Archaeology of the Wazija

The Wazija, "the Place at the Pines," or "the Pinery," is the name given to the territories in Wisconsin which were once occupied by the Hocąk Nation.

Location of Villages

A Greatly Modified Version of Paul Radin's Map of Wisconsin Hocąk Villages1
[The numbers on the map indicate the location of some of the Winnebago villages in Wisconsin.]
1. Big Hawk's Village at Pike Lake 2. Little Decorah's Village, 1827 3. Buzzard Decorah's Village, 1787     Village of One-eyed Decorah (Big Boat), 1832 4. Village of Washington Decorah (Wakąhaga), 1832 5. Doty Island (Wisconsin Rapids) Village, 1634-18322 6. Big Butte des Morts Village (Exact Location Unknown) 7. Pesheu's Village on Garlic Island, 1797-1833 8. Smoker's Village 1816 9. Village of Sarrochau (Smoker), Fond du Lac, 1788 10. Black Wolf's Village, 1816 11. Rush Lake Village, Keramąnįga's Village, ca. 1830 12. Yellow Thunder's Village, 1828-1832 13. Village of Sarcel (Teal, Dog's Head), Green Lake, 1829 14. Old Gray-headed Decorah's Village, 1793 15. Nąga Keramąnįga's Village at Little Green Lake, 1829 16. Scalp Village, 1829 17. Grand Bourbier Village 18. Elk Village (Village of Big Fox), 1829       White Breast's Village, 1830 19. Big Fox's Village, 1832       Grizzly Bear's Village, 1838 20. Cugiga's Village,  1816       White Ox's Village, 1832       Whirling Thunder's Village, 18363 21. Old Gray-headed Decorah's Village, 1793-1836 22. Yellow Thunder's "Forty"	23. Keramąnį's Village, 1832-42       Little Soldier's Village, 18364 24. Little Sioux's Village, 1829 25. Village of Sarcel (Teal, Dog's Head), at English Prairie (now Muscoda), near the mouth of Pine River, 18275 26. Wakąga's Village, 18376       Village of Keramąnį the Younger (date uncertain)7 27. Mud Lake Village 28. Watertown (Grand Rapids) Village 29. Iron Walker's Village 30. White Crow's Village, 1832 31. Old Turtle's Village, Lake Mendota8 32. Broken Arm's Village, Lake Monona 33. Spotted Arm's Village, Lake Wabesa  34. Dayton Village9 35. Mammoth's Village, Lake Kegonsa 36a. Te Hera, "The Lake Point" Village10 36. Little Priest's Village, 1832       Whirling Thunder's Village, after 1836 37. Village of People Eater (Wąkšígᵉrucká), 183211 38. Burnt Village (White Crow), 183212 39. Spotted Arm's Village, Exeter, 1829 40. Catfish (Howį́x)Village 41. Nąhųra Rohara (Sturgeon's Spawn), Village of White Breast (Mą́kskaga), Sugar Creek 42. Round Rock Village, 1829 43. Standing Post, 1829 44. Turtle Creek, White Crow's Village, 1829       Keramąnįga's Village, 1832

¹ Modified from Paul Radin, The Winnebago Tribe (Washington: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1923) 51.
² A great and populous village last governed by Four Legs. It was this village that was run by Glory of the Morning, who with her husband Sabrevoir de Carrie, founded the Decorah clan.
³ "[Whirling Thunder] at the time [October, 1836] had a camp on the high land north of the city end of the present Wisconsin river bridge." Moses Pauquette, "The Wisconsin Winnebagoes," Wisconsin Historical Collections, XII (1892): 399-433 [402].
⁴ Keramąnįga was the Peace Chief, and inasmuch as Dandy was the son of Black Wolf, he was the War Chief. He was eventually recognized as chief of the tribe by the U. S. Government, reflecting a break down of the old system.
⁵ "Dog's Head ... lived in 1827, at English Prairie, now Muscoda. ... The Indians cultivated some fields there, and lived there as one of their changeable localities." B. W. Brisbois, "Recollections of Prairie du Chien," Wisconsin Historical Collections, IX (1882/1909): 282-302 [300].
⁶ Radin identifies the village at the mouth of the Kickapoo River (43.085809, -90.876643) to be that of Snake (Wakąga) by 1837, although we see that in 1829 Wakąga was living in the Lake Mendota Village (another man of this name was living in Turtle Village). The town of Wauzeka located near the mouth of the Kickapoo River was once the site of a Fox village. B. W. Brisbois, "Recollections of Prairie du Chien," Wisconsin Historical Collections, 9 (1882): 282-302 [295]; C. E. Brown, "A Record of Wisconsin Antiquities," Wisconsin Archeologist, 5, ##3-4 (April-Oct., 1906): 300; cf. Virgil J. Vogel, Indian Names on Wisconsin's Map (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1991) 161. As the Fox were displaced, the Hocągara moved into their former territory. Miner records that the Hocągara called this village, Waziga, "Pine," now called "Wauzeka." The name Waziga is from wazí, "pine"; and -ga, a personal name suffix. So the site was named after an individual called "Pine," Waziga being a clan name in the Upper Moiety whence the chiefs were drawn. So Snake's village was also Pine's village. The reason for this is, as McKinney tells us, that Snake was a Warleader. The War Chief could be drawn from any clan, whereas the Peace Chief was usually drawn from the Thunderbird Clan. Therefore, this village has a dual designation.
⁷ Moses Pauquette states that this was Keramąnįga's village "after he returned to Wisconsin." See Moses Paquette, "The Wisconsin Winnebagoes," Wisconsin Historical Collections, XII (1892): 399-433 [408].
⁸ This site was said by Reuben Gold Thwaites to be the village of White Crow (note 9): "Kaukishkaka (White Crow), a Winnebago chief, who had but one eye, and something of a reputation as an orator. His village, which comprised about 1,200 persons, housed in tepees covered with red-cedar bark, appears to have been situated about where is now the little village of Pheasant Branch, at the west end of Lake Mendota, Dane county." On the other hand, Radin identifies White Crow's village in 1832 as being at 30 on our map. It remains possible that this site, the Pheasant Branch site at 31, was White Crow's and the site at 30 was Old Turtle's village; or that 31 was White Crow's before 1832. In any case, Thwaites is the source of the idea that White Crow's village was at 30 (see the note below).
⁹ The township of Dayton is located at 42.8269474 -89.5131761 according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and is actually part of Exeter. Therefore, the Dayton Village may be the same as the Exeter Village, but in any case, the distance between them shown in Radin's map would not be correct.
¹⁰ For this village, see H. L. Skavlem, "The Archaeology of the Lake Koshkonong Region. II. The Village Sites," Wisconsin Archeologist, 7, #2 (April-June, 1908): 74-102 [75-77]. Phonetically rendered as "Taye-he-dah," apparently for Te-hera, from te, "lake, body of water"; he, "horn"; and -ra, a definite article. This topographic feature is known as "Taylor Point," and can be seen in NE ¼ of Section 6 of Milton Township (T4N R13E) on the 1873 plat map (on the property of Taylor & Carr). The sketch map in the Interior Notes of G. W. Harrison to the original 1834 plat map of T4N R12E, shows the Rock River trail terminating in this villages (indicted by a group of 5 dots). The sketch map of March 31, 1834 for T4N R13E shows this as an "old Ind. Vil." on "Lake Kuskawenong." The village is also shown on the original plat map of T4N R13E of 1834-1836 as a set of triangles with a trail emanating from it to the north and mounds extending southward. On contemporary maps, Te Hera would be located at 42.843972, -89.002766.

