Lake Emily County Park Mounds

 

   Lake Emily County Park in Portage County harbors one of the least known surviving mound groups in the state. In fact, neither park's webpage nor its map show the presence of the mounds. I've come across the information about this group while reading 35-year old newspaper article. The article described the efforts of the preservationists to remove last of the cottages built right among the mounds

decades ago, when the county was in habit of leasing the land for private construction despite the archeological artifacts being right

in the midst of it.

It's not clear how many mounds survived to this day. One of the displays in the park mentions 22 mounds located around the lake.

But aforementioned article says that 22 is the number of oval and circular mounds researchers counted back in 1913, and many

of them ever since have been destroyed by the cottage building and park improvements. Also, part of the lakeshore is a private

property, and it's not clear whether there are some extant mounds there.

Two mounds have markers on them, installed by the Portage County Board in 1923. One of them is at the intersection of Old Highway

18 and Lake Drive. It's one of the first things you'll see driving into the park having just exited from Highway 10 (see above - but not the

main entrance to the park off of Old Highway 18, pictured at the very top). Following further on Lake Drive, you will see an informational

board indicating where most of the extant mounds are. Right next to it is another mound topped with a marker (see below). Looking

around, it's clear there are few more unmarked conical mounds scattered around, and one linear or oval mound appears to have been

cut in two by the park road. Mounds are not being disturbed by mowing, but have some large trees growing on them. Driving further

south, Lake Drive turns right and becomes South Lake Drive. Right after the turn, you'll see an informational panel (the one that talks

about 22 mounds in the park) and what appears to be two conical mounds, kindly pointed to me by a very helpful park employee (see

the bottom of the page). One has native plants growing on it, in a stark contrast with surrounding mowed area. Another one, also

unmowed, is topped by a craggy birch tree. There are likely more surviving mounds in the park, but due to a complete lack of

information I didn't manage to find them but for the ones mentioned here.