Wabasha County, Minnesota - Chapter 2: Aboriginal Remains, 1920

That Wabasha County has been the home of man through countless gen¬ erations is shown by its numerous earthworks. These earthworks follow the course of the waterways, being the more numerous along the Minnesota, Zumbro, the Whitewater, and Indian Creek. The evidences are many that these mounds were not built by a race distinct from the Indians, but that the Mound Builders were in fact no other than the more or less immediate ancestors of the Indians found here by the whites. The relics found in them indicate a state of society and mode of life in every way identical to that of the Indian.

Much interesting material has been written on that subject, and N. H. Winchell's "Aborigines of Minnesota" contains, aside from general discussion of aboriginal inhabitants of Minnesota, a detailed description of some of the remains found in Wabasha County. Since that time many of these mounds have been obliterated by agricultural operations, road construction, spring time freshets and excavations by investigators. The following survey is reproduced from that work:

Zumbro Valley Mounds. S. W. Y±, N. E. %=, and N. E. 4=, S. E. Y±, section 15, T. 110-10. This group and the one to the southwest, on S. E. Y±, S. W. }4 of the same section, were probably at one time connected. This group consists of 21 circular mounds, situated on a high plateau about 25 feet high, of cultivated land.

S. E. y 4, S. W. ^4, section 15, T. 110-10. This group of 21 mounds was probably connected with the last. Three of these are short elongated mounds of the ordinary form, and form part of the series. They are all on a plateau about 15 feet above the bottom. The largest is 48 by 4y> feet.

N. W. V4, N. E. Vt, section 15, T. 110-10. On a plateau 25 feet above the bottom. The ground now consists of 6 mounds, but formerly many more existed north of these. Three of these are 50 feet in diameter, one is 42 feet, and two are 30 feet.

S. W. */ 4, N. W. V4, section 15, T. 110-10. On a plateau about 65 feet above the bottom are two circular and one elevated mound. The largest is 30 feet by 2V2 feet; another is 26 feet in diameter and has been excavated.

A lone mound is on a spur of the bluff about 150 feet above the river, on S. W. y4, N. E. Vi, section 18, T. 110-10. It is 35 feet in diameter and 3V2 feet high; and another is on a high bluff on N. y2, S. W. *4, section 17, T. 110-10, also about 150 feet above the Zumbro. This is 30 feet by 2 Y2 feet. Another is on a point of the plateau about 70 feet above the river, on N. W. y±, N. W. *4, section 27, T. 110-10, 35 feet by 2 feet. This is west of Kellogg about one mile.

S. y2, S. E. Yi, section 21, and N. Y2, N. E. Y±, section 28, T. 110-11. This group of 22 mounds is on the bluff of the Zumbro, 70 feet above the river, where it flows north. They are all circular but one, which has the dimensions 70 feet by 40 feet by 5 feet. One tumulus, 32 feet in diameter and 3 Y2 feet high, has been excavated.

A lone mound is on N. W. *4=, S. W. *4, section 5, T. 109-11, 40 feet in. diameter and 3 feet high. Formerly there were several others at this point, group of 22 mounds is on the bluff of the Zumbro, 70 feet above the river, where it flows north. They are all circular but one, which has the dimensions 70 feet by 40 feet by 5 feet. One tumulus, 32 feet in diameter and 3x/2 feet high, has been excavated.

A lone mound is on N. W. ^4, S. W. ^4, section 5, T. 109-11, 40 feet in diameter and 3 feet high. Formerly there were several others at this point.

Two tumuli are on N. W. ^4, N. E. *4, section 24, T. 110-11, about 75 feet above the river. One is 38 feet and the other 28 feet in diameter, but they are each 3 feet high.

'N. W. ^4, N. W. ^4, section 22, T. 110-10. These six mounds extending in a somewhat irregular line from southeast to northwest, are all circular but one, which has the dimensions 42 by 35 feet. The top of the last mound to the north¬ west is 39 feet above the top of its nearest neighbor to the southeast, and is about 130 feet above the river. These mounds were built from dirt and broken sandrock taken from the bluff.

