Effigy Mounds of the Wisconsin River Valley By Sara Millhouse

uge bears, long-tailed water Minnesota, while round (conical) and archaeological record shows that effigy spirits and birds with wing- long (linear) mounds are found here mound builders were relatively insular, Hspans reaching up to a quar- and across much of the United States. early isolationists in trade, one might ter-mile settled into the Wisconsin “It is an identity marker for this part say. While archaeological remains of River valley centuries ago. Thanks to of the world,” said Ernie Boszhardt, an many earlier Americans show far-flung the work of preservationists, people can trade networks bringing goods to and easily visit many of these effigy mound from the shores of Lake Superior, the sites today. Along the Mississippi, bears Rockies and the Gulf of Mexico, mate- Built one basketfull of earth at a rial traces of the effigy mound builders time, these earthworks have spoken to and birds predominate, show that they preferred to “buy local.” many generations of people since their while more long-tailed They had everything they needed, construction about 1,000 years ago. creatures rise from the land pointed out Amy Rosebrough, assistant No one knows exactly what they meant as you move east. state archaeologist, with the Wisconsin to their builders, though we have a Historical Society. pretty good idea through the beliefs “The Driftless Area was a very pro- of modern Ho-Chunk people, who ductive environment,” she said. trace their lineage back to the mound archaeologist with the Center for Wis- Effigy mound builders lived near builders. consin Archaeology at UW-Baraboo/ rivers in groups of about 50 during the Wisconsinites are proud to point out Sauk County. summer: fishing, growing some crops that these earthen creatures are found Conical- and linear-mound building and gathering mussels and berries. In almost exclusively in southern Wiscon- also stretched over thousands of years, the fall, they moved to the uplands sin and into the Driftless Area, includ- while effigy-mound building probably to harvest nuts and hunt deer. In the ing the corners of Illinois, Iowa and spanned only a few hundred years. The winter, they divided into smaller family

32 Big River Magazine / September-October 2016 This bird mound, which can be seen on the south side of Highway 60 west of Muscoda, is outlined by high water from the Wisconsin River. (Mark Culp) Opposite page: Frank's Hill is across the river from Muscoda, Wis. (Mark Culp) units and stayed warm in rock shelters, widely-used protocol for maintaining Resources property along the Wiscon- hunting deer, making tools, telling sto- mounds in a respectful, non-damaging sin River. It includes about 31 mounds, ries and consuming the stores of sum- way. The map is available by contacting including two that could be frogs, mer’s surplus. the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway lizards or tailless turtles. The largest is Effigy mounds were built when Board, 202 North Wisconsin Avenue, about 160 feet long. In the jungle of people gathered again in larger groups P.O. Box 187, Muscoda, WI 53573, by midsummer undergrowth, the mounds in the spring or summer, explained emailing [email protected] or are virtually impossible to see. In the Boszhardt. Most, though not all, con- calling (608) 739-3188. winter, especially with a dusting of tain burials, usually one or two in the Cupp is the executive director of snow, effigy mounds are more visible. heart or head of the effigy. They may the smallest state agency in Wisconsin, It’s worth noting, said Boszhardt, have served as a way of honoring those the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway that the mound builders occupied a who didn’t make it through the winter. Board, the agency charged with main- landscape much different than the one Mound builders probably bonded taining the viewshed of the Lower Wis- we see today. Much of what is now as a group as they scraped earth into consin as seen from the river. Unlike woodland was then prairie, and the baskets, heaping it into the silhouettes the Mississippi, the majority of recre- lowland undergrowth that we squinted of animals — bears of the earth and ational boats on the Lower Wisconsin through was rare. Effigy mound build- the birds of the sky, as well as long- are kayaks and canoes, so the agency ers may have been swatting mosquitos, tailed, underwater creatures associated keeps their interests at heart. The mis- but they weren’t picking their way with the underworld. The effigies likely sions of the Wisconsin Riverway and through the tangle of undergrowth represented clan groups and may have mound preservationists intersect in that makes much of the Driftless seem marked territory. Most are now about the knowledge that, once lost, these almost impassible in midsummer. three feet high. Along the Mississippi, resources are impossible to recreate. bears and birds predominate, while Frank's Hill more long-tailed creatures rise from the Bloyer / Twin Lizard Highway 60 follows the final 82 miles land as you move east. On a warm summer day, I met Don of the Wisconsin River to the Missis- A map of publicly-accessible effigy Greenwood of CLLI to visit effigy sippi near Prairie du Chien. From the mounds along the Lower ­Wisconsin mounds near Muscoda and Avoca. Bloyer group, we took Highway 60 to is available from Cultural Land- First, we visited the Bloyer Mound Highway 193 north, where we pulled scape Legacies, Inc., (CLLI) whose Group, sometimes called the Twin Liz- off quickly at Frank’s Hill, a group of leader, Mark Cupp, has developed a ard Group, on Department of Natural effigy mounds on high ground with