S. D. Peet

Antiquities at Lake Koshkonong

¹¹ This village is assigned to Wąkšígᵉrucká in the Map in Tom Jones, Michael Schmudlach, Matthew Daniel Mason, Amy Lonetree, and George A. Greendeer, People of the Big Voice: Photographs of Ho-Chunk Families by Charles Van. Schaick, 1879–1942 (Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2011) 15. On the location of the Koshkonong villages, see Steven D. Peet, Prehistoric America, 2 vols. (Chicago: American Antiquarian Office, 1896) 2:241-242; the map above is from 240 verso.
¹² Located within 200 feet of 42.906578, -88.770737. Described as being, "... Burnt Village — known, also, as the White Crow's town — was on the south side of what was then called the Whitewater River (now Bark River), at its most southerly point, on the north half of Section 12, in Township 5 north, of Range 14 east — town of Koshkonong — about two and one-half miles southeast of the present Fort Atkinson. This is the village generally, but incorrectly, stated to have been located upon the north side of Lake Koshkonong, some eight miles distant. When, on the 6th day of July, 1832, Gen. Atkinson, in pursuit of Black Hawk, reached the place, it was found deserted." A History of Jefferson County (Chicago: Western Historical Co., 1879) 322. For Section 12, see the 1919 plat map for Jefferson County, Koshkonong Township.

A Highly Redacted Version of Chandler's 1829 Map of the Lead Mining Region1
[The numbers on the map indicate the location of some of the Winnebago villages on Rock River and the Lead Mining Region. Some sites are duplicated from the map above.]
20. Cugiga's Village,  1816       White Ox's Village, 1832 25. Village of Sarcel (Teal, Dog's Head), at English Prairie (now Muscoda), 1827 26. Wakąga's Village, 1837 30. White Crow's Village, 18322 31. Old Turtle's Village, Lake Mendota 32. Broken Arm's Village, Lake Monona 33. Spotted Arm's Village, Lake Wabesa 35. Mammoth's Village, Lake Kegonsa      a. Dyerson Site      b. Williamson Site      c. Stendahl Site 36. Spotted Arm's Village, Exeter, 1829 37. Catfish (Howį́x) Village 41. Nąhųra Rohara (Sturgeon's Spawn), Village of White Breast (Mą́kskaga), Sugar Creek	42. Round Rock Village, 18293 43. Standing Post, 1829 44. Turtle Creek, White Crow's Village, 1829       Keramąnįga's Village, 1832 45. The Village of the Elder Winneshiek (Mąwáruga) on the Pecatonica, 18294 46. White Breast's Village at the Mouth of Sugar Creek 47. The Village of People Eater (Wąkšígᵉrucká), at the forks of the Rock River where they peel the bark, also called "Little Rapids of the Rock River," 18295 48. Village at Birds Grove, 18216 49. Sycamore Village at the Mouth of the Kishwaukee River, 18297 50. Jarrot's Village, before 18298 51. Village of Peją́ga (Crane), before 1829 52. Sugar Camp, the Village of Wabokieshiek, the Winnebago Prophet

¹ Morgan Martin, "The Narrative of Morgan L. Martin," Wisconsin Historical Collections, XI (1888): 385-415 [400 verso].
² Said to be located near Fox Bluff (43.110204, -89.454071), but also near the mouth of the north branch of the Catfish (Yahara) River. This places it very close to Old Turtle's village just to the east of Pheasant Branch Creek. Fortuneately, Chandler's map marks the place of this village with two teepees, locating it at Fox Bluff. See Reuben Gold Thwaite's note #2 in Morgan Martin, "The Narrative of Morgan L. Martin," Wisconsin Historical Collections, XI (1888): 385-415 [401].
³ Chandler's map is compressed north to south in this area and does not properly reflect the actual distances between the villages numbered 39-40.
⁴ this village was located near the present town of Freeport, Illinois (42.307292, -89.630589).
⁵ this is right at the end of the rapids (42.431635, -89.048842), called by Kinzie the "Little Rapids of Rock River." However, the village given this latter name is actually at the mouth of the Sugar River not far upstream from where these rapids begin.
⁶ The forest preserve within which this name is still retained, is named for Xųnųnį́ka (corrupted to Hononegah), the first born daughter of a chief. She married the trader Steven Mack. The exact location of Birds Grove is 42.436361, -89.046791.
⁷ called Kishkawaka on van Shaik's map.
⁸ For Jarrot, see Jerrot's Temperance Pledge — A Poem, Jarrot's Aborted Raid, Jarrot and His Friends Saved from Starvation, How Jarrot Got His Name.