Center of S. E. V4, section 22, T. 110-10. Group of 5 tumuli is situated on the terrace about 25 feet above the river. These tumuli are of ordinary size, the largest being 44 feet in diameter and the smallest 26 feet.

S. E. }4, section 14, and S. W. *4, section 13, T. 110-11. This group of 34 mounds embraces 3 effigies and 4 elongated mounds. The former are not in the line along the brow of the bluff with the tumuli, but the elongated mounds are in the general line of extension of the group. Still, the effigies are not far removed, and are apparently to be considered as parts of the group. One repre¬ sents a bird in flight, but with its wings half closed, as if descending to its perch. The others are near together and represent some animal with a heavy tail and short neck, but a large head. They might be considered a poor imita¬ tion of the profile form of a dog, or a fox, or a wolf, or a beaver, or a raccoon. The tail of the bird has not a rectangular termination like those of Prior Lake in Scott County, but a widening and rounded end, which is encroached on by the public road. Between the wings this bird is 2 feet high. The largest tumulus is 52 feet in diameter and 5 feet high. Another is 42 feet by 6V2 feet; another 50 feet by 3 feet, and still another 42 feet by 5 feet. The plateau on which this group is situated is 75 feet above the Zumbro.

N. E. ^4, S. W. 1A, section 12, T. 110-11. Here are three sub-groups. The first contains two tumuli about 40 feet above the bottom, about 25 feet in diameter and 5 feet high. The second contains three tumuli situated nearly east of the last 150 yards. The terrace here is about 40 feet above the bottom. The mounds are near the edge of the slope. The largest is 46 feet by 8 feet. The third sub-group contains two similar tumuli, 300 yards southeast of the last and about 60 feet above the valley.

Hill group, S. W. 14, section 10, T. 110-11. This group contains 98 mounds. They are on a terrace about 55 feet above the bottom. There are many others that are just traceable. In this group are a number of circular excavations, some of which have embankments on the outside. It includes 5 elongated mounds or embankments, one bird effigy, and many "Mandan lodges/' or circles. The elongated mounds have about the same width as the average diameter of the tumuli, many of which are 18 feet or 20 feet, the largest 45 feet by 6 feet. One circular embankment has an exterior diameter of 38 feet and interior 20 feet. The bird effigy has a rounded termination of tail (or body) and the head is hardly a head, being only a low rounded protuberance without any neck. This effigy is 4^4 feet high in the center between the wings, 1 foot at the nar¬ rowest part of the body, and two feet near the end of the body. Including the head the body is 63 feet long.

There is every reason, excepting only the form of the effigy, to class it as a cotemporary work and a part of the group. It is highly improbable that a single earthwork, such as this effigy, should be erected at this spot by any earlier race. If it be supposed that it was formerly accompanied by others of like form, it is highly improbable that all the others should have disappeared, leaving this only intact. It appears, therefore, that the makers of the round tumuli and of the embankments were the architects of the effigy. The two mounds just south of the circular excavation with outside embankment, already described, are each 24 feet in diameter, one 2 feet high and the other 2A feet. Hence this locality has the appearance of having been the residence of a class of people who constructed circular houses, identical with those of the Mandans, who are a branch of the Dakota family. It is possible that on excavation some remnants of the wooden posts that supported the superstructures would be found. Mr. Brower denominated these "earthern lodge circles."

Mounds west of Lake City, N. W. A, N. W. A, section 5, T. 111-12, situ¬ ated on a terrace about 15 feet above a lower terrace. This group now shows 10 mounds, but formerly others existed toward the northwest, which have been scraped down. These tumuli average about 35 feet in diameter, and three of them have been excavated. The one farthest north is peculiar in having an extension which tapers from a width of 25 to 20 feet, with a rounded end. At one end it is 4 feet high; at the other IV2 feet.

According to Dr. L. C. Estes (Smithsonian Report, 1866, p. 366) extensive fortifications and forts once existed at Lake City. It is evident, however, that he exaggerated the regularity and size of these embankments. He notes, how¬ ever, one "very large mound," "the only one out of line." He considered the mounds generally as places of habitation rather than of burial, the large ones being "forts."