September-October 2016 / Big River Magazine 33 Mounds and a playground share a city park in Avoca, Wis. (Andrew The only man mound in the state was cut off at the knees by a highway Khitsun) near Baraboo, Wis. (Kurt Sampson) stunning views of the surrounding hills My, what a view.” and fields. It’s easy to see why people I agreed. marked this as a sacred space. The hill is mowed, except for the mounds, so Avoka, Wyalusing, Pikes Peak they are easily seen. The mounds are as From Frank’s Hill, Greenwood and I large as 100 feet across and about three drove to Avoca, where an ancient gath- feet high. In July, the effigy mounds ering place is now a modern one: a city are covered with Queen Anne’s lace, park on the east edge of town. Numer- grasses and wildflowers. ous circular humps in the park are easy The Three Eagles Foundation main- to spot, and in some places they touch tains Frank’s Hill, and the group keeps playground areas. A backwater lake is alive the legacy of Frank Shadewald, who preserved the mounds. Shade- wald saw connections between effigy mound builders and Mayan culture, At the mouth of the especially in calendar mounds across Wisconsin, the magnificent the road that may have been used as an agricultural timetable. Shadewald’s Wyalusing State Park Mayan connections are not mainstream includes dozens of well- archaeological interpretations, but they preserved mounds along do show how people continue to find the blufftops, overlooking meaning in these 1,000-year-old mon- uments, and his preservation work was the confluence of the invaluable. He died in 2013. Wisconsin and Mississippi. Man Mound sketches by Increase Lapham. Friends and neighbors have con- tinued his legacy. Frank’s Hill is open to the public and hosts events on the equinoxes and solstices. a popular fishing spot, and the park overlooking the confluence of the “We welcome religious ceremonies includes a shady campground. Wisconsin and Mississippi and close up there,” said David Martin, now Other conical, bear and bird to campsites. Across the river, effigy president of the Three Eagles Founda- mounds along the Lower Wisconsin mounds are found at Pikes Peak State tion. “We don’t discriminate against shores are also public. A bird effigy Park and, of course, Effigy Mounds what religious groups might come up can be seen from Highway 60 west National Monument, including its Sny and use the hill.” of Highway 80, and a wayside on the Magill unit. Between Baraboo and the Besides mowing, the foundation north side of Highway 60 between river, Devil’s Lake State Park contains occasionally burns the mounds and is Prairie du Chien and Wauzeka contains effigy mounds, and more are found in seeding them with prairie plants. more mounds. At the mouth of the the Muscoda area at the Ho-Chunk “Once you’re up there, I think Wisconsin, the magnificent Wyalusing bison ranch. you’ll remember being up there,” Mar- State Park includes dozens of well-pre- Many more are already gone. tin said. “You can look in 360 degrees. served mounds along the blufftops,

34 Big River Magazine / September-October 2016 These conical mounds are part of the Shadewald Mound Group near Frank's Hill. (Mark Culp)

Man Mound and Ghost Eagle LLC, and president “There used to be thousands of these of the Wisconsin cultural remnants on the landscape,” Archaeological Greenwood said. “Many have been Society, maintains lost, to the plow, to roadways, to the Effigy Mounds development.” The only known extant Initiative Facebook effigy mound in the shape of a man, at page, which he Man Mound Park, Baraboo, was cut started to share his through the legs by a highway project. “lifelong love affair Many Indian mounds at Devil's Lake State Park, near Baraboo, were damaged then reconstructed. (Kurt Sampson) A magnificent bird effigy, called the with mounds.” He Ghost Eagle because it was unnoticed said the site “very until its faint image was spotted in quickly and shockingly” became a focal picking flowers, and don’t disturb aerial photos, has a wingspan of a quar- point of mobilization against the pro- objects left intentionally, such as ter mile, but annually diminishes from pouches of tobacco or ribbons tied to being plowed. tree branches. “Just be aware that you’re enter- Effigy mounds mark Protecting the Mounds ing a burial place, a cemetery, and act Effigy mounds, as likely burials, are intersections of spiritual accordingly,” Rosebrough advised. protected from excavation under Wis- meaning and material To get involved in preserving consin law, and property owners can culture, universal effigy mounds contact one of the get property tax exemptions if their organizations mentioned above. For human impulses and property contains Indian mounds. A preservationists, Native Americans bill in the Wisconsin legislature last their uniquely local and archaeologists, the effigy mounds winter drew thousands of Ho-Chunk expression. mark intersections of spiritual meaning and other protesters because it required and material culture, universal human excavation for proof of burial protec- impulses and their uniquely local tion. Another proposal would change posed burial protection changes, which expression. the current fines and prison time Sampson says “aimed at dismantling “It’s a wonderful piece of living his- that are penalties for intentionally every protection aspect of the existing tory,” Martin said. F destroying burial mounds. Committee law.” meetings on the bill resumed in early When visiting effigy mounds, it’s Sara Millhouse lives in Shullsburg, August. important to respect that these sites Wis. Her last story for Big River Kurt Sampson, principal archaeolo- still hold a sacred value to people. was “Closing the Button Factory,” ­July-August 2016. gist at Gathering Waters Archaeology, Avoid walking on the mounds or

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