American Indians

Woodland Indian people came to the Mississippi River for thousands of years and, through their stories, are known to have sculpted the earth into ceremonial mounds. Some of these mounds were used for burials, while others depicted water spirits, animals, or birds. One of these ancient mounds stands here and, because of its age and sacred mystery, should be treated with respect. Prairie du Chien means Prairie of the Dog and refers to a family or clan of Mesquakie Indians who once had villages near the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. Wisconsin Indians often located their villages near water, where they used canoes to trap and spear fish, gather wild rice, and transport supplies.

Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin · United States