Saturday, April 13, 2013
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
April
2013 vol. 13 no. 4
Rock River was a beautiful country. I loved my towns, my
cornfields, and the home of my people. I
fought for it. It is now yours. Keep it as we did.
- Chief Black Hawk
March Speaker: Julie Flemming, “Jacob P. Brower, First
Settler of Dodge County”
RRAS wishes to thank our February speaker, Julie Flemming, who spoke to
RRAS members and guests about Dodge County’s first settler, Jacob P. Brower. Julie told the story of Brower, who came to
settle in Fox Lake, bringing his family with him to begin a new life. The Brower’s built the beginnings of
“civilized life” with the new land they owned.
Mills and a dam quickly changed the landscape of the area, bringing
people to the Fox Lake area.
Julie gave RRAS members and guests the entire Brower family history,
shared locations of homes and businesses they owned, and finished her
presentation with some amazing photographs of the Brower’s themselves. Julie’s smooth storytelling style made it
feel as if we’d met the Brower family ourselves! Thanks, Julie, for the amazing story of the
beginnings of Dodge County!
Annual Dues Increase
As the years go by, Rock River Archeological
Society’s funds are slowly diminishing.
The increased cost for mailings, speakers, and
other expenses has caused us some concern. An increase in dues has been discussed for
the past few years, and it has been decided that now is the time for such an
increase.
As per Article VIII, Section 1 of the Society’s
Bylaws, the Board of directors voted unanimously to amend Article II, Section
2-annual dues. Annual dues shall now be
$15.00 for individual members, $10.00 for seniors, $20.00 for family memberships,
and $150.00 for a lifetime membership.
These dues become effective in September of 2013.
The RRAS hopes you will not be inconvenienced with
the raised dues and that you will continue to support our mission of educating
the public about our past. Thank you for
your continuing support and understanding!
Treasurer’s Report
Bonnie Katzman
FEBRUARY BALANCE: $1146.98
MARCH REPORT ‘13
Membership $10.00
Donations 29.10
Patch Sale 3.00
Postage $ 27.60
$ 1161.48
Rock River Archeological Society Upcoming Program Schedule
2013:
April 17th: Dick Welch, Brotherton Indians
May 4th and 5th: Archeology weekend at the Horicon Marsh International Education Center, 10:00-3:00. See newsletter article for more information.
Please visit our weblog at
the following address:
April Program: Dick
Welch, Brothertown Indians
Rock River Archeological Society will hold its April meeting on
Wednesday, April 17th at 7:00 p.m.
Please join us at the Horicon Marsh International Education Center’s
lower level auditorium on Highway 28 between Horicon and Mayville. Meetings are free and open to the
public.
April’s program brings guest speaker Dick Welch who will educate
all in attendance of the Brothertown Indian Nation. The Brothertown Indian Nation started as a
group of Christian Indians from New England and Long Island, New York. They were from a group of tribes that had
converted to Christianity. This group had much difficulty, as white
settlers were pressuring them to use alcohol, sell their land, and to stop
farming. Instead, they decided to live
in brotherhood as Christians and move away to lands among the Oneida in the
1780’s, which they called Brothertown.
The new land the Brothertown people moved to was quickly
disappearing, as white settlers were taking over great sections of it. They decided to move to Wisconsin where lands
were not as in demand as in New York, where soon all Indians in New York were
relocated. Eventually, the Brothertown
Indians were able to receive land along the eastern shore of Lake Winnebago,
which is today Calumet County.
To save the Brothertown tribe from having to be relocated again,
they fought to obtain individual ownership of their lands so they could not be
forced to move as a tribe. Although the
Brothertown nation saved themselves as a tribe, they also, by becoming owners
of their own land, lost their tribal status by becoming citizens of the United
States. They would, however, work to
gain back their status as a tribe, and are working today to regain Federal Acknowledgement.
Please join us for this fascinating look at a group of people in
Wisconsin who sacrificed much to stay intact.
Stay after the presentation to talk with Dick and share in some
refreshments provided by RRAS members.