The Archaeology of the Lake Koshkonong Region¹
Sites 9

H. L. Skavlem

The Koshkonong Region2
— Key — Uncircled numbers represent Section numbers Circled numbers mark the location of mounds and villages
① Conch Shell Cache, 1842. ② Black Hawk's Camp, 1832. ③ Ogden Group. ④ Rock River Group and Village Site. ⑤ Tay-e-he-dah Group and Village Site. ⑥ Taylor House Group. ⑦ Fulton Group. ⑧ Koshkonong Group and Village Site. ⑨ John Son Group. ⑩ Noe Springs Group and Village Site. ⑪ North Group. ⑫ Rufus Bingham Group. ⑬ Le Sellier Group and Village Site. ⑭ Goldthorpe Burials. ⑮ Messmer Garden Beds. ⑯ Kumlien Group. ⑰ a-b-c. Koshonong Creek Mounds and Village Site. ⑱ Conch Shell Cache, 1867.		⑲ Draves Group. ⑳ Skavlem Group. ㉑ Carcajou Mounds and White Crow'sVillage. ㉒ Loge Bay Mounds and Garden Beds. ㉓ Altpeter Group and White Ox's Village. ㉔ Man Eater's Village. ㉔ & ㉕ General Atkinson Group. ㉖ Hoard Group and Kewaskum's Camp. ㉗ Fun Hunter's Point Mound and Cornfield. ㉘ Lockopt Group. ㉙ Haight's Creek Group. ㉚ Atkinson's Camp. ㉛ Indian Cornfields. ㉜ & ㉝ Ira Bingham Group and Village Site. ㉞ & ㉟ Thiebeau Point Village Site and Cornfields. ㊱ French Trader's Cabin Sites. ㊲ Camp Site and Cornfield. ㊳ Black Hawk Island Camp Site.

¹ H. L. Skavlem, "The Archaeology of the Lake Koshkonong Region. II. The Village Sites," Wisconsin Archeologist, 7, #2 (April-June, 1908): 74-102 [75-77].
² The map is from Skavlem, "The Archaeology of the Lake Koshkonong Region. II. The Village Sites," frontispiece.

Villages and Campsites of the
Lower Rock River, Wisconsin¹
Sites 15, 16, 17, 18

Charles E. Brown

Wisconsin Archeologist

¹ Charles E. and Theodore T. Brown, “Indian village and Camp Sites of the Lower Rock River in Wisconsin," The Wisconsin Archeologist, 9, #1 (October, 1929): 7-93.
² The brook is not evident in satellite views, however, some of this site is one the Richardson farm (1917 map), and the road here referenced is now called "Richardson Spring Road," a name sufficient to indicate the presence of this brook somewhere along the course of this road.
³ "At this settlement on the highway from Edgerton to Janesville there was an Indian crossing or ford of the Rock River from the trail on its eastern bank to that on its western. The old Winnebago Indian name of this locality was Nee-ru-tcha-ja, or "river crossing," also given as Ho-ru-tchkach. Pioneer and other old settlers remembered numbers of both Winnebago and Potawatomi Indians crossing the river in the shallows at this place, the women at times rather heavily laden with bundles on their backs and shoulders. They were on their way to Lake Koshkonong or to points down the river. The early ford is reported to have been just above the present highway bridge" [42.804232, -89.090033]. (p. 39) Nee-ru-tcha-ja is for nįruceja, from nį, "water"; harucé, "to go across"; eja, "at, the place where" — "the place at which to go across the water." The other term bears some resemblance to what Jipson obtained for "ford": niorurujgax, which may be from nį, "water"; ho-, "the place where"; harurucé, "to go across," with an emphatic reduplication of the syllable ru; and gax, "to make." This supposes that ho-ha would resolve to ho- by sandhi. This would allow us to say that Ho-ru-tchkach is a corruption of horucegax, from ho-, "the place where"; harucé, "to go across"; and gax, "to make" — "the place to make a crossing."
⁴ The bracketed material was clearly omitted, as the SE ¼ of Sec. 20 is about ¾ of a mile from the river.
⁵ The S. Scofield farm in 1917 was restricted to the NE ¼ of Sec. 20; however, on the 1891 map, George Scofield owned the land that made up the NW ¼ of Sec. 20, so perhaps the original designation was correct, but obsolete with respect to land ownership.
⁶ This is the Sagittaria latifolia, shown in the inset to the left, also known as duck potato, arrowleaf, swan potato, wapatoo, wappato, katniss, swamp potato, and tule-potato, called sįpóro, "round rice," in Hocąk. The tubers of which were boiled or roasted.
⁷ The text has "NW ½." This should be "¼": northwest is a quadrant, and the Inman farm is shown as confined to the northwest part of section 27.
⁸ The text has "NW ½," where NW would necessarily designate a quadrant.
⁹ This is for Xéxete, from xe, "hill, mountain"; and xete, "big." So "Big Hill" is a translation from the original Hocąk.
¹⁰ William Fiske Brown, Rock County, Wisconsin; a New History of Its Cities, Villages, Towns, Citizens and Varied Interests, from the Earliest Times, up to Date (Chicago: C. F. Cooper and Co., 1908) 1:33.
¹¹ Standing Post Village.

