Copper Culture State Park is a Wisconsin state park in Oconto, northeastern

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

, United States. The park has natural areas, farmlands, archaeological sites, and a Native American museum.

Features

Archaeological site

The park contains an ancient burial ground used by the Old Copper Complex Culture of early Native Americans, between 5,000 and 6,000 B.C.E. during the Copper Age. It was rediscovered in June 1952 by a 13-year-old boy who unearthed human bones while playing in an old quarry. By July the first archaeological dig had commenced, as part of the program of the Wisconsin Archaeological Survey.Rootsweb: Original 1952 report and photographs of the Copper Culture Burial Site
— from the first archaeological dig. , accessed 4.14.2013

Artifacts

Utilitarian products were much more numerous than ornamental items in the grave goods found, and the ancient artifacts were created from various materials. *Copper: awls, crescents, clasps; and a spear-point, fishhook, bracelet, spirally-coiled tubing, rivet, and a spatula. *Chipped stone: scraper, projectile points. *Bone: awl (fish jawbone), and a "fine specimen of a whistle" (leg bone of a swan). *Antler: possible flaking tools. *Shell: pond snail ('' Campeloma decisum'') beads. The ancient burial ground is a National Historic Landmark, on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Wisconsin, and protected within Copper Culture State Park.

Charles Werrebroeck Museum

The Oconto Archaic Copper Museum is located within the Charles Werrebroeck Museum—Belgium Home, a traditional Belgian style farmhouse built in 1924 by Charles Werrebroeck. Artifacts and photographs from excavations on the park's grounds are displayed in the museum.

Recreation

Other features in the 40-acre Copper Culture State Park include picnic tables, BBQ grills, restrooms, and a community pavilion. ;Natural history Nature trails explore various natural

habitat In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...

s in the park. * Laurentian Mixed Forest woodlands * Riparian zone of the Oconto River, and fishing in it. * Short-grass prairie

Access

Copper Culture State Park is managed by the Oconto County Historical Society, a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

, rather than the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, therefore admission is free. Visitors do not require a Wisconsin state park pass to enter, but are encouraged to make a donation at the museum.Rootsweb: Copper Culture State Park
. accessed 4.14.2013 The Charles Werrebroeck Museum, with the Oconto Archaic Copper Museum, is open in the summer daily from Memorial Day to

Labor Day Labor Day is a Federal holidays in the United States, federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday of September to honor and recognize the Labor history of the United States, American labor movement and the works and con ...

from 10am to 4pm, or by appointment. Free admission and guided tours are available.

References

External links

official Copper Culture State Park website
— ''in Copper Culture State Park, Oconto County (Wisconsin)''. {{authority control State parks of Wisconsin Great Lakes tribal culture Native American museums in Wisconsin Archaeological museums in Wisconsin Museums in Oconto County, Wisconsin Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Wisconsin National Historic Landmarks in Wisconsin Protected areas established in 1959 Protected areas of Oconto County, Wisconsin National Register of Historic Places in Oconto County, Wisconsin 1959 establishments in Wisconsin