Door County, Wisconsin - Chapter 3: Indian Remains in Door County, 1917

Chapter 3: Indian Remains in Door County

While it is natural to think of Door County's history as beginning with the advent of white men, Door County was for centuries a favorite abode for the Indian. The thousands who now live within its borders are as nothing to those hundreds of thousands who in the ages past here lived and moved and had their being. Upon this peninsula and its adjacent islands the red men seemed to have found most congenial conditions for life, for nowhere in the state are there to be found such abundant evidences of their occupation. They left no written record of their stay, but the remains of their village sites, their cemeteries and even their cornfields, in many cases, are still to be seen. A history of the peninsula would be incomplete without some account of these early inhabitants. Happily the archaeological remains of the Indians in this county have been made the object of careful research by several experts who with pious hands have uncovered many of the homes of our pre-historic neighbors and brought our Indian forerunners much nearer to us.

A partial survey of Indian remains in Door County has been made by Mr. G. A. West, Mr. J. P. Schumacher and Mr. Geo. R. Fox. The following is a brief summary of their discoveries:

Sturgeon Bay Village Sites

At Circle Ridge on the south side of Sturgeon Bay, on the N. E. 14 of Sec. 17, T. 27, R. 26, on block 5, plat of Circle Ridge, owned by Eugene P. Campbell, is the site of an ancient Indian village and cemetery, now obliterated by cultivation. Mr. Campbell has a large and very interesting collection of Indian relies largely recovered from this site.

the site of a small village about three hundred feet south of the boat landing. The site at present is covered by a lawn, consequently its extent was not measured.

A large number of specimens have been recovered by farmers in this vicinity. Among these are a limestone war-club head or pike found by Mr. M. E. Lawrence; an effigy pipe of green serpentine stone by Mr. Sorenson; a very fine bar ceremonial of petrified wood, by Henry Knutsen; a copper spear, by Mr. Simpson, and several copper spears and flint arrow points by I. Bevery, all of which are in Mr. Schumacher's collection at the public library in Green Bay.

On the east shore of the bay, on the north side of the road to the stone quarry (a continuation of Cedar Street) on block three of Wagener's second addition to the City of Sturgeon Bay, owned by Wm. Evedewart, is the site of an old Indian village. The ground is covered with flint chippings and broken pottery, some of it in finely ornamented rope patterns. A large number of arrow points, stone celts and copper spears have been found on and near this site.

This site covered about one hundred and fifty feet east to west, and about five hundred feet north to south. It was protected on the east by a limestone ledge, and on the west by Sturgeon Bay.

Little Harbor Village Site

At Little Harbor, a small bay on the west side of the peninsula in the Town of Sturgeon Bay, on the farm of Andrew Nelson, S. W. of S. W. 14, Sec. 6, T. 28, R. 26, is the site of a former village covering several acres. The surface is covered with charred stones (remnants of fire places), large quantities of flint chippings and fragments of broken pottery. Several skeletons of Indians were plowed up here some years ago. "The village was protected on the south by Little Bay and on the west by Green Bay, and a short distance to the east by a high limestone ledge.

Several stone axes and celts, some hammer stones, a deer horn arrow point flaker, and some bears' teeth were found by Mr. Nelson on this site. One of the summer visitors last season found a small sword, apparently of English make.

Nearly a mile north of Little Harbor on Lot 1, N. W. 4 of Sec. 6, T. 28, R. 26, owned by Mr. Elliot, is the site of a village now obliterated by cultivation. Mr. Elliot informs me that when he moved there, there were series of small hills (corn fields) and several small pits (provision caches) adjoining a patch of sandy ground strewn with charred stones (remnants of fire places) pieces of broken pottery and flint chippings. Mr. Elliot has a small collection of stone axes, celts, flint arrow points, drills, a cup stone and several hammer stones recovered from this site: A very fine hardened copper spud in Mr. Schumacher's collection, was found by Mr. Elliot near this site.

Egg Harbor Site

About the year 1850, according to old settlers, a small band of Indians camped for several years on the south side of Egg Harbor, about one-half mile west of the dock, hunting and fishing. There are no indications, however, of any permanent settlement in this vicinity.

Numerous arrow points, stone axes, and celts have been found by farmers. A cache of five small socketed copper spears now in Mr. Schumacher's collection were found in the ledge east of the pier. Doctor Eames of Egg Harbor also has a small collection of stone implements recovered in this vicinity.

Fish Creek Site

On the east end of the Harbor at Fish Creek, on the south bank of the creek, S. E. 14 of the S. E. 14, Sec. 29, T. 31, R. 26, are indications of a site of a small camp and a few provision pits. Mr. Skiller found a copper spear, a bone drill and some flint arrow points here.

The large villages near Hein's Creek on the east side of the peninsula were about six miles from Egg Harbor, and it is quite likely the specimens found were lost by Indians from those villages.