Board of Directors:
President Jayne Schuett
Vice-President Kurt Sampson
Treasurer Bonnie Katzman
Secretary John Brusoe
Directors Don Gehrke
Pearl Gehrke
Catherine Salapa
Rock River was a beautiful country. I loved my towns,
my cornfields, and the home of my people.
I fought for it. It is now
yours. Keep it as we did.
- Chief Black Hawk
Rock River Archeological Society
N7725 Hwy. 28
Horicon, WI 53032
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Archeology
Weekend set for May 4 and 5
HORICON- The Rock River
Archeology Society will hold its annual archeological weekend May 4 and 5. This
is a free family event for all ages and is focused around the archeology,
history, and pre-history of the Horicon Marsh and surrounding area. It will be
held both outdoors and inside at the Horicon Marsh International Education
Center from 10 a.m – 3 p.m. The center is located between Mayville and Horicon
on Highway 28.
The lower level of the center will feature
local collectors with museum quality artifacts, corn grinding, fire starting
techniques, and corn husk doll making. At 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Don Miescke
will discuss early days on the marsh. His book, A
Collection of Events, Happenings, Personal Stories, Tales and Lore of the
Horicon Marsh is available for purchase at the center’s gift shop and can be signed by Don.
Between the center and the encampment, watch
for an atl-atl demonstration and test your skills throwing the atl-atl at a
target.
A buck skinners encampment featuring Dirty
Kettle and friends will educate young and old about the customs of Native
Americans and early frontiersmen. Walk into the tepee, sit around the fire, and
listen to the drums as Dirty Kettle and friends share information and answer
questions. View the flag display of Wisconsin’s 11 Sovereign Nations, have your
face painted and try throwing a tomahawk.
At the encampment, on Saturday afternoon,
Barbara Harvey will be there with her raptor (weather permitting). Also, on
Saturday at 5:00 p.m., enjoy Native American dancing with Buffalo Big Mountain
and family (weather permitting). Following the dancing at 6:00, Dirty Kettle
will conduct a drum/flute circle ceremony.
Archeological Weekend - May 4 and 5
FREE historical/educational event for the whole family
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Horicon Marsh Education Center - Outdoors and
inside downstairs
Located
between Horicon and Mayville on Highway 28.
Activities include:
Buckskinners
encampment with Dirty Kettle and friends will both fascinate and
educate young and old about the customs of the Native Americans. Walk into the
tepee, sit around the fire, and listen to the drums as Dirty Kettle and friends
share information, and answer questions. Sample fry bread.
Tomahawk
throwing
Flag
display of Wisconsin’s 11 Sovereign Nations
Atl-atl
demonstrations - test your skills in hitting the target
Local
collectors with museum quality artifacts
Corn
grinding
Fire
starting techniques
Face
Painting
Corn husk
doll making 11:00-12:00 and 1:00-2:30
*Saturday only:
10:30
Speaker: Don Miescke discusses early days on the marsh.
His
book, A
Collection of Events, Happenings, Personal Stories, Tales
and Lore of the Horicon Marsh can be purchased and signed by Don.
Barbara
Harvey with live raptor: PM only,
weather permitting
5:00 Native American Dancing – weather
permitting
Buffalo Big Mountain and family
6:00 Drum /Flute Circle Ceremony at
encampment
*Sunday only:
Songs
with fiddle and guitar
Join us
HOSTED BY: Rock River
Archeological Society
Rock River Archeology Society
Dedicated to the study, education
and preservation of Wisconsin’s archeological history in southern Wisconsin and
beyond.
Rock
River was a beautiful country. I loved my towns, my cornfields, and the
home of my people. I
fought for it. It is now yours. Keep it as we did. – Chief Black Hawk
The Rock River Archeological
Society (RRAS) was organized in August 1998 for the purpose of studying the
rich Native American cultural and archeological history of the upper Rock River
area, including Horicon Marsh and extending throughout southern Wisconsin. In
2011, RRAS became a chapter of the Wisconsin State Archeological Society.
