Box 12, Folder 7: Archeology II

Mr. Charles Whittlesey writes: "Asto ancient works I saw but few & they were small. This appears to be the character of those in Wisconsin I saw none on the Wolf, or Oconto or St. Louis, or Bad rivers. On the Upper Mississippi just below Lake Winnepeg there was a small circle but probably the work of the present race; this was at Point au chene. Along the bluffs north of Taycheda on the east shore about half way from Fond du Lac to Oshkosh, but had no opportunity to survey them.

"At the far north I saw none that I was convinced were ancient. Mr. Robinson, the editor of the Green Bay Advocate gave me a sketch of one on the east shore of Green Bay and I was there told that small works were common in that vicinity."

I have learned that there are some Indian mounds in the neighborhood of Buffalo Lake - one resembling a crocodile - John Townley In Litt - May 13, 1850

May 16th 1830 - Surveyed the Serpent Mounds situated on the NE 1/4 of Sec 27 T. 7 R 20 (Brookfield Waukesha Co) My attention was called to these mounds or ridges by my friend Mr. M. Spear, who volunteered to show them off to the best advantage. He first noticed them some years since while mowing the marsh or great natural meadow in which they are situated. They are the only interruption to the uniform level of the marsh. They are towards the middle of the marsh and not far from a grove of Tamarac trees that cover the northern part of the marsh. A cedar trees 12 inches in diameter was observed on one of the serpents.

These singular earthworks consist of ridges elevated from a few inches to two feet above the general surface, of various lengths from 10 or 15 feet up to 140 feet. Many of them appear to be obtuse at one end and acute and attenuate at the other as if intended to represent the head and tail of a snake; others are acute at both extremities. If intended to represent a snake of any kind it is doubtless the Massasaga rattlesnake which is known to have been formerly found in this marsh. Their bodies are more thick & clumsy than the generality of snakes.

We first examined the group marked A & by tracing a strait line and measuring "offsets" at the several turns we were able to plat them with sufficient accuracy to convey a correct idea of their appearance. The same method was pursued with those marked B - Those marked C are sketched by the eye and are situated to the westward of B. Two of these last possess the peculiar character of being double

It will be observed that these figures overlap each other so that a continuous line is formed. The same straight line was used to lay down several snakes. This might, if the ridges were larger and situated on dry ground suggest the idea of a "fortification" with protected entrances.

These ridges are composed of the same black mucky soil that constitutes the surface soil of the marsh; but being above water they are more dry and support a different growth of plants so that their position can often be seen at a distance from the different appearance of the vegetation

They were at once called "Massasagas" by the mowers when discovered and in this country where the ancient occupants were in the habit of making earthworks in the shape of animals it is not strange that it should be supposed that these were also artificial works intended to represent the rattle snake generally known in this country as the Massasaga. But as snakes have not heretofore been found among the Indian effigies - and as the

[Upper left portion of page] middle of a deep, wet, morass, is a very unusual place to find Indian mounds it may well be questioned whether these are not, after all caused by some natural process. The absence of nearly all other traces of Indian settlement in the vicinity would go far towards throwing doubt upon their artificial origin. An examination around the borders of the extensive marsh only revealed 3 small mounds - (S. west of the marsh near [illegible] old house) and some slight traces of ancient culture on the north side.

The only natural cause that suggests itself in the expansion of ice. In the winter the surface water surrounding and penetrating the body soil becomes ice and expands so as to cause it to thrust up in certain places, thus moving a portion of ice with its included soil towards that place. The next winter the same process is repeated, and the ice being more weak where a ridge was formerly formed would crack and [illegible] at the same place; and a repetition of this process would gradually form ridges such as we now see.

But whether there embankments are artificial or natural they constitute a singular feature in the marsh.

As we had to wade through the water our enthusiasm in the cause was put to a severe trial at the outset.

There are probably 100 such ridges - we noted 25 - others are similar.

[Upper right portion of page] [pencil sketch] C They all have the same general direction, being parallel or nearly so with the general direction of the marsh.

[Lower left portion of page] May 16 - 1850 [pencil sketch] B

[Lower right portion of page] Serpents in Big Marsh Brookfield N.E 1/4 - Sec 27 [pencil sketch] A

May 13 - 1850 Examined & Surveyed the ancient works on Sections 29 & 30 in Town 8 Range 22 on the west side of the Milwaukee river at a place usually known as "the Indian Prairie" about five miles north of the City of Milwaukee

There are two principal mounds of 53 feet diameter at the base, where they almost touch each other, and 8 feet high. The south mound has a nearly level area of 25 feet diameter on the top.

Surrounding there, (except to the east) are numerous mounds and earth works of various kinds. The mounds are usually from 2 to 4 feet high & from 10 to 54 feet base. None are so high as the two central mounds, which may have been the "look out" or "observatory" stations.

They are all situated on a beautiful level plain elevated about 30 feet above the river which runs along the eastern border. The bank of the river is nearly perpendicular, and the works are protected on the north and south sides by deep ravines, as shown on the map. (pl 8) They do not extend beyond these natural defenses, nor could I find any embankment along the banks of the ravines, of across the western approach, intended as works of defense. The works may have been defended by some structure of wood, long since rotted away.