The Archaeology of Winnebago County¹
Publius V. Lawson
Sites 31, 34, 35

Publius V. Lawson

Wisconsin Archeologist

— Key — Note – dashed lines represent the boundaries of townships
1. Menasha Mounds. "When Dr. Increase A. Lapham visited the young village (now city) of Menasha in the year 1851, he found located there two mounds which he describes as follows: 'In the village of Menasha is an elongated mound, quite high at the end towards the river, and terminating at a point at the other. A similar one exists on Doty's island, forming a sort of counterpart to the first. They are not exactly opposite, but are both directed towards the river.' (Antiquities of Wisconsin, p. 61.)" 2. Fourth Ward Mounds. "These were first described by Dr. Lapham, (Antiquities of Wisconsin, p. 61) who says of them. '. . . Half a mile from Menasha is a group of eight mounds about four feet high and from forty to fifty feet in diameter. They are on the SE ¼ of section fourteen, township twenty [Menasha Township], range seventeen, not far from the shore of Lake Winnebago'." Section 14 and the Fourth Ward can be seen in the map of Menasha Township, Neenah Township, Winnebago County 1889. 3. Fox River Trail. The route from Green Bay to Ft. Winnebago. Shown on the map above as a dotted line. 4. Sill's Creek Shell Heaps. Located in the NE ¼ of Section 3 [Menasha Township]. Section 3 can be found on the 1889 map of Menasha Township, Neenah Township. 5. Little Butte des Morts, "The Hill of the Dead." A large burial mound for those killed in a battle between the Fox and the French and their allies. "It was located a distance of 360 feet west of the lake shore and 300 feet south of the east and west quarter line of section 16 [Menasha Township]." This feature is recorded on the original Plat Map for T20N R17E as "Little Butte des Mortes (artificial Mound)" on the west side of the Little Butte des Mortes Lake opposite Section 15. Shown very nicely on A. G. Ellis' Interior Field Notes of Dec. 1834 (INT164E03) at the top center of the map. The 1889 map of Menasha Township, Neenah Township shows that the railroad and a highway in Section 16 cut through where the mound had formerly stood. 6. Fox Village Site Stockade Embankment. Located in SE ¼ of Section 8 [Menasha Township]. See the 1889 map of Menasha Township, Neenah Township. 7. Great Serpent Mounds. "This group is located about one and a half miles west of Little Butte des Morts lake and about two and one-half miles northwest of the city of Neenah. It is only about 500 feet northwest of the remains of the old Fox stockade embankment just described." Henry Race is said to have built his house and barn at its SE terminus. On the 1909 map of Menasha and Neenah, there are 40 acres belonging to H. Rase located in the SE ¼ of the SE ¼ of Section 8. 8. Kame Burials. "At various places in the southern portion of this town [of Menasha] and in the town of Neenah on the Blair, Jennijohn, Moulton, Hankey and other farms gravel pit interments are frequently disturbed in taking out the material for road work. These graves are usually at a depth of but a few feet beneath the surface. They are generally about 2 feet wide and deep and 6 feet long. The bones lie in a horizontal position, the direction varying greatly." On the 1909 map of Menasha and Neenah, the farm of Jennijohn is found in the S ½ of Section 17, and the farm of an L. Hank is found in the N ½ of Section 21. 9. Doty Island Village Site. The place at which Nicolet first encountered the Hocagara in 1634. "The island itself is formed by the division of the Fox river where it leaves Lake Winnebago and is about 1½ miles in length, ¾ of a mile in width and about 700 acres in extent. It was in early days overgrown with great oaks and noble elms and is now occupied by the fine residences, thoroughfares and gardens of the twin cities of Neenah and Menasha. It is upon this picturesque island that the principal village of the powerful Winnebago tribe, so intimately associated with the early history of the state, was. located from as far back as the year 1634 to 1830, the date of the death of Four Legs, the last of its great warlike chiefs." 10. Stockade Embankment. "Situated partly upon the property of Mr. L. Pinkerton and Mr. Striddie at a distance of 47 rods east of Ninth street in Neenah and directly in line with a series of effigy mounds, are located the remains of the earthern embankment at one time supporting the walls of the Winnebago stockade or fort which was destroyed in 1728 by the French and Iroquois expedition which also destroyed the Fox Indian stockade on the mainland as already described. (Fig. 5.) While the villagers returned and continued to inhabit the island it does not appear that the stockade was rebuilt. The position and shape of the embankment enclosure is best to be seen in the cut. As it was not possible to enclose the entire population of the island within the stockade, it is supposed that it was only occupied in time of war, when the women and children were probably removed to a distance for safety. The peculiarity of the double enclosure indicates that one is simply the result of the enlarging of an earlier and smaller stockade. There are enclosed at present within the embankment of the stockade about three quarter acres of land. The northern side of the enclosure is 200 feet, the southern side 300 feet in length and its extreme width about t6o feet. The embankment is from 18 inches to 3 feet in height." Judging from the map of Fig. 5, the location of the stockade was ca. 44.191172, -88.441391. 11. Doty Island Cornfields. "The cornfields of this village are still to be seen at the eastern end of the island on the property of Mr. G. C. Jones and along the Neenah Fox river. They consist of long regular drills or ridges covering several acres of ground, each row being from 3 to 6 inches in height, about 3 feet in width and from 4 to 6 feet apart from center to center. ... At the water's edge several hundred feet southeast of the old Doty homestead there is a black trap boulder having on its top several highly polished basin-shaped depressions which are said to have been employed by the Indians in grinding their corn. This boulder is somewhat oval in form, 6 feet in length, 3 feet in height and 3 feet in thickness." The cornfields will have been located at ca. 44.190145, -88.439401. 12. Doty Mounds. "These mounds are located on a terrace which circles the eastern end of the island and marks the ancient flood plane of Winnebago lake and the Fox river. This terrace is elevated about 15 feet above the level of the lake. The group consists of a string of effigy, oval and round mounds beginning near the middle of the eastern end of the island and extending from thence in a general southwesterly direction across the Winnebago village site for a half mile or more to near the shore of the Neenah Fox river at its southern margin." See the map in Fig. 5. 13. Treaty Elm. "For many years one of the most interesting land marks in the county was the "Treaty Elm" or "Council Tree" beneath whose wide spreading branches the chiefs of the neighboring tribes are said to have been wont to gather in council. It was located on Riverside Park point at the mouth of the Neenah-Fox river in the City of Neenah. It was of immense size and girth and towered above all the surrounding forest and could be seen from points from 5 to 8 miles distant." Probably located at 44.185826, -88.442522. 