Through regularly scheduled meetings, field trips and special events, members
will develop a better understanding and deeper appreciation of the archeological
history and current research on Native American cultures in southern Wisconsin.
This society’s aim is to provide activities
for artifact collectors, amateur and professional archeologists and persons
interested in Wisconsin’s Native American history. We encourage families and
youth to join in appreciating and studying these many areas of interest.
Although the Society is primarily
focused on education and sharing information on matters in Wisconsin archeology,
members will be offered the opportunity to become involved in field research
and preservation of our cultural resources in Wisconsin and beyond.
Society Activities
All activities are open to the general public.
Monthly Programs
The Archeological Society meets from September through April
on the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. Meetings are held at the Horicon
Marsh Education Center/DNR Service Center, located on Hwy. 28, between the
cities of Horicon and Mayville.
Field
Trips
Field trips are
offered at various times year to a variety of sites.
Newsletter
Members receive a monthly newsletter detailing Archeological
Society activities and information about Wisconsin archeology.
Archeology Weekend
The society assists with organizing and conducting an annual
Archeology Weekend at the Horicon Marsh Education Center. The weekend event is
held during the spring of the year, usually the first weekend in May.
Rock River Region Archeology
Eastern Wisconsin is extremely rich
in its evidence of prehistoric cultures. Horicon Marsh and similar sites appear
to have been occupied by a variety of peoples since the end of the last Ice
Age.
Several hundred effigy mounds still
remain in the area as well as other archeological material. The first archeo-astronomy site in the
eastern U.S. was discovered nearby and current research continues to expand our
understanding of the lives of these people.
Together, this diversity of
artifacts and sites provides an abundant resource for discovery, learning and
ongoing studies to which this society is dedicated.
Contact Information
Horicon Marsh Education Center, Attn: Archeology Society, N
7728 Hwy. 28, Horicon, WI 53032, (920-387-7893).
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
March 2013 Newsletter
March
2013 vol. 13 no. 3
Rock River was a beautiful country. I loved my towns, my
cornfields, and the home of my people. I
fought for it. It is now yours. Keep it as we did.
- Chief Black Hawk
RRAS wishes to thank our February speaker, Bob Krueger. Bob shared some pieces of his extensive
historical artifact collection with those in attendance. Having to choose from a variety of items, Bob
chose to share some historical European glass beads, bottles, coins, and
outboard motors. A section of tree from
Solomon Juneau’s grave site was an exciting thing for guests to see as well. It is amazing what those in our own
communities have in their homes and great when we are allowed to share in such
a collection. Thanks, Bob!
Treasurer’s Report
Bonnie Katzman
JANUARY BALANCE $1182.98
FEBRUARY REPORT ‘13
Membership
Donation $14.00
Postage
Speaker $ 50.00
February Balance $1146.98
March
Speaker: Julie Flemming, “Jacob P.
Brower, First Settler of Dodge County”
On Wednesday, March 20th, Rock River
Archeological Society will feature guest speaker Julie Flemming. Julie, a retired Librarian of 43 years, is a
freelance writer, local historian, and supporter of the arts. She will be speaking about Dodge County, Wisconsin’s first settler, Jacob P.
Brower. Julie writes:
Jacob P. Brower was
the first settler of Dodge County in 1838, 175 years ago, settling in the Town
of Fox Lake on the North Shore of the lake. His settling six months later along
the Mill Creek made Waushara the parent settlement of Dodge County as he took
up permanent residence in what now is known as the City of Fox Lake.
In her talk, Julie
will tell the tale of Jacob P. Brower and his family. She will tell of his
life, what his profession was, and why he came to Fox Lake with his two sons.
Eight other family members and one servant followed close behind him. It has
been recorded what Jacob first thought when he saw Fox Lake. Through the talk,
one will experience their trip to Fox Lake and hear of the family’s first
relationship with the local Indians.
Everyone will find
out about Jacob and his son’s energy. How their energy was responsible for the
sudden pouring in of settlers to the Fox Lake area. The audience will get a
feel of what happened when the land, previously held by Native Americans, was
opened up for sale to the white man by the U.S. Government.
