Town is one of the few mound sites remaining in the state. It is located in the Madison County Park, 5-miles north of Canastota, NY on Oxbow Road. Take a right on Mile Strip Road and another right on Nichols Pond Road. The park contains 45 acres and includes the historic Indian village where the battle known as Champlain/Oneida was fought in 1615. One mound, barely visible today, remains on the grounds with various grave sites and low earthworks. The mound was over 6-feet tall with a diameter of 40-feet. A second, larger mound, now obliterated, was nearby. Another site is near the park, a 3-acre Hilltop Fort was enclosed by a high wall on the perimeter made from earth and piled stone.