State Park Site

In the State Park on the east shore of Shanty Bay, a small bay on Eagle Bay, are indications of a site of a good sized village on the N. W.1/ of the S. W. 14 of the N. E. 14, Sec. 16, T. 31, R. 27. There being only a small clearing and most of that in grass, a close observation of this site has not been made. Several arrow points of common chert, a scraper, an unfinished drill and some ornamented potsherds have been found here.

Ellison Bay And Mink River Sites

eral Indian skeletons were unearthed here some years ago. Arrow points and other Indian relics are frequently found here by summer visitors. The surface is littered with charred stones and flint chippings and pieces of pottery.

About one-eighth of a mile north of this site, north of Mr. L. E. Evensen's general store, on the S. W. 14 of the N. W. 14, Sec. 14, T. 32, R. 28 is the site of another or pérhaps part of the same village. Several places on this site are thickly covered with flint chippings, indicating workshop sites.

On the farm of C. J. Johnson, a short distance east, was found a series of pits about four feet across, and three and one-half to four feet deep, which may have been provision pits.

About three-quarters of a mile southeast of Ellison Bay, on the farm of Al Johnson (formerly owned by John Rogers), on the S. E. of the S. E. 14, Sec. 14, on the south side of the Mink River, was found the site of a small village. Mr. J. W. Rogers, who lives at Rowleys Bay, a short distance east, says of this village: "My father S. A. Rogers, who was one of the first settlers in this vicinity, told me that when he moved here a band of Pottowatomi Indians lived on the south side of the river, until John Rogers bought the land where they lived and ordered them away. My father, who was friendly with them, offered them the use of his land on the north side of the Mink River, in section 21, which they gladly accepted, and they lived there for many years after. One of the survivors lived there until his death some years ago, and was buried at their cemetery west of their former village."

Mr. J. E. Harris, managing editor of the Green Bay Gazette, corroborates Mr. Rogers' statement. He says his grandfather, Mr. Rice (who preced Mr. Rogers at Rowleys Bay by twenty years), often told him of the Indian settlement on the Mink River, and said he remembered a large wooden cross which stood on the north bank of the Mink River near Rowleys Bay, a short distance from the Indian village. E

Newport Site

At Newport in front of Mr. Knudson's house and in the yard of the sawmill adjoining was found a quantity of flint chippings among the sand hills. Mr. Knudson found several stone axes and celts and a large number of arrow points and spears, but indications of a camp site have not yet been found.

Mud Bay Village Sites

About one and one-half miles north of Baileys Harbor on the farm of Mr. T. Toft on the S. 15 of the N. E. 14, Sec. 16, and on the N. E. 14 of the S. E. 14, same section, T. 30, R. 21, along the east shore of Mud Bay, are found indications of a large village site. 'The usual debris found on a village site are present here in large quantities, and arrow points, potsherds and copper chippings are plentiful.

About four miles south of Baileys Harbor, on the Jackson Port Road, on the farm of Wm. Hein, lot 4, Sec. 6, T. 27, R. 28, along the shore of Lake Michigan on both sides of Hein's Creek, are located the sites of several large villages, probably the largest on the peninsula.

These villages adjoin each other for a distance of one-half mile or so, The largest one being just north of the creek, oval in shape, and about 500 by 1,500 feet, protected on the east by Lake Michigan, and on the north and west by a swamp. The ground is thickly covered with broken pottery, some of it being finely ornamented. In several places the ground is covered to a depth of over a foot with flint flakes, showing workshop sites of arrow point makers.

Jacksonport Sites

Along the shore of Lake Michigan on the east side of the Jacksonport and Baileys Harbor Road, on the land of Mr. Cardey, S. W. 4 of Sec. 12, T. 29, R. 27, is the site of a large Indian village extending across into section 11.

About a mile south on the shore of the lake and the south bank of Hibbard's Creek, is the site of another very large village and a cemetery, extending about one-half a mile from the creek towards Jacksonport. For years this place has been a mecca for Indian relie hunters from all over the state. Every strong wind from the east would expose the skeletons of Indians buried there, rings, beads and ornaments of copper, silver and bone, which the boys of the vicinity would gather.

White Fish Bay

At the mouth of Clarks Creek, one-half mile north of White Fish Bay, S. E. of Sec. 9, T. 28, R. 27, is the site of a village on both sides of the creek, and extending south about one-quarter of a mile. Several burials have been found on the north side of the creek. Mr. Stoeffel found a cache of sixteen beautiful blue horn stone flint knives, which are now in the Ringeisen Collection at Milwaukee, Wis.

Indian Trail

An Indian trail or ford connected the eastern end of Sturgeon Bay with Lake Michigan. It started at the most easterly point of Sturgeon Bay, in the northwest corner of the S. E. 14, Sec. 15, T. 27, R. 27, running in nearly a straight line southeasterly to a small bay on Lake Michigan on the southeast corner of the N. E. 4 of the S. E. V4, Sec. 23, same town and range. This trail ran a short distance north of the present canal.