The talk will reveal
that Jacob P. Brower was the FIRST land owner in Beaver Dam, why he named it
Beaver Dam and the family relationships that led him to be the fourth pioneer
to settle in Beaver Dam.
Pictures that are
available will be shown on the big screen during the talk. All will learn the
details of Jacob P. Brower’s untimely death, and understand the legacy he left
behind.
The meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium
of the Horicon Marsh International Education Center on Highway 28 between
Horicon and Mayville. Please park and
enter through the lower, marsh-side entrance.
RRAS meetings are always free and open to the public. A free reception with snacks will follow our
speaker, allowing time to ask Julie additional questions. We hope to see you there! Bring a friend or two to see this fascinating
former speaker!
Rock River Archeological Society Upcoming Program Schedule
2013:
March 20th: Julie Flemming
April 17th: Dick Welch, Brotherton Indians
May 4th: Archeology weekend at the Horicon Marsh International Education Center.
Explore Wisconsin Historical Sites: Reed School
Wisconsinites
are lucky to have a great state historical society that preserves many
historical places for us to enjoy. One
such site is Reed School near Wisconsin Dells.
The following was taken from the WHS website at http://reedschool.wisconsinhistory.org Check out their website for this and other
great places to experience Wisconsin history first hand!
Before 1960, most
rural Wisconsin kids were educated in a one-room school like Reed School.
One-room education reflects a less mobile, more rural time in our history. The
wide diversity of ages provided opportunities for older students to help their younger
peers, which is an attribute that today's schools find desirable, but difficult
to achieve.
Reed School, built
in 1915, served as a one-room country school through 1951. It provided a first-
through eighth-grade education with only one teacher. The school is typical of
the more than 6,000 one-room schools that dotted the landscape of rural
Wisconsin.
Former Student's Memories Lead to Restoration
Gordon
Smith's memories of attending first grade at Reed School in 1939 were the
catalyst leading to its restoration and reopening as the Wisconsin Historical
Society's 10th historic site. His cousins, Glenn Suckow and Linda Suckow
Grottke, both attended Reed School and never missed one day in eight years.
Top-to-Bottom Restoration
Smith funded the
top-to-bottom restoration of Reed School. He hired Isthmus Architecture, Inc.
of Madison to design the restoration and oversee construction. While the school
could represent any time period between its construction in 1915 and its
closure in 1951, the site planners decided to specifically interpret the 1939
school year.
In cooperation with
the Wisconsin Historical Society, the firm completed preservation plans and
drawings in less than four months. Twelve months of exterior work followed,
resulting in a restored cedar shingle roof, windows, doors, and masonry.
Architects also designed a wheelchair accessible entrance tucked into the back
of the school.
Isthmus documented
the interior finishes and wall colors, which workers replicated. Tin ceilings,
plaster walls, and woodwork regained their original luster as tradespeople
discretely added modern mechanical, electrical and security
systems. Original
furnishings were restored, and appropriate period furnishings added, to
recreate the appearance of Reed School in the 1940s.
Baseball Field and Outhouse Restored
As decades of
overgrowth were removed, the original baseball field and outhouse were
restored. In addition, a new composting toilet facility was added.
School Opens as a Historic Site in 2007
A gala celebration
took place on June 10, 2007, to recognize Reed School as the first Wisconsin
Historical Society historic site of the early 20th century.
Through the generosity
of Gordon V. and Helen C. Smith Foundation of Potomac, Maryland, Reed School is
again an educational institution — a recreated one-room school where today's
students can experience a day in the life of a rural 1939 pupil.
Before 1960, most
rural Wisconsin kids were educated in a one-room school like Reed School.
One-room education reflects a less mobile, more rural time in our history. The
wide diversity of ages provided opportunities for older students to help their
younger peers, which is an attribute that today's schools find desirable, but
difficult to achieve.
Reed School, built
in 1915, served as a one-room country school through 1951. It provided a first-
through eighth-grade education with only one teacher. The school is typical of
the more than 6,000 one-room schools that dotted the landscape of rural
Wisconsin.
