I’ve visited five or six Native American mounds and earthworks over the years, but I’ve deliberately avoided writing about them. There’s a lot to unpack, and I’m keenly aware that I’m not an expert on Indigenous cultures. It’s an easy subject to oversimplify or get wrong, but New Castle’s Chrysler Enclosure is too fascinating to ignore: without any exaggeration, it may be 2,000 years old. 

I’m a sucker for obscure history, especially when it’s Hoosier history. I love to fall down abstruse rabbit holes and disappear into research vortices that most people don’t bother with! That’s why I’m always excited to meet someone else who’s just as willing to chase their own obscure interest, like Dean Alger. The result, his brand-new book Indiana’s Historic Fire Towers, makes everything richer for those who appreciate the overlooked.