Washington Island

On Washington Island perhaps the greatest abundance of Indian remains have been found. Mr. Geo. R. Fox who in 1914 visited the island and made extensive researches on it writes as follows: *

"If the Indian left no historical record of his comings and goings, archeologically he left little to be desired. All about the shores of the island are found the sites of his camps, villages, workshops, corn fields, cemeteries and even traces of his pictorial art in the rude drawings which, up to a very few years ago, were, and possibly still are, to be found on the western cliffs.

"The Record of Wisconsin Antiquities contains a very complete list of the locations on Detroit Island and about Detroit Harbor. This data was obtained in 1904 by Mr. Geo. A. West. Since his visit a number of discoveries have been made by the inhabitants, mainly on the north and west sides, and it is largely with these this survey deals.

"Dunes and sand hills are of little value to modern men, but the archeologist hails their presence with pleasure. Here, almost invariably, will he find evidence of the residence of the red man. On clay or mucky soil, as a usual thing, only after cultivation can the flint flakes and pottery be observed; but in the sand, vegetation being scanty or wanting, every gust of wind turns up vestiges of the former occupancy of the aboriginee.

"For the sandy spots were usually open even in the days before the arrival of the white man. They furnished clean, dry, well-drained places for human habitation, ideal locations for sewage and refuse disposal. here is little wonder that they were favorite haunts of the Indian,

"Such spots are found almost all around Washington Island, but especially on the south shore. The north side, being a great cliff, is sandy only at certain places. About Washington Harbor the shore is abrupt with but little beach, yet here is evidence to show that this was one of the principal camping points.

"At No. 1 (see map), just in the rear of Koyen's store, is probably one camping site, many arrows and other stone implements having been found here. On the Andrew Svenson farm, two miles northeast, is a possible village site, or camp ground, Many stone implements, flakes, pottery fragments, broken bones, and a few hearth stones have been found here.

"A workshop site exists near this camp. At the foot of the limestone ledge a little to the east, flakes are found in great quantities. This site is indicated at No. 4 on the map.

"At Jackson Harbor (No. 5) is one of the largest sites on the island. On a sandy knoll at the southern end, where the land had been plowed and seeded to hay, flint chips are scattered over the surface of the soil. Small fragments of pottery, much weathered, are also found. This site probably extended along the eastern side of this harbor up to the dunes on the point opposite Rock Island, for this is high shoreland. On Rock Island, according to information obtained from the son of the keeper, is another village site. "This site (No. 7) is located just across the channel. Another is found at No. 8.

"From the northeast point down the east side, the limestone lies at the surface and the beach is stony or pebbly for the entire distance, save at one point, Sand Bay, opposite Hog Island. Here is a spot half a mile in length which is almost exactly like the beach at the Two Rivers, Manitowoc County, sites. Indications pointing to the loca- tion of an aboriginal village site (No. 11) were found but the forest in this vicinity is primeval and until it has been cleared away its exact extent cannot be known.

"At Castle Point (No. 12), is a village location a mile in length (See Plate 2). Here lodges seem to have been built near the shore at the point but instead of following it closely to the eastward, they were placed along the sand ridges which extend to the northeast. Bones, burned and broken stones, flint flakes, potsherds and charcoal are scattered over the sands in great profusion.

"A mile northwest, at (No. 13), is a second large site. Here, in less than thirty minutes, on a plot of ground of about an acre in extent, which has been searched over repeatedly by collectors, ten perfect flint points were recovered.

"At No. 15, in the rear of Bo Anderson's Hotel, is another place where the Indian at some time or other had his abode. It is probable that the entire shore from Castle Point around to Lobdill's Point has at various times been used for camp purposes by the original inhabitants. But the three locations given, from evidence gathered by the author, appear to have been the favorite spots.

"On Detroit Island, at Kettle Point (No. 17), a camp site is reported to exist. At No. 19 was the principal village on this island. 'This place is an open field about ten acres in extent. It is known as the 'Indian Field? Grass and clumps of bushes now cover it, but flint flakes and potsherds can be gathered among them.

"At West Harbor, about 200 feet from the water, on two large sand hills an eighth of a mile apart, are two interesting sites. On the first (No. 24) the pieces of pottery observed were the largest found on any site on the islands. Fireplace stones were found here in great numbers, as they also were on site No. 23. At this latter spot a lodge fireplace with a large part of the stones yet in place, lay exposed. The wind had uncovered this portion of the site and the bed of closely packed ashes and charcoal, offering greater resistance to the wind than the loose and shifting sand, a miniature plateau had been formed. Unluckily the picture secured turned out poorly. Near this fire bed was a small knoll scattered over which were hundreds of very small pieces of pottery having the appearance of having been poured out of a receptacle and cascaded down the tiny slopes.