Former Student's Memories Lead to Restoration
Gordon
Smith's memories of attending first grade at Reed School in 1939 were the
catalyst leading to its restoration and reopening as the Wisconsin Historical
Society's 10th historic site. His cousins, Glenn Suckow and Linda Suckow
Grottke, both attended Reed School and never missed one day in eight years.
*All Reed School photos and black text above from http://reedschool.wisconsinhistory.org
Board of Directors:
President Jayne Schuett
Vice-President Kurt Sampson
Treasurer Bonnie Katzman
Secretary John Brusoe
Directors Don Gehrke
Pearl Gehrke
Catherine Salapa
Rock River was a beautiful country. I loved my towns,
my cornfields, and the home of my people.
I fought for it. It is now
yours. Keep it as we did.
-
Chief Black Hawk
Rock River Archeological Society
N7725 Hwy. 28
Horicon, WI 53032
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Jan. 2013 Newsletter
January
2013 vol. 13 no. 1
Rock River was a beautiful country. I loved my towns, my
cornfields, and the home of my people. I
fought for it. It is now yours. Keep it as we did.
- Chief Black Hawk
Welcome to a new year of Rock River Archaeology! We have a great lineup of speakers and events
coming this year! A special “thanks” to
all of our members for all they do!
Without the donations of food, money, paper products and time, we could
not continue to be. Thanks to everyone
who has helped RRAS to be great!
January Speaker Herb “Dirty Kettle”
Heck
Rock River Archeological Society welcomes January speaker, Herb Heck, (a.k.a. “Dirty Kettle”) to its monthly meeting at the Horicon Marsh International Education Center on Highway 28 between Mayville and Horicon. (Enter lower level auditorium) RRAS meetings are always free and open to the public. The meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 16th with a snack reception to follow.
Herb, a true “mountain man”, has been fascinating people of all ages for years with his furs, handmade drums and rattles, storytelling, and knowledge of Native American culture. Herb will share many new surprises with guests and educate all with his many experiences and talents. Please join us for this fun and interactive event!
Treasurer’s Report
Bonnie Katzman
NOVEMBER BALANCE $1237.88
DECEMBER REPORT ’12
Membership $10.00
Donation 13 .00
Labels 4.90
Road Show Guest 50.00
December Balance
$1205.98
Rock
River Archeological Society Upcoming Program Schedule
2013:
January 16th: Herb Heck, aka “Dirty Kettle”. A true mountain man, Herb has been fascinating people of all ages for years with his furs, handmade drums and rattles, storytelling, and knowledge of Native American culture. Join RRAS for this fun and interactive event.
February 20th: Speaker TBA
March 20th: Julie Flemming
April 17th: Dick Welch, Brotherton Indians
May 4th: Archeology weekend at the Horicon Marsh International Education Center.
It
was a dark and stormy night, but some RRAS members pushed through and attended
our annual Road Show anyway! Although
the turnout was lower than normal, we had a great show! The “after party” was a hit, too, with some
awesome beans, hot ham, bars, cookies, and many more goodies to share! Thank you to everyone who attended, shared,
and conquered the snow! Jeff Behm
ventured from Oshkosh to be our “expert” and shared his insight on several of
our artifacts. We saw everything from
Civil War foot swords to stone tools to a “mystery” item that wasn’t such a
mystery to the ladies in attendance!
Yeeouch! If you were unable to
attend this year, keep that artifact handy for next year’s show! Hopefully the weather will cooperate a bit
better then!
President Jayne Schuett
Vice-President Kurt Sampson
Treasurer Bonnie Katzman
Secretary John Brusoe
Directors Don Gehrke
Pearl Gehrke
Catherine Salapa
Rock River was a beautiful country. I loved my towns,
my cornfields, and the home of my people.
I fought for it. It is now
yours. Keep it as we did.
- Chief Black Hawk
Rock River Archeological Society
N7725 Hwy. 28
Horicon, WI 53032
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