WVSU is located on land once occupied by Mound Builder Native Americans. Prehistoric earthworks by mound builder cultures are common in the Midwest. Grave Creek Mound is the largest conical type of any of the mound builder structures. Several hoaxes have involved the Mound Builder cultures. Joara was the largest mound builder settlement in the region. This mound builder culture constructed seven mounds along Alum Creek. Before 500 AD many mound builder societies, retained a hunter gatherer form of subsistence. None of the imperiled is a mound builder like the river chub. The general term, "mound builder", covered their shared architectural practice of earthwork mound construction. Organized societies, in the ancient United States or Canada, were often mound builder civilizations.