"Without doubt the most charming spot on the entire island is the glade at the southern end of Little Lake. At this point (No. 29) the first white settlers, the fishermen, erected their shacks, which have long ago disappeared. But here, before them, the Indian had his wigwam. On this site the grass grows as short and as velvety as on a closely clipped lawn, and this turf has a depth of six inches; yet so plentiful is evidence of Indian occupation that pottery and flakes peep up through the roots and tiny blades.

"Little Lake is slightly over half a mile in length. At about the middle of its eastern side is a ledge. North of this, at the northeastern point of the lake, is a sandy, sloping bluff and here, in a corn field which now covers it, were found the cracked and discolored hardheads of fireplaces, broken clay utensils, animal bones and flint flakes. This site is shown at No. 30 on the map. Half a mile southeast, at Washington Harbor, on a little gravelly plateau, is an Indian camping ground. This (No. 26) was probably only the summer residence of the villagers about Little Lake.

"On Plum Island, about the harbor at the northern end, is another village site, according to inhabitants of Washington Island. This is the one reported to the society by Mr. G. A. West.

"There appear to have been five principal village sites. "Those at Little Lake appear to have been the most important and probably, with the exception of the 'Indian Field' site, the last to be used.

"Site No. 12, at Castle Point, however, is second in importance and if sites 13 and 15 are included, as it seems they rightly should be, it is by far the largest. The West Harbor locations are third with the Jackson Harbor site fourth in extent.

"This omits the Detroit Island site, but from the information recovered from the graves here, and from a careful examination of the 'Indian Field' it seems not to be very old nor of great size.

"On Washington Island but few traces of trails remain even in the most favorable localities and the locations of such as are here given, save in one instance, are obtained from descriptions obtained from the older settlers.

"The main road along the Detroit Harbor shore, running from Castle Point to West Bay, was laid out on the main trail. This follows the higher sand dunes a little back from the shore. A short distance west of where the present road from Detroit Harbor to Washington Harbor leaves the first mentioned road, a trail ran across the island from north to south. This was somewhat to the westward of the present highway, which follows a direct course. These locations are given on the authority of Mr. Wm. Wickmann.

"Another trail, from Sand Bay, ran westward through the center of the island, passing near a spring. A few years ago it could still be seen, but the ground is now under cultivation. Mr. Gudmundsen, who lives at Washington Harbor, in his boyhood days, was well acquainted with this pathway.

"Another trail, and one that can still be faintly seen ran from Little Lake along the western side of Boyer Bluff to the northern end of the island.

"Of necessity the site of Jackson Harbor must have been connected with the others; probably a trail led west to Washington Harbor and another south to southwest to some village at Detroit Harbor.

"A water trail or ford ran from the northeastern point of Jackson Harbor across half a mile of Green Bay and Lake Michigan, to Rock Island. Connecting these two places is a shallow, sandy spit, not over two feet deep at any point. Today, it is so shallow that only in one spot can small boats and small launches pass from Green Bay to the parent lake. This is No. 6 on the map.

Evidences Of Cultivation

"All remains of aboriginal farming of which traces still exist on Washington Island, are found about Washington Harbor. Here conditions for their preservation have been favorable. The abrupt shore line, the rocky soil, the heavy forest growth, one and all have contributed to the saving of patches of ground which still clearly show the effects of Indian agriculture.

"The evidences of cultivation found here are corn hills, no garden beds being known. On the extreme northern end of Boyer's Bluff, on an elevated plateau, is one patch of hills (No. 32). A second is found a quarter of a mile north of the northern end of Little Lake. They are in dense woods and are still plainly visible. These are indicated on the map by No. 31. A third plot of corn hills (No. 29) is found on the heights of the ledge heretofore described as approaching the eastern side of Little Lake, just south of village site No. 30.

"A fourth corn field is reported as being in the woods half a mile east of the southern end of Washington Harbor. This was not found though a search was made for it, but so convincingly was it described by my informant that there can be litle doubt of its existence. Still other patches of corn hills are said to be found in the forest belt lying along the north shore east of Washington Harbor. These have not been even approximately located on the accompanying map.

"The finest, largest and best preserved plot of corn hills is found in the center of the most settled district on the island. Just where the road which encircles the southern end of Washington Harbor meets the highway from Detroit Harbor, stands a church. Immediately south of this edifice is a schoolhouse. In both these yards corn hills are to be seen.

"In the churchyard and along the roadway are found hill after hill. At present nearly all lie west of the road, but enough can be seen to the east to show that they once extended for some distance in that direction. The fields on that side have been plowed repeatedly, obliterating all traces. The hills in the schoolyard are still very distinct though this land is reported as having once been plowed over.

"The hills are slightly smaller than those found elsewhere in Wisconsin, these averaging about four feet in diameter, though many are only three feet across. They are nearly perfect circles with a present height of four to six inches. This corn field is No. 25 on the map.

