[gibspaulding]

I grew up in a part of the US that was “settled” in the mid 19th century. The absolute oldest buildings are just now approaching 200 years old and there aren’t many of those even. From that perspective it’s astonishing to be able to see the work of someone’s hands from so long ago. Obviously there were native Americans here long before European settlement, but evidence of their presence has been so thoroughly erased that it feels like everything you see sprung up in the last century. Even our forests are new, as pretty much the entire state was clear cut by the start of the 20th century.

[bluGill]

> Obviously there were native Americans here long before European settlement, but evidence of their presence has been so thoroughly erased

Most of what the native Americans built would be erased by now anyway. They mostly didn't build with stone or metals, but with wood that rots. Most European castles were built out of wood and there is not trace remaining other than town archives (if that) even though no deliberate effort was made to erase them.

Not to excuse the deliberate eraser of history, it happened and is bad. However don't get the wrong impression either, most wasn't deliberate history erasing. Most of it was natural decay, followed by this useless bit is in the way of progress - the natives did exactly the same thing to their old worn out structures.

[hermitcrab]

I live in wiltshire, in the UK. There are lots of ancient hill forts. They were originally terraced earth + wooden pallisades + wood/mud buildings. All the wooden structures have long since decayed, but the earth structures still remain, if somewhat eroded. I guess there isn't much in the way of hills on the American plains though.