Mounds IV2 miles south of Lake City, S. W. A> section 9, T. 111-12, on a plateau about 22 feet above the creek. The "marsh mounds" opposite this group contained pottery, stone axes and arrow-heads. This group embraces 57 mounds of which nine are elongated and the rest tumuli. The largest is 38 feet by 3 feet and the smallest 17 feet by one foot. Several are 18 feet and 20 feet in diameter.

A lone mound is on the shore of Lake Pepin, S. W. A, S. E. A, section 15, T. 111-11, about 25 feet above the lake, 25 feet in diameter and 2 feet high.

Kellogg mounds, S. W. A, S. W. A, N. W. A, N. W. A, section 16, T. 110-10. Including one inclosure there are 15 earthworks in this group. One of the mounds is ovate, rather than conventionally oblong. They are about 30 feet above the river. One of the mounds seems to be composed of an elongated mound and a tumulus, the latter attached so as to form a rounded enlargement near one end. The embankment of the inclosure above mentioned is 14 feet wide and 1 foot high. The sides are 68 feet long.

Wabasha mounds, W. V2, section 29, T. 111-10, upper group. This group contains 80 mounds, mostly small tumuli, crowded so that some of them are quite in contact. The width of the embankments is from 20 feet to 26 feet. They are also sometimes in contact with each other and with some of the tumuli. They run parallel with the bluff, and are nearest the bluff, the tumuli being irregularly spread over the land further back. The terrace is 44^2 feet above the river and slopes westward.

On the point of land inside the city limits, and between the Mississippi and the slough back of the town, there have been found old earthern lodge circles and pieces of ancient clay vessels.

Wabasha mounds, S. W. A, section 29, T. 111-10. These are five large mounds having diameters 54 feet, 80 feet, 68 feet, and 60 feet, the heights being, respectively, 3- feet, 4 14 feet, 4V2 feet and 2 feet. They are on the original townsite. There is a slough between this plateau and the main town. A traveled road runs over the sides of the mounds next the slough.

Mounds two miles below Wabasha, on S. E. 1/4, S. E. XA, section 3, T. 111-10, on a plateau 42 feet above the bottomland. This group contains 11 tumuli, the larger ones being on the brow of the bluff and the smaller ones scattered over the surface further back. The largest is 60 feet by 3 feet and the smallest are 23 feet by 1 foot.

Mounds two miles below Wabasha, W. V2, N. W. ^4, N. W. }4, section 3, T. 110-10, about 40 feet above the slough. This is a large group of 81 mounds, mostly small tumuli, ranged closely along the brow of the bluff, some of them in contact. Two of them are connected by a low embankment, 125 feet long, and one of the elongated mounds tapers from a width of 27 feet to 18 feet, being 99 feet long. The other elongated mounds are normal as to size and position. One mound is entirely nondescript. It seems to have been started as a wide elongated mound, but one end flares out into three short, spreading prongs. Its form suggests nothing. It is curious anomaly in the midst of simplicity and uniformity.

Indian Creek mounds, S. E. 1A, N. E. ^4, section 24, T. 109-10, on a terrace about 60 feet above Indian Creek. The group embraces 11 tumuli of rather uniform and medium size, ranging from 22 feet to 35 feet in diameter. The group is about 600 feet from Indian Creek.

Whitewater River mounds, N. W. 1/4, S. W. section 29, T. 109-9, on a terrace about 60 feet above the river. This group contains 6 tumuli of rather uniform and medium sizes, ranging from 25 feet to 42 feet in diameter, and from 2V2 feet to 6 feet in height.

One mile south of Weaver, N. W. Vk, section 32, T. 109-9. This group com¬ prises two tumuli of the same size and height on cultivated land on a plateau about 40 feet above a slough.

A low mound is at Minneiska, S. E. *4, S. E. V4, section 34, T. 109-9, on a very small terrace about 65 feet above the river. It is 30 feet in diameter and. 2 feet high.