"Fifty feet west of this plot, in an open space in the woods, where traces of hills still faintly showed, were found a number of cache pits. The three most distinct were measured with the following results: One, 31% feet, the other two each 4 feet in diameter. Their depth, owing to decaying vegetation and other debris which filled them, could not be determined. These are located at No, 34 on the map.

"Other corn field locations on the main island will probably be found, a very likely place for their discovery being in the neighborhood of West Bay. Two other reports of early Indian cultivation from this vicinity are recorded in 'A Record of Wisconsin Antiquities,' p. 320. One refers to cultivation on Plum Island. The second is noted as being located on Detroit Island and can only refer to the 'Indian Feld,' site before mentioned.

Mounds, Cemeteries, Cave Burials

"The Wisconsin Record locates an Indian cemetery on Rock Island. This probably refers to that situated on the east side of the island (No. 10), for it is here that white interments have taken place, these being responsible for bringing to light the Indian burials. A second Indian burying ground (No. 9) is situated immediately in the rear of the Pottawatomie light, at the north end of this island.

Group Of Cair At Indian Field, Detroit Island

"The Record also locates a cemetery at Furlong's Dock, on Washington Harbor. This is No. 27. It lies just to the west, on a slight elevation. The ground is hard and altogether it seems a very unlikely place for Indian graves; yet at two different places here, in both instances while excavating for cellars, skeletons were exhumed. One of the two houses erected is known as the 'haunted' house because the builder, after completing it, remembered the burials in the cellar and refused to live in it. No objects of any description were found with the bones.

"A mile north of this location, Mr. Henry Koyen and his brother some few years ago, came across a cave in the face of the cliff facing Washington Harbor. This had remained long undiscovered because of the difficulty in reaching it, the approach being over a sheer, rocky wall. On entering the cave they found a skeleton lying against one of the walls. From the position in which the bones lay, it seems clear that the dead had been placed in a sitting position with his knees drawn up. The skeleton faced the opening of the cave to the east. Mr. Koyen and his brother were lads at the time and the unexpected coming upon the skull and other bones frightened them so that they hurriedly left the cave without making any further investigation. Some years later, others visited the cave and removed the skeleton. This is location No. 83.

"At No. 16 Mr. Wm. Wickmann reported another burial ground. This is on a low, marshy piece of land, sloping gently up to the sand. A visit failed to reveal any surface indications. The owner of the soil is averse to digging.

* According to other residents, there are burials on the high land to the east of Washington Harbor. No definite spot is named. In a pine grove here are numerous heaps of earth of indefinite shapes. While in all probability the greater part, or perhaps all, are tree falls, as was decided on first viewing them, there is one heap (No. 3) which is very similar in appearance to mounds on Detroit Island, and to many others seen along the Menominee River and about Shawano Lake. It is 9 feet long, 6 feet wide and nearly 2 feet high. The soil is rocky and there is no depression near it of the kind which commonly accompany tree falls. While it was at first rejected, subsequent comparison with known mounds has led to its inclusion in this paper, though it should be marked doubtful. While built on rocky, stony and gravelly soil, this mound was composed of sand.

reported one on lots one and two, which is probably the one at 'Indian Field.' This cemetery consists of eight or more mounds or rather the remains of them, for all have been very thoroughly excavated.

"Detroit Island, save on the northwest point, is heavily wooded with a dense mat of underbrush growing beneath the trees. In this woodland are two open spots, the first (No. 20) being the 'Indian Field.' This is reached by following along the shore, as there are no roads or passable trails. It is entirely hemmed in by the forest and is smooth, level, sandy ground about five feet above lake level. The plot is 100 feet back from the lake shore and well concealed. It was not found on the first trip down the shore, the opening having been passed unperceived, necessitating a return to the houses on the upper point for better directions.

"The first view suggests a farmer's clearing, but so far as known this particular opening has never been plowed over. The graves are found around the edges of the plot. This spot was long a fertile field for the relic hunter, for not only have the mounds been rifled, but there is hardly a spot over the entire extent of the circle surrounding the central portion which has not been spaded over. The only mounds which can be distinguished are a group of eight (Plate 3) which lie on the southern side south of a central point in the field. Here is a slight depression, the bed of a very small creek.

"These mounds, or cairns, were made of water-worn stones, with a few limestone slabs among them. It is now difficult to determine whether the mounds were entirely built of rocks or merely rounded off with them. In the center of each is a deep pit, an opening which the diggers have not bothered to refill. The inner surface is sand, free from stones larger than pebbles. The interments must have been made below the surface for no cairn was more than one foot in height.

"Six of the cairns are circular and two are oval in form. One is different from the others, being composed of gravel. It corresponds very nearly to the mounds in the other group to be described. It is possible that it was made at the same time as the last mentioned. The dimensions of the cairns are from eight to twelve feet in diameter and length.