14. Manser's Bay Cemetery. "On the farm of Mr. G. H. Manser on the shore of Manser's bay, Lake Winnebago, in the NE ¼ of section 9 [Neenah Township], there are indications of a rather extensive aboriginal burning place." The property of G. H. Mansur can be found on the 1889 map of Menasha Township, Neenah Township. 15. Allenville Cornfield. "I have recorded the existence of an aboriginal cornfield in section 6 [Vinland Township], about 1 mile north of Allenville, and of the existence of a similar evidence of cultivation at the head of a creek about a mile south of the center the northern boundary of this town." The first, in Section 6 on the 1889 Vinland map, would probably fall within O. Lindsey's property. The second would be in the center of Section 4 on J. Dix's property at the head of the creek (44.147282, -88.601627) that branches off from Daggeis Creek. 16. Paine's Point Mound. "Formerly situated at Paine's point, 3 miles south of the City of Neenah, near the shore of Lake Winnebago." Payne Point is located at 44.125963, -88.463852. 17. Island Park Village Site. This was Village of Pesheu (Wildcat) on Garlic Island. "It would appear that the village occupied both the island and mainland; that the wigwams were well constructed, the fields of Indian maize of considerable extent, and the population at that time one of 1000 or more persons." 18. Island Park Mound. "At the southern extremity of the island there is a cairn or mound built of stones." Located at 44.088092, -88.481914. 19. Winnebago P. O. Mounds. These are situated 1½ miles north of the Northern Hospital for the Insane. The Post Office and the Hospital (now the Winnebago Mental Health Institute) are seen in Section 31 (T19N R17E) of the 1889 Oshkosh Township map. 20. Asylum Bay Graves. "Located on the shore of Lake Winnebago, about three miles north of the City of Oshkosh." 21. Sunset Point Cemetery. "There was an aboriginal cemetery located at Sunset point on the north shore, at the lower end of Big Lake Butte des Morts." This is located roughly at 44.053739, -88.587546. 22. Plummer's Point Mound. "On the property of Mr. Levi Plummer at a place called Plummer's Point, in the SE ¼ of section 30, there is a round mound about 25 feet in diameter and now about 30 inches in height. It is located in a wood about 80 rods east and elevated about 25 feet above the north shore of the Fox river. " The Plummer property lying on a point is actually seen in the NE ¼ of Section 31 (T19N R16E) of the 1889 Oshkosh Township map. (44.081935, -88.624457). 23. Oshkosh Mound. "In former years before the waters of Lake Winnebago had eroded away the land upon which it was constructed, there was situated in the east side of the City of Oshkosh at an equal distance between Washington and Merritt streets, a round mound measuring 8 feet in height and about 20 feet in diameter." This would be located approximately at 44.018878, -88.516165. 24. Otter Street Graves. The exact location is unknown. Otter Street is now known as "Otter Avenue." 25. Stony Beach Mounds. "Hon. James G. Pickett remembers to have seen, many years ago, some round mounds on the farm of Mr. William Wright, at the place now known as Stony Beach, in section 36 [Algoma Township], about 1 mile south of the City of Oshkosh." Both the land of W. W. Wright and Stony Beach are shown in Section 36 of the 1889 Algoma Township map. 26. Oakwood Mounds. "This at one time fine group of effigy and other mounds is located on fractional lot 8, at the delightful summer resort called Oakwood [Algoma Township], on the south shore of Big Butte des Morts lake." Shown in Section 8 of the 1889 Algoma Township map (44.045201, -88.607674) on the properties of J. D. Olcott and William Sawtell. 27. Hammer Mounds. "Located on a tract known as the James Hammer place in section 7, in the town of Algoma. They are about 2 miles west of Oakwood and about one mile south of Big Lake Butte des Morts. ... There was an aboriginal cemetery on the same tract." 28. Randall's Point Kitchens. "At La Belle or Randall's point on the west shore of Lake Winnebago, in fractional section 16 [in Black Wolf Township], on land now owned by Mr. E. H. Farnly, there are still to be seen several circular excavations which were employed as kitchens or dining pits by the aborigines located there. ... The kettle of whole fish, birds, meat and corn was boiled at a nearby fire, then brought into the pit and hung upon a cross-piece supported at either end by a forked upright. The Indians, old and young, then seated themselves in the pit and each in turn fished out with his fingers his portion of the dinner. Fish bones and other remains of these dinners are still to be found in the pits." This is seen as "Randall's Point" on the 1889 plat map of Black Wolf Township, and as "Point la Belle" on the 1909 map (= 43.945257, -88.480233). 29. Randall's Point Cornfields. 30. "Black Wolf Point Village Site. "On a point of land now known as Black Wolf point (Sec. 21 [in Black Wolf Township]), jutting out into Lake Winnebago at a distance of seven miles south of the city of Oshkosh, there was formerly located a Winnebago Indian village over which Black Wolf, a Winnebago war chief, presided. This village was not a large one, as it is said to have numbered not more than forty huts. The date of its establishment here is not exactly known, but it is supposed to have been about the year 1800 or slightly before. Mrs. G. A. Randall, who formerly resided at Randall's point, remembers to have seen the Indian tepees and campfires along the shore of Black Wolf point as late as the year 1846." Black Wolf Point is seen in Section 21 of the 1889 plat map (= 43.928047, -88.471532). 31. Long Point Bay Cornfield. "On the shore of Long Point bay, Lake Winnebago, about 500 feet inland, in the south-eastern corner of this town, indications of an aboriginal cornfield probably belonging to the before mentioned village, are still to be seen. (SE ¼ of Sec. 33.) The cornhills are about 5 acres in extent." Probably around 43.902256, -88.466413, but the location is uncertain. 32. Manitou Rock. "This huge granite boulder, the largest glacial rock in the county, is located on the property of Mr. Adolph Freiberg (Section 33 [Black Wolf Township]) at the water's edge on the shore of Long Point bay. It is a prominent landmark in a district where there are no other large boulders, and is the subject of an interesting tradition or legend [which he does not relate]. It is rather angular in shape and measures 8 feet across the top. It stands 5 feet above the ground and extends at least as many feet below the surface. On its top are two seemingly artificially excavated basins or depressions, each about 3 inches in depth and highly polished, which were probably used as 'corn-mills' by the aborigines of the neighborhood." The property of A. Freiberg in Section 33 is shown on the 1909 map, which would put the boulder at ca. 43.902524, -88.469505. 33. Davis Mound. "This mound is located on the farm of the Alvin Davis estate in the NW ¼ of the NW ¼ of section 30 [Nekimi Township]. It is in the rear and about 50 feet distant from the Davis dwelling and is about 12 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height." The dwelling of A. H. Davis is depicted on the 1889 plat map in Section 30, which would make the location perhaps at 43.922951, -88.639208. 34. Richter's Landing Shell Heaps. "On the property of Mr. Chas. Richter in the E ½ of section 31 [Winchester Township], about one mile east of Richter's landing on Boom bay, there are according to the statement of Mr. Clarence Olen of Oshkosh, a number of large shell heaps and indications of an aboriginal burying ground. Some of the shell heaps are from 3 to 4 feet in height." Richter's property is actually in W ½ of Section 31: see the 1889 plat map of Winchester Township. The middle Richter's property lies at 44.164655, -88.762189.		