AMONG THE INDIAN MOUNDS-1872

WOODMAN, CALVIN, WEATHERBY, CAMP FRANKLIN

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 2/15/2018 at 21:03:00

Dubuque Daily Times Wednesday, June 19, 1872, Dubuque, Iowa Page: 4

AMONG THE MOUNDS

About a fortnight since, as Professor Woodman was riding out one day near Eagle Point, while crossing the “commons”, from one road to another in which he hoped would prove less sandy, he found his buggy heaving and pitching, first in one direction and then another, and on looking about found himself surrounded by a large number of little knolls. Perceptive naturally acute, and sharpened by practice, led him to take a second look, and found that the knolls were all of the same size, and systematically arranged with regard to each other. He soon became convinced he was in a field of ancient Indian mounds.

Last evening by the kindness of Professor Calvin, principal of the Fourth Ward school, a span of horses and a carriage “might have been seen” winding their way towards Eagle Point, and in the carriage Prof. Calvin, Prof. Woodman, C. M. Weatherby, Esq., and the writer hereof.

On reaching a spot just beyond the settled portion of the city, yet within corporation, but a few rods from where Camp Franklin was situated during the war, we dismounted, hitched the team to the nearest tree, and found ourselves in the midst of the mounds.

We acknowledge that on our way thither we had not shared Prof. Woodman’s enthusiasm. We could not help feeling a strange suspicion that he had not invested such natural hillocks as are now rare most anywhere with attributes that it would be difficult for an unscientific imagination to discover.

But on reaching the spot it took but one second to do away with our skepticism effectually and forever. There, within five rods of the river , within one rod of the railroad, and actually cut in twain by the main highway running from the city to Eagle Point, was a field of most palpably artificial mounds, numbering between sixty and seventy in all, and covering several acres.

Below we give rough diagram of the in the way the mounds are distributed over the surface of the ground – directions as being on an ordinary map; the top north, the bottom south, the right hand east, the west hand west. The narrowness of our columns interferes with us giving a complete outline of the field, but this will give a very correct general idea.

SEE DIAGRAM BELOW

Theses mounds are–with three exceptions out of seventy-all of the same shape and size, and each the same direction from its neighbor.

Each mound rises to a height of about two feet above the level of the surrounding land. Each is perfectly round, and six paces in diameter. The center of summit of each is just fifteen paces from the center of its nearest neighbor, in either direction-except that why the mounds in that lone line that stretches off westerly are fifteen paces from each other, they are of course much farther than that from their neighbors of the cluster each of them, along the river shore.

There are three exception to the size and shape. At the point where the single line of mounds begin to lead off westerly, there is a mound perceptively larger and higher than the rest–and so designated on our diagram. Near this central mound, but on the river shore, are a couple of long and high mounds occupying just the space of two adjacent mounds and the interval between.

The *s indicate a place where the mounds are thirty paces apart-the running water in wet weather having worn away the mounds which (no one who views it can believe) once were here, and in addition cut quite a ravine to the river.

The whole field is now covered with a grove as is seen elsewhere about Dubuque-some of the largest trees growing directly on the summits of the mounds.

So much for facts. How the mounds came here is of course a matter of speculation. But one standing upon the spot can scarcely resist the conclusion that some ancient Indian tribe, considerably advanced in civilization, and disposed of permanency of habitation, once had their homes here. That on these mounds habitation were erected, or tents were pitched , with floors high and dry from the water that in rainy weather would overflows the lower level ground. That the large central mound was inhabited by the chief of the tribe. That the long mounds next to the river shore were for some defensive purpose. And much further imagination might go, without wandering among improbabilities.

It is not deemed by any means sure that mounds such as these contain anything within them, that would be found by digging them open. Nevertheless, flint arrowheads, tomahawks, and specimens of ancient pottery ware, have been found, years ago, within a few rods of this very place, and are now in Prof. Woodman’s cabinets.