"The second group is situated half a mile north of the one just described. It lies just south of the southern end of the northwest peninsula on very low, mucky ground. It, too, is hemmed in by trees and is shut away from the southwest beach, close to which it lies, by a gravel ridge six feet in height. On the other side it slopes by degrees into a marsh and then to the bay which lies between the two points at the north end of Detroit Island. On this low land are found thirteen oval mounds or graves, with the remains of several more about and among them. The supposition is that in this field were buried some of the victims told of in the legend of Death's Door, the passage between Washington Island and the end of Door County.*

"These mounds have every appearance of hastily erected graves, as though the body was placed on the surface of the soil and sand and gravel from the beach thrown over it. They are slightly larger than the mounds the white man makes to cover his dead. A reference to the accompanying chart shows their direction and location in reference to each other. None are over two feet in height, and all are built of sand with many large stones from the beach scattered through and over the tops of the heaps.

"Several others have been disturbed by digging and as cattle had tracked over the ground in places, their locations could not be determined with certainty.

Pictographs And Pits

"Pictograph rocks are mentioned in the Record (p. 320) as having existed on the rocky bluff near Death's Door, at the head of the Green Bay Peninsula, and also at Lobdill'sPoint, on Washington Island. It is to be regretted that no photograph or drawing of these was ever made, for the probabilities are that they have now disappeared.

"The one on Lobdill's Point is located on the authority of Mr. B. L. Anderson. Unfortunately he was absent from the island at the time this recorinaissance was being made. The limestone ledge of the beach surrounding this promontory is of such slight elevation above the water as not to admit of drawings being made which would be out of reach of waves.*

"Farther north along the shore, where 'Pictograph Rocks' is marked on the map, the bluffs are sheer. According to Mr. A. A. Koyen a few years ago there were several Indian drawings on the rock walls at this place, but the wash of the water undercut the ledge and the surface cracked off and fell into the lake. He described one drawing on this cliff as depicting three or four men chasing some large

2 An account of the legend is given on p. 40. 2Mr. B. L. Anderson says that the writing referred to was not on the rocks at Lobdill's point but at Jackson Harbor. H. R. H.

animal. This he had viewed from the ice. He remarked that it was at about the height above the water that a man could conveniently reach by standing in a canoe lying at the base of the rocks.

"The location of the pits referred to in the heading of this chapter of this report are shown at No. i4 on the map. Mr. Wm. Wickmann called attention to them and explained that the older residents stated . that they were cellars used by the Indians for storage purposes. Some doubt existed in the writer's mind at the time of their examination as to their artificial character, but subsequent discoveries of similar excavations in two different localities on the Wolf River below Shawano, appear to have determined their authenticity. It is probable that they were cache pits of exceptional size, for there is a spring not far away, and there are probabilities of the location of a camp site here, though no evidence to bear out this conclusion was obtained. The larger pit is 19 feet in diameter with a depth of 10 feet. It is circular and appears to have been cut perpendicularly, but time and the elements have changed it into a steep declivity and have filled the bottom to a considerable depth with branches and leaves. "The location is on a side hill with a ravine a little distance away giving water an excellent opportunity to escape through the gravelly soil.

Copper And Other Finds

"Implements made of various kinds of stone are still picked up in great numbers about the island, but no one of the residents appears to have an extensive collection of these. It is reported that when the land about Jackson Harbor was first plowed, the boys picked arrow points up 'by the handful' and threw them at marks or disposed of them in other ways. That great numbers remain to be found is borne out by the fact that on site 13, our party of three in thirty minutes picked up a dozen points of good size.

"The Record shows that a cache of four iron trade axes were found on Detroit Island. Just across the harbor a find of four copper celts is reported to have been made. The lady who secured them after their discovery was interviewed and stated that while she thought she had one or two still about the house she had given two to her daughter. She failed to find the others.

Castle Village Site

"From one of the cairns on site No. 20 a silver cross was obtained, probably indicating the date of their erection as occurring during the French regime, or shortly after. From another grave a necklace of bear teeth or claws was secured.

"A silver knife was found on the hills on site No. 4. Mr. Svenson has, during the not inconsiderable time that he has made his home here, picked up large numbers of worked stones. He disposed of them to someone in Green Bay.

"On the village site at West Bay an iron implement was found. It was about 3 inches long, slightly convex on the cutting edge, which was about the width of that of an ax, and was cut off squarely at both ends. The thickness of this implement was not over one-half inch. The upper side had been hammered and battered until the edge had turned over and flattened out.