35. Clark's Point Mounds. "At this place in the SE ¼ of section 33 [Winchester Township], about 500 feet east of the east shore of Lake Winneconne and elevated about 35 feet above it, there is a mound resembling the so-called 'turtle' form." Clarks Point is located roughly at 44.152092, -88.707006, 500 feet east of the shore in the SE ¼ of section 33 would be somewhere around 44.157294, -88.709463. 36. Cross Cornfield. "An aboriginal cornfield, probably three or four acres in extent, formerly located in a black oak grove on property owned by Mr. S. J. Cross, in the W ½ of the SW ¼ of section 36 [Winchester Township]." See the forested area around 44.160615, -88.659506, in the NW ¼ SW ¼ of Section 36. The 1889 plat map of Winchester Township shows this to be on the NW edge of J. C. Cross, sr.'s property. 37. Placenza Shell Heaps. "There were formerly located near this place in the NE ¼ of fractional section 4 [Winneconne Township], according to Mr. Clarence Olen of Oshkosh, a number of shell heaps." Placenza is labeled in the 1889 plat map of Winneconne Township contained within L. Clark's property (44.153552, -88.706895). The sketch map in the Interior Field Notes (Mar. 1839 - Apr. 1839) of D. Giddings for the original plat shows an Indian Village whose center is situated at 44.147377, -88.710342. 38. Placenza Kame Burials. "In removing gravel from a pit located about ¼ of a mile east of the last mentioned site two or three skeletons have been disinterred. It is highly probable that others may yet be found there." 39. Lasley Village Site. "The site is located on the 192 acre tract of land owned and occupied by Mr. R. Lasley, in the SW ¼ of section 10, on the eastern shore of Lake Winneconne, about one mile north of the village of Winneconne. This village site, which begins at the low eastern shore of the lake, rises gradually until at its farthest limit, about one-third of a mile beyond, it reaches an elevation of about 25 feet above the lake level. Scattered all along up this gentle wooded slope, are shell heaps at distances varying from a few to as much as 300 feet apart. ... Almost every part of this property exhibits abundant evidences of aboriginal occupation. About 15 acres of it are covered with the long, regular corn rows of the aborigines. Near at hand, are also to be seen hundreds of stone heaps of various sizes, and a considerable number of apparently artificial depressions, each about 3 feet in diameter and 8 inches in depth, which may have served as bake holes or for the threshing of wild rice after the custom of some of the local tribes." The property of Mrs. R. Lasley is shown in the 1889 plat map of Winneconne Township, Section 10. Fortunately, the exact loction of this village is shown (technically in Section 9) on the sketch map in the Interior Field Notes (Mar. 1839 - Apr. 1839) of D. Giddings for the original plat (the center of the village was located at 44.127885, -88.705652). 40. Ball Prairie Mounds. James G. Pickett is quoted as saying, "I think it was on the east half of the SE ¼ of section 1 in the town of Winneconne, and on property probably now owned by F. G. or J. Cross, that there were located at an early day several quite prominent mounds. A beautiful little prairie called 'Ball Prairie' and by which the locality is still known, then covered a part of these lands." The center of Section 1 is at 44.1480556, -88.6542766; the 1909 plat map of Winneconne Township shows the properties of F. G. Cross and J. Cross within Section 1. 41. Big Butte des Morts. "This supposed mound is described by Dr. I. A. Lapham in his "Antiquities of Wisconsin" (p. 63) as follows: 'Just before the Neenah (Fox) river enters Lake Winnebago it expands into a broad sheet of water called the Great Butte des Morts lake. Near the head of this lake is the mound from which its name is derived, on the north or left bank of the river. This is the site of the conflict of the Chippewas and French against the Sauk and Fox bands, but I can find no authority for the belief that the tumulus was raised for covering the bodies of the slain'." 42. Omro Village Site.2 "According to Mr. T. R. Fowler of Omro, abundant indications of the former location of an aboriginal village site and burial place have been found upon a tract of land [6.5 acres] owned by Mrs. Catherine Dunn, in the NW ¼ of section 18 [Township of Omro], on the north bank of the Fox river near the village of Omro. From this tract a large number of stone and copper implements, potsherds and human bones have been collected. Upon the farm of Mr. C. E. King in the same quarter section [7 acres] indications of an Indian cornfield were still to be seen several years ago. There were to be observed at that time four parallel rows of hills, extending in an east and west direction and each about two rods in length. The hills were from 8 to 10 inches in height."3 The properties to which reference has been made are most in Section 7 as seen on the 1909 plat map of Omro Township. The village was centered at 44.040030, -88.758425. 43. Bayou Village Site. "Mr. Fowler also reports the location of a village site and indications of extensive aboriginal cornfields upon an elevation on the J. S. Bennetts place, near the Fox river, in section 17 [Omro Township]. The site is bounded on its west and south sides by a bayou." The 1909 plat map of Omro Township shows land labeled "J. B. B." which might answer to J. B. Bennett. It consists of 17 acres in the NW ¼ of the NE ¼ of Section 17, occupying part of what is now the Omro Ballfield (44.039106, -88.733774). 44. Kame Burials. Hon. James G. Pickett calls attention to the fact that many skeletons and some implements have been disinterred at different times in working the gravel pit of the Cook & Brown Lime Company located about two miles west of the Hammer place." The "Hammer" place is actually that of E. Hammond in the SE ¼ of the SE ¼ of Section 2 on the 1889 plat map, where the number 44 is placed on the map above.   Plate XLI-3   45. "Spread Eagle" and "Alligator" Mounds. "These are described by Dr. Increase A. Lapham in his "Antiquities of Wisconsin." (p. 63). 'Near a small stream, called Eight-mile creek, in the town of Utica on the land of Mr. E. B. Fiske (NW ¼ of section fourteen, township seventeen, range fifteen [Utica Township]) is a mound called the Spread Eagle (see Plate XLI, No. 3). It is of small dimensions, the whole length being only forty-six feet. There are two oblong embankments in the vicinity; and the house is built upon another called the Alligator, but its form could not be traced at the time of our visit. (1851)'." The 1889 plat map of Utica Township shows the E. B. Fisk property in the NE ¼ of the NW ¼ of Section 14, the NE most part of this property is nearest Eight-mile Creek (43.952356, -88.674449). 46. Hunter Mounds. Located on a "forty acre piece of land belonging to Mr. J. L. Hunter in the NE ¼ of the SE ¼ of section 20 [Utica Township] consists of prairie land which slopes gently northward to the O. F. Miller farm across the highway." This is located at 43.929957, -88.728479, the Miller farm having been on the other side of what is now called "Bonnie View Lane." See the 1909 plat map for Utica Township. 