Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-01-07

Il1OSdoSS. IL Is GNIuGI1G, DIS uOCSU
by DR.. Parsons, that we have
among them the bones of a small
number of persons of different
ages and possibly of both sexes.
They are the bones of Indians and
very likely of Indians of the Chip
pewa tribe who have inhabited
your part of northern Wisconsin
for several hundred years.
They built many mounds, some
of them since white men appeared
among them. 1t is evident from
the contents of quite a few of
these mounds that they are of re-
cent date. The presence of so
large a bed or mass of charcoal in
this particular mound is all that
distinguishes it from many others
which the Wisconsin Archaeological
Society has examined. These bones
do not show any traces of having
been n or near any fire, hence they
coulC not have been in the mound
when the bed of charcoal was pre-
pared. The large piece of charred
wood appears to have been a part
of a post. This may have been
part of some wooden structure
erected on the site of the mound
and burned before it was built.
Fire ceremonies were common in
connection with Indian burials. In
many Wisconsin mounds charcoal
and ashes are found with burials.
Traces of upright poles or posts
have been found in a number of
Wisconsin mounds notably in some
of those at Azatalan.
We shall be pleased to have your
assistance in creating an interest
in the Indian remains of Villas and
Oneida counties.
All of the evidence before me
seems to indicate that this mound
was probably prehistoric. Of its
Indian construction there appears
to be no doubt.
| am having others examine the
bones and charcoal and if they
should add any information of in
terest to you | will write.
Sincerely yours,
Charles E. Brown.
Chief, State Historical Museum.
Villas county is we'll known as
favored place for the building of
mounds by tribes who inhabited
this region many hundreds of
years ago. From recent issue of
the Wisconsin Archeologist the
following extracts have been
taken. Many have seen these
mounds in different portions of
the county and still major por-
ton of the residents and visitors
have passed over the history max
ing records of early days. Some
of the following are interesting:
There were formerly several
graves on the farm of Mr.. Gus
Anderson between Bass Lake and
Little Muskellunge Lake. An en-
ployee explored several of them
and obtained specimens, among
which were a large copper knife
a d other copper implements.
These were on exhibition in Chris
Olson's saloon at Woodruff and
were destroyed when the saloon
burned.
There were two mounds at Nor
mandy Court summer resort, on
the south side of Big St. Germaine
Lake. One of them is in the yard
near the house, the other in field
a short distance away. Herman
Witt, who reported their presence
to me, said they were each about
so feet in diameter and 4 feet
high.
"The site on Trout Lake at the
mouth of Trout River, mentioned
by Amikouse, was spoken of by
MalhOlt In 1914. L was unable to
visit the place.
There is said to be an oval
mound near the government build
ing on Trout Lake. 1t was exca-
waited several years ago and bones
and implements removed.
LAC du Flambeau (Torch Lake,
took its name from the former In
dian custom of spearing fish by
the light of birch bark and other
torches. Here the Northwest Com
pany had trading post in 1904.
Francois Victor Malhoit was the
trader in charge. His journal has
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