"On Rock Island site (No. 8), in the spring of 1913, while making an excavation for a fountain, a pottery vessel was found. It lay at a depth of 3 feet and was turned botton upward. In its removal a small section was broken from this vessel. C. H. Thordarson, wh owns Rock Island, took it to Chicago to have it repaired. *

"Many specimens of the small fossil bivalve, Pentamerus oblongus, which the Wisconsin Geological Survey states are plentiful in Door County are found on the village sites at Detroit Harbor. A small one, 11/5 inches long and wide, was picked up by Mr. Wickmann. One corner is chipped showing the chert which filled the cavity left by the dying mollusk. It is possible that the Indian flaked these to secure small arrows, but it seems more probable that the Indian children used them as playthings. Pieces of fossil coral, of several species, abound on the sites.

"The Indian had at hand on Washington Island, a vast supply of raw material for the making of his implements and weapons. In the rocks of the central ledge and in the limestone slabs on the eastern beach, nodules of chert, quartz and other suitable stones occur in great numbers. (See Plate 2.) Chips collected from all of the principal village sites show that all implements were produced from native rocks. But quartz was little used, only one point made of that material being seen. Quartzite seems not to have been used on the island as no flakes were found, nor were any specimens made of this mate-

Potsherds And Flakes

"While far more could undoubtedly be learned of the aboriginal workmen if many examples of their workmanship in stone could be examined, in the absence of such collection the flakes may be studied with some profit. Specimens of each kind of stone, and of the various colors of the same stone were made on each site and kept carefully separate. They have been submitted to Mr. Brown. A few superficial observations of the survey party are here included.

"From Jackson Harbor site the flakes are chert, mostly of a dark color with a few of light gray. The pieces of pottery were very small, much broken by the weather, and were of light reddish clay tempered with quartz. Where 'quartz tempered' is used it means that small fragments of mica, quartz or other hard stone were used.

"The flakes from the 'Castle' site were in greater variety. The chert is blue-black, slate, light brown, grey, white, and greenish and brown mottled. They averaged much smaller in size than from the first mentioned locality. Pottery from here was quartz tempered with a few thin pieces which appear to be sand tempered. "These latter were very red, the red material appearing to have been built up over an inner layer of the thickness of cardboard. This portion is black. The quartz tempered fragments have a red coating on the outside in most instances, while the inner sides are dark and sooty. But in one sherd the process was reversed. The red was inside, the darker portion, outside. No pieces bearing markings of any kind were discovered.

"From village site No. 13, the pottery was all reddish, quartz tempered. The flakes are about the same as from Jackson Harbor. The points found were the larger type of arrow head or small spear tip. The work was roughly executed. One reject was found here.

"While the flakes from sites 23 and 24 on West Bay are practically the same as those from the Castle, the pottery is markedly different. Two large sections of rims were found. These are marked, the markings being entirely incised lines, no evidence of the use of a twisted cord being found. One piece was decorated with tiny diagonal lines made in a row about the rim. There were at least four of these rows. "This section is reddish outwardly, discolored inwardly and seems to be from a vessel whose mouth was the widest part. This jar was 16 inches in diameter at the mouth.

"A second fragment was from a receptacle with a constricted aperture. This was 14 inches across the opening, with a flaring rim. On the inner edges of this rim, at distances a litle over half an inch apart, the point of a stick had been pressed into the clay while the thumb had held it on the outside, a waving or fluted edge resulting. On the sides of the pot, lines had been drawn diagonally which appear to have been in groups of six, one set running to the left, the next to the right, the inside lines of the two sets meeting at the top. This sherd was bright red in color, a little discolored on the inside, and was built up over an inner layer of bluish or blackish material.

"Another section had a thickness of three-quarters of an inch and was made with very coarse tempering material, small pebbles being included with the other ingredients.

"From site 24 came the only specimens of shell tempered earthenware found on Washington Island. 'The shell fragments seem to have been mixed with some dark material and then the vessel formed, after which a thin coating of red clay (possibly with some sand intermixed) was applied both outside and inside."

Besides the village sites and cemeteries referred to above there are probably a number of other places in Door County which would reward the patient research of the archeologist. Among such places may be suggested Baileys Harbor, North Bay, Kangaroo Lake, Europe Lake, the east point of Little Sturgeon Bay, Squaw Island, Eagle Island and Chambers Island. Samuel A. Starrow, a very keen observer who in 1817 visited these shores, speaks of Eagle Island as follows: "On the morning of the 17th (of September, 1817) we stopped at several islands, one of which contained a small miniature harbor, and the marks of Indian cultivation. The cabins were deserted, but on exploring the island we found the dead body of a man extended on a scaffold, after the manner of the Chippewas. Implements of the chase were at his side, and at the foot of the scaffold, the remnants of a deer." *

Chambers Island with its easily tilled sandy soil and its proximity to the best fishing grounds in Green Bay will very likely vield large finds of Indian remains. When Mr. Dennett built his house there the excavation encroached upon a large mound where six or seven skeletons were unearthed. Mr. Dennett gave orders to move the site of the house and cover up the mound.