47. Pickett Mound. "This mound is located in the SW ¼ of section 20 [Utica Township]. Mr. Pickett reports that it is located near the apex of a hill about 100 feet in elevation, the highest land in the vicinity and overlooking the country for miles in every direction. A road which ascends the hill winds past the mound. It is oval in shape, 3 feet in height, 30 feet in length and 15 feet in width." See the 1909 plat map for Utica Township. The hill is located at 43.924440, -88.737910. 48. Beans Mounds. "These mounds are located on the E. Beans' property in the SW ¼ of the NE ¼ of section 25 [Utica Township], a few rods south of the road which crosses the land." See the 1909 plat map at 43.920296, -88.645043, which is actually in the NE ¼ of the NE ¼ of Section 25. 49. Thada Mounds. "Mr. Pickett has kindly reported the existence of this group of tumuli to me. They are located on a farm now occupied by Mr. John Thada in the NE ¼ of the SW ¼ of section 19 [Utica Township], about one mile east of the shore of Rush lake." No such name could be found on the plat maps, but the center of the 40 acre plot specified would be 43.929286, -88.761994. 50. Tustin Mounds. "These mounds are located in the NW ¼ of section 31 [Wolf River Township], about ¼ of a mile north of Lake Poygan and ½ mile east of and across the county line from the village of Tustin in Waushara county." On the 1909 plat map of Wolf River Township, this would be within the property of W. Springer (44.168771, -88.867927). 51. Poygan Village Site. "Soon after Governor Henry Dodge's treaty at the Cedars, opposite Kimberly in Outagamie county, with the Menomonee Indians in 1836, by which large tracts of their lands were purchased, they were settled on the south shore of Lake Poygan. There were then 700 or more Indians in the tribe and their tepees were scattered along the lake shore in small groups for a distance of six miles or more in the town of Poygan and into the town of Winneconne." 52. Lapone's Village Site. "About the year 1836 and for some years later there was a Menomonee Indian village of "Wau-kau" located on the north shore of the Fox river opposite the old village of Delhi [Rushford Township]. According to Hon. H. H. G. Bradt of Eureka this village was still in existence at this point when he settled in the town of Rushford in 1849. The chief at that time was called 'Lapone,' an excellent Indian. The village consisted of a dozen cabins and about thirty people. Traces of their corn hills and burying ground may still be seen." The 1889 plat map of Rushford Township shows Dehli as being located in the NW ¼ of Section 23. The village site would be 44.024655, -88.799300. 53. Delhi Mounds. "This group of six mounds is located in section 23 [Rushford Township], on an open prairie elevated about 10 feet above the Fox river, near the village of Delhi." This would be ca. 44.022341, -88.799355. 54. Eureka Mound. "A round mound which formerly stood on the edge of the public highway in that village ... has long since disappeared. Of its exact size or contents nothing can be learned. There was also an aboriginal burying-ground near this village in former years." 55. Rush Lake Enclosure. "Mr. W. H. Foote, a pioneer resident of the town of Nepeuskun, gives the following information in regard to an enclosure (Fig. 7) formerly located on the property of his father, Mr. E. P. Foote, located at the head of Rush lake in the SE ¼ of the SW ¼ of section 11 [Nepeuskun Township].3 "The sides of the square were about 4 rods long, 3 to 4 feet high and 3 to 4 feet broad. They had probably once been somewhat higher. At the openings at each corner within the square were round mounds of earth. ... This property is now owned by Mr. Will Hall." For this property, see the 1909 plat map for Nepeuskun Township. This would be located at 43.953801, -88.796486. 56. Hall Mounds. "These were located on the north shore of Rush lake, on the farm of Mr. Will Hall, on fractional section 14 [Nepeuskun Township]." This would be ca. 43.952167, -88.795747. 57. Outlet Village Site. "Up to as late as the year 1846 there was according to Hon. James G. Pickett, a Winnebago village numbering from one to two hundred Indians, located about the present outlet of Rush lake near the center of section 13, of this town [Nepeuskun Township]. The cemetery belonging thereto was located on the farm of Mr. David Lewellyn on the south side of the present highway and about 40 rods east of the outlet bridge."4 David Lewellyn's farm is clearly indicated on the 1889 plat map for this township. On the 1909 map, this property, labeled "A. L." extends some distance east of the bridge over Waukau Creek. The cemetary would be at 43.946735, -88.770980. However, this is not south of the highway, so the direction from the highway must be west. However, this does not place anything to the south of the highway. Due to this defect, we cannot properly locate anything. 58. Anklam Point Camp Site. "Mr. Pickett states that in the year 1846, this peninsula located in the NW ¼ of section 24 [Nepeuskun Township] was covered with a heavy growth of hard maple. It was undoubtedly a favorite camping-ground of the Indians, as a large amount of pottery fragments are still scattered over the now cultivated land." See A. Anklam's land in the 1889 plat map. The peninsula is located at 43.932323, -88.782414. 59. Eagle Point Mounds. "Upon a sharp wedge of land locally known as Eagle point, in the NE ¼ of section 26 [Nepeuskun Township], where the north and south boundary line of sections 25 and 26 touches the shore of Rush lake, there were formerly located according to Mr. Reagan, an old resident of the neighborhood, one or two small round mounds and a number of Indian graves." These are located at 43.919821, -88.784454. 60. Radke Mounds. "Upon the property of Mr. F. Radke and about 20 rods [330 feet] east of the shore of Rush lake (NW ¼ sec. 25 [Nepeuskun Township]) there was formerly located a group of some seven or eight round mounds." The 1909 plat map shows the lands belonging to the estate of F. Radke, but the specification of their location is not specific enough to give the coördinates for their location. 61. Dutchman's Island Group No. 1 — "Gleason Mounds." A paper treating of this group was read before the Lapham Archeological Society of Milwaukee, in 1878, by Mr. Thomas Armstrong of Ripon. Extracts of this article were afterwards published by the same gentleman in the U. S. Smithsonian Report of the year 1879. 'These mounds,' says he, 'are situated on the southern shore of Rush Lake, on land belonging to Mr. (J.) Gleason in the SE ¼ of the SE ¼ of section 27, and the SW ¼ of the SW ¼ of section 26 [Nepeuskun Township], and were visited by a party of students from Ripon College, May 12, 1877. The mounds, sixteen in number, are ranged in an irregular line running essentially east and west, about 20 rods from the shore of the lake, which is here high and steep, though all the adjacent shores are low and marshy'." The lands of D. Gleason can be seen on the 1909 plat map, which coincide with the lands of J. Gleason on the 1889 plat map. The location of this string of mounds includes 43.910492, -88.804872. 62. Dutchman's Island Group No. 2. "These mounds which were described by Mr. Thomas Armstrong of Ripon, Wis., in an article entitled "Mounds in Winnebago County," appearing in the U. S. Smithsonian Report of 1879 (pp. 335-39) were located on the property of a Mr. M. Hintz in the SW ¼ of the NE ¼ of Section 34." The land of M. Hintz (G. Hinz in 1889) can be seen in the 1909 plat map. This would place the mounds at 43.904893, -88.811239.

