Cahokia National Park

Why isn't Cahokia a National Park? I'm sure there are reasons, but let me say up front that I don't think that any of them are good reasons. I have visited Cahokia twice since moving to St. Louis in January 2005. I was shocked that I-55/70 runs so close to Monks Mound, the largest at Cahokia. The din of traffic and view of billboards is not what I had expected.

The past couple years have brought renewed attention to Cahokia. Timothy Pauketat's "Cahokia: Ancient America's Great City on the Mississippi" garnered national attention and Pauketat was featured on National Public Radio's On Point (click link to listen to that show). Now, Cahokia is featured in National Geographic Magazine. American's Forgotten City turns the spotlight on the ancient city and its decided neglect and anonymity.