Maintaining a Significant Ancient Site in Wisconsin

November 09, 2021

Town and Country Garden Club Continues Support of Sheboygan Indian Mound Park

Town and Country Garden Club (TCGC), Sheboygan, Wisconsin, is very proud of their ongoing affiliation with Sheboygan Indian Mound Park, a fifteen-acre public park established in 1966, which preserves ancient Native American burial mounds. This year, as in every year, the club conducted a spring member workday to clear trails, tackle invasive plant species, and clean the sacred mounds.  
 
It is believed that over 1000 years ago, the Black River area of Sheboygan County was inhabited by Native American effigy Mound Builders. This name is derived from their practice of constructing low mounded earthen burial sites in the shape of birds, reptiles, and mammals. These mounds are considered unique to Southern Wisconsin and a few adjacent states’ areas. According to the Sheboygan Indian Mound Park History and Trail Guide, little is known about these Native Americans. It is accepted that they were nomadic hunters and food gatherers. While the symbolism of the effigies will never be known, they do suggest a man-nature relationship. The park is on the National Register of Historic Places and is considered by some archaeologists to be the most significant ancient site in Wisconsin, if not the entire Midwest.
 
TCGC maintains a special relationship with the park. One of the club’s co-founders, Julilly Kohler, was a leader in the efforts to protect this space when it was slated to be developed for housing in the late 1950’s. Although the city of Sheboygan owns and maintains the park, TCGC continues to be involved in the park’s protection, support, and maintenance. 

 

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