¹ Publius V. Lawson, “Summary of the Archeology of Winnebago County, Wisconsin,” Wisconsin Archeologist, 2, #2-3 (January, April, 1902): 40-85.
² "The north side of the Fox river was referred to as "Indian Land." For this reason all dwellings and mills at first were built on the south bank of the river which was government land." Mariam Smith, The History of Omro [Wisconsin] (Omro: Omro Public Library, 1976) 40.
³ "The following extract from a letter directed by Hon. James G. Pickett to Mr. Chas. E. Brown, dated April 17, 1903, will assist the reader to a proper understanding of the antiquities listed under this town. He says:

Agreeable to my promise I have revisited all of the village sites, mounds and other evidences located on the east side of Rush lake in the town of Nepeuskun. I had been over them all many times during the years following 1846. The mounds were then quite prominent and remained so for seven or eight years later, when those who had entered the land began its clearing and cultivation. At the present time they are nearly obliterated and their exact locations can only be learned through the assistance of the old residents. Probably no section of the state was in prehistoric time more densely populated than the eastern border of Rush lake. In fact this entire shore line appears to have been one continuous village site, as evidenced by the numerous mounds and earthworks and the hundreds of human remains exhumed from them or turned up in the fields by the plow. Nowhere in the state has a greater harvest of aboriginal implements of stone and copper been obtained, and certainly no site could have been better chosen for the location of an aboriginal village. The locality known as Dutchman's island, bounded on the west by the lake and on its other sides by great peat marshes, was then a veritable island, containing about three sections of firm ground. The lake had its outlet at its southern extremity, connecting with Green Lake and the Fox river instead of at its north-eastern side as now. The waters of the lake were from 4 to 6 feet higher than at present, thus covering the great marshes and making it fully three times its present size. The evidence of this change is shown by the miles of ridges surrounding the marshes, composed of gravel, boulders, shells and the debris thrown up by the action of the ice. The island was only approachable by boat and could be easily defended. Wild rice, fish and waterfowl were very abundant. These natural advantages combined to make the locality an ideal dwelling place.

Turtle Creek Villages and Campsites¹
Robert H. Becker
Turtle Creek Roll

WorldWind Explorer

¹ Robert H. Becker, "Turtle Creek Mounds and Village Sites," The Wisconsin Archeologist, 12, #1 (June, 1913): 7.
² Steven D. Peet, Prehistoric America, 2 vols. (Chicago: American Antiquarian Office, 1896) 2:391.

Green Lake Antiquites¹
by Charles E. Brown
Green Lake Roll

Wisconsin Archeologist

¹ Charles E. Brown, “Antiquities of Green Lake,” Wisconsin Archeologist, 16, #1 (March, 1917): 1-55.

Lake Wingra Antiquites¹
by Charles E. Brown

Wisconsin Archeologist

¹ Charles E. Brown, “Lake Wingra,” Wisconsin Archeologist, 14, #3 (September, 1915) 76-117.

Lake Waubesa Antiquites¹
by Dr. W. G. McLachlan
Lake Waubesa Roll

Wisc. Archeologist, 1914

Dr. W. G. McLachlan

Wisconsin Archeologist	Note: a small part of this map, its eastern extremity, has been cut off due to the rebinding of the journal in which it is found.

¹ W. G. McLachlan, "The Mounds of the Lake Waubesa Region," Wisconsin Archeologist, 12, #4 (January, 1914): 107-166 [109 verso].

Lake Kegonsa Antiquites¹
by Dr. W. G. McLachlan
Lake Kegonsa Roll

Wisconsin Archeologist

¹ W. G. McLachlan, "The Lake Kegonsa Region," The Wisconsin Archeologist, 4 ns, #4 (November, 1925): 181-206 [182 verso].
² W. G. McLachlan, "The Mounds of the Lake Waubesa Region," Wisconsin Archeologist, 12, #4 (January, 1914): 107-166.