Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1920-05-13
ARTICLE XIII
Portage and Fort Winnebago


tier. as q protection against the In
a1ians. three. forts were bu1lt-Fort
Howard at Green Bay, Fort Crawford
at Prairie du CHEN, and Fort Winnie
bago at Portage. The central object
of interest in tnls 1UIle journey is the
early outpost at the Fox-Wisconsin
portage.
Leaving BaraboO on Trunk Line 60,
leading directly east of the city, where
open fields now greet the eye on eth
er side, was once a treeless tract
known as Pecks Prairie. This was
named for Eben Peck, an early settler
whose residence was on the present
highway a short distance west of the
fair ground.
Roche Moutonnee
After passing a road which turns
TO the left end leads to the man
mound, a roche mOutonnee, sheep
shaped surface of the quartzite, may
be seen about half-mile to the left.
The surface of the Outcrop was round
ed during the invasion of the glacial
ice into this region.
Just before reaching the Baraboo
River the road swings to the left, ap-
preaching the talused slope Of the
rugged north range Of the Baraboo
Bluffs. Two species of cacti grow on
the summit here, also to the west
Opuntia humifusa, the western prick
ly pear, and Opuntia fragilis, the
brittle opuntia.
The roads runs on the verge of a
dry ravine, where an Indian effigy
mound repOses on the opposite bank,
near to the BaraboO River. Other
mounds were to the west and an In
dian ford crossed the stream here
About 1906 an Indian skeleton was
unearthed on the bank of the gully
nearly opposite the farmstead.
GarrisonViIle
IN the region about the ravine, Mrs
Ann Garrison, in pioneer times, laio
out paper city, much to the regret
of lot purchasers in Philadelphia and
elsewhere The sawmiIl, the pottery
the hotel, and the 'salted" gold mine
are but memories now.
The gap where the river escapes
from the valley into the loWland to
the north, has a geological history
similar to that of Devils Lake. No
taJus covers the slopes, however, the
loose stones having been swept away
when the ice sheet flowed slowly
through in glacial times.
An Ancient Lava Bed
At seven localities about the outer
margin of the Quartzite region, igne
ious rocks have been found-at Alloa
near the DEVILS Nose, at Bakers
Hollow, three near Denzer and the
Lower Narrows.
By far the largest area, fully de
scribed by Professor Samuel Weld
man in "The Baraboo Iron-Bearing
District" is found at the Lower Mar
rows, distributed over the width OF
more than half mile along the north
slope, to the east and west of the
gap. At the bridge the road to the
left leads to a point less than mile
distant here the igneous rock OF
rhyolite comes boldly within a few
feet of the highway. By climbing
upon the ledge one stands on sur
fac older than the Baraboo Hills, ole
er than any deposit in the whole re
gion AS lava the rhyolite flowed
flowed, then cooled and during the up
heaval of the north range was forced
upon it's edge, remaining SO to this
day Upon this cooled lava the whole
later geologic formation of the region
rests-tO be upon it is to be upon the
floor Of the world.
Road Hugs the Bluff
Eastward from the bridge over the
BarabOo River, the highway hugs thu
bluff. A few Indian mounds may b.
seen less than half a mile to the nortl
after passing the first farm house. TX
the east of these mounds the skele
tons Of about sixty Indians were un
covered when one was leveled a mum
Der of years ago. The Indian corpse
had been seated in circle and buriet
had been a battle or pestilenc
amongst them.
To the right of the highway ar
many hidden beauty spots all alon
the way to the Baraboo River, es
pecialIy where the streams com
down from the high land above. TIL
most attractive of these is Fox's Glen
to the right and just east of the rura
school building facing the river.
The high ground on the right, jus
before crossing the bridge over tn
Wisconsin River, is the site of an In
dian village. The pioneers crossed tn
river here on ferry, the first bridg
being built in 1857. 1t was destroyet
by cyclone in 1903, and the presen
structure was then erected.
Home of an Author
After entering West Cook Street