Kolterman & Nitschke Mound Site Care Days

Archaeologists and Citizens concerned for Ancient Effigy Mound Site Preservation in Dodge County, Wisconsin.

Kolterman & Nitschke Mounds Care Project By The Effigy Mounds Initiative The Effigy Mounds Initiative began a mound site care project on Sunday, October 29th 2017 at Nitschke Mounds County Park in Dodge County, Wisconsin and worked several other days into the fall and early winter to care for several mounds in the park. The Effigy Mounds Initiative which was started back in the spring of 2015 by archaeologist Kurt A. Sampson as a Facebook group page is an organization that is dedicated to mound site preservation, education, and care. It is presently comprised of nearly 2800 concerned citizens across the state of Wisconsin and the immediate region who volunteer their time to care for mound sites across the State. This work at Nitschke Mounds County Park is a continuation of the work that was first initiated by the late Don Gehrke of Horicon, Wisconsin and many area volunteers of the Rock River Archaeological Society (A chapter of the Wisconsin Archeological Society.) beginning in 2003. The mounds that need initial care include 14 effigy, linear, and conical mounds that are part of the back, northern 1/3 of the Nitschke Mound Site in Dodge County WI. The Dodge County Parks Department granted permission to conduct ongoing mound care work days to help remove vegetation off of these14 mounds and to provide a protective buffer zone within the guidelines of the WI Burial Sites Protection Act. 157.7. We are following the mound care guidelines established in WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES BURIALS, EARTHWORKS, AND MOUNDS PRESERVATION POLICY & PLAN ( May 2008); and those established by the Dodge County Parks Department Manager Bill Ehlenbeck. All work has been under the guidance of Kurt A. Sampson and Dodge County Parks Department managers (Bill Ellenbeck, Dan Schultz- Foreman, and Mike Simons- Crew Leader) Several hundred volunteer hours have been logged and submitted to the Dodge County Parks Department. Money need for equipment, beverages, and in some cases light lunches have been provided by the Effigy Mounds Initiative by donation. These are the immediate goals of the mounds care project: 1. Cutting down and removal of woody vegetation off these mounds without sub-surface ground disturbance of any kind followed up by chemical treatment of invasive plant species if warranted by the Dodge County Parks Department. 2. Providing a 5 to 10 foot buffer zone to each mound (when applicable) with the removal of vegetation in these areas too, accept for trees marked by the Dodge County Parks Department that will be saved to provide tree cover by mounds; which in turn helps to control invasive species of plants from cropping up. 3. Seeding these mounds by hand with a cover of prairie grass mixture seeds which will grow to provide erosional control for the mounds. 4. Dragging on large tarps or by carrying all the removed vegetation and tree debris to close by designated burn piles. Monitoring said burn piles as well. 5. Following up all these practices listed above on a season basis, and monitoring vegetation issues that may arise. 6. Seasonal controlled burns of the Nitschke Mound Site as directed by the Dodge County Parks Department. This type of work is best done when the leaf vegetation is down off the trees and bushes, and the ground becomes firm and or frozen during the late fall and early winter. This minimizes the impact to working on and near the mounds. Work was conducted on one mound at a time, working from west to east. This mounds care project is expected to take a few years of seasonal work. If you are interested in this volunteer work, please send me an email at kurtsampson68@gmail.com. Several work dates are being considered at this time for the early spring of 2018. These work dates are posted on the Effigy Mounds Initiative and Wisconsin Archeological Society Facebook pages. This mound site is located at N5934 County Road E Burnett Township. About 3 miles west of Horicon on County Road E. Contact: Kurt Sampson MS RPA Director and Curator of Museum – Dodge County Historical Society Principal Archaeologist-Gathering Waters Archaeology, LLC Board Member-Wisconsin Archeological Society 414-405-4667 Kurtsampson68@gmail.com

Hi all,    MOUND CARE CREWS NEEDED!

Sorry for the late notice but I'm trying to organize an Earth Day Kolterman Mound Site Care Day.

This will be on SUNDAY, April 22 at from 10:00 AM  to about 3:00 PM.

This Kolterman Mound site Is owned by the Milwaukee Audubon Society and is a private mound site that is part of a prairie savanna, hardwood forest, and wetland restoration project. The entirety of the site is called the Buffalo Speaks Conservancy. Jim Uhrinak (Secretary) of Milwaukee Audubon is the Principal supervisor overseeing the land management of the site.  He has asked me to help organize a crew to help remove woody vegetation from the mounds. There is prickly ash and sumac in the general area of conical mounds. And some, but not much vegetation on some of the effigies.    

The Kolterman Mound site is located on Northeast side of the Horicon Marsh in Leroy Township. I have provided a map below of the location off of Z and HWY 49 on the North side of the Marsh. 

If you are coming from the south or Metro Milwaukee drive to the Lomira HWY 49 exit. Go west on HWY 49 to Z.  Then take a left on Z and go south for 1 mile. You will see the mound site on the left hand side of the road and our cars parked there. This mound site is right along the side of the road in an open field.   

ALSO: The Next Nitschke Mounds Care Day will be on SATURDAY, April 28th. from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. That day members of the Dodge County Parks Friends Group will also be on hand to conduct mound site tours. We will showcase the care work we have completed so far as part of the tours and work too.  

ALSO:  As part of Historic Preservation and Archaeology Month in Wisconsin in May we will also be doing a Nitschke Mound Site Care day on SUNDAY  MAY 6th from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, which will include site tours as well by me.  

 Nitschke Mounds County Park is located at N5934 County Road E Burnett Township. About 3 miles west of Horicon on County Road E.

Please dress appropriately for the conditions and bring a pair of work gloves and good boots for each of the work care projects. 

Also bring a lot to drink and a snack or lunch. Some food and snacks will be provided by me each day through the Effigy Mounds Initiative.   

We will not work if it is raining.  My number is provided below for those that wish to double check and confirm the work project the morning of.  

Those that have brought chainsaws in the past please do so. If you can provide handsaws, branch loppers, other appropriate cutting tools please do so.   

Please let me know if you can make it to either of these mound site care days. . That way I can prepare in a number of different ways. Food, tools etc. 

Thanks, 

Kurt Sampson MS RPA
Director and Curator of Museum – Dodge County Historical Society
Principal Archaeologist-Gathering Waters Archaeology, LLC
Board Member-Wisconsin Archeological Society

Principal-Effigy Mounds Initiative 

414-405-4667
Kurtsampson68@gmail.com