"An Indian village appears to have existed on lot 2, section 14, town 29, range 27 east, and was bounded by Hibbard Creek on the north, on the east by about the present highway running north and south, and extending south and west fully half a mile. Although the ground has been under cultivation for a score of years, many places show evidence of arrow making and camp life. On the north side of Hibbard Creek, and 300 yards west of the village site are seven pitfalls or ancient excavations, I judge from the lay of the country, used as terminals of game drives. These holes are at present 6 to 8 feet across, the edges slightly caved in, and still more than 4 feet deep. They are much filled up but were doubtless below the water level of the creek; they are located a few yards apart, and in line of what was doubtless a crossing or ford of the creek. A resident informed me of the existence of another set of these holes or traps, some distance up the same creek.

"The archeological finds of this site are confined to a few chipped arrow points, half a dozen copper spears and knives, a few stone axes, and a number of badly decomposed bone needles and harpoon points.

"On the east of this village site, and lying between it and Lake Michigan on a strip of land averaging about 200 yards wide, and a half a mile long, the south part of same being occupied by some of the buildings of Jackson Port, is an ancient Indian cemetery. The surface consists of three sandy ripple marks or beach lines, which have been considerably cut into and disfigured by the wind. The surface of these 'blow outs' is literally strewn with fragments of human bones, the remains of dozens of dead, broken and badly decomposed, being exposed to sight. Human bones are not alone in evidence, for those of nearly every wild animal formerly inhabiting this territory were recognizable. In walking over this ghastly place I noticed a portion of a cranium just above the sand, and with the assistance of a sharp stick the whole skeleton, although in fragments, was brought to the light of day. With it was found a copper kettle, holding about two pints, with heavy iron bail nearly rusted away. In the right hand was a broken pipe, a bear's tooth and bone needle. Time did not permit of further investigation. A fine specimen of portrait pipe, now in author's collection, was found here, under a pine stump 3 feet in diameter. Two other broken stone pipes, and the much rusted portion of a flint lock gun, also in the author's collection, were secured from Mr. L. H. Erskine of Jackson Port. The several specimens of white man's manufacture found in this cemetery would indicate that it was at least used since the advent of the whites.

"Another small village site is reported as being located about five miles southwest of the Jackson Port site. This part of the Green Bay peninsula was formerly occupied by the Winnebagos or 'Men of the Sea.'

Detroit Island Cemeteries

"An Indian burial ground is located on lot 1, sec. 24, town 83, range 29 east, Detroit Island. This cemetery extends about a hundred yards back from the beach line and contains about two acres of land. The soil is of coarse gravel and overgrown with juniper and other shrubs. The whole surface has been dug over by tourists and fishermen, and many fine specimens taken from the graves, nearly all of which were of historic manufacture. Stone implements are found here, associated with the trade ax and copper or brass kettle. As the result of several hours of hard work we excavated ten graves, nine of which had been previously explored, a thing of course we could not determine until after the skeleton was reached. One interment had not been disturbed, and contained a massive skeleton, found 16 inches below the surface, buried in a sitting position, facing the east. In his right hand was a small, silver ornament in the form of a buckle, and a chipped gun flint. The bones were badly decomposed and this interment - and in fact those of the whole cemetery, were probably made within historic times. I have been informed that numerous relics, made by the whites, have been secured here.

Cemetery No. 2

"On lot 2, sec. 24, same island, is another Indian burying ground that comes down to the beach, facing Des Mortes, contains about two acres, and from the class of relics found here (and it has been thoroughly dug over) one is forced to conclude that it dates back to about the time of the French and Indian wars.

Peninsula Bluff Cemetery

"An Indian burying ground lies across the Door from Detroit Island on lot 4, sec. 4, town 32, range 29, near Peninsula Bluff. This ground has been dug over time and again, and is of the same character, except that the skeletons are in much better state of preservation than in the last mentioned ground. There was a tradition among the Indians who last inhabited Washington Isle, that a great battle was fought on Detroit Isle, and followed up on the mainland; that the last two mentioned cemeteries contain the remains of those slaughtered in this battle.

Washington Harbor Cemetery

"One of unknown extent, from which few remains have been taken, probably because its location forbade promiscuous digging, is located on the hillside, about fifty rods northwest of the Furlong's dock, Washington Harbor.

"A cache of seven trade axes was lately found in Detroit Island. A fine copper ax, now in H. P. Hamilton's collection, was found on Plum Island.

"The islands of Green Bay are certainly rich in antiquities, thousands of specimens having been carried away by tourists in years gone by, and, as the land is cleared, thousands more will come to light.

"Early comers to Wisconsin found the islands of Green Bay inhabited by the Pottawatomie Indians. Longfellow is said to have received an inspiration from these Indians, resulting in his 'Hiawatha. Their name translated means 'those who make a keep fire," it being a custom of these people to always keep a burning fire, with religious significance. "They were driven from Michigan to Wisconsin by their enemies, the Iroquois; the Sioux were also their enemies."