Juneau County History
Native Americans left an indelible mark on south-central Wisconsin and many dedicated Ho-Chunk are still working hard today to preserve that legacy. Deanna Laufenberg, New Lisbon Library Director, received a donation from the Harry Mortensen family that took years to collect that is several thousands of years old. During the 1960s, Mortensen collected more than 12,000 Native American artifacts, dating from 500-1200 A.D. With more than 4,000 pieces — all found in Juneau County — it’s one of the largest personal collections in the state. Mortensen’s goal was to keep his vast collection in Juneau County and give future generations the opportunity to enjoy artifacts from a time when
Wisconsin looked very different from the state we know today.
National Register of Historic Places in the 1970s.
The New Lisbon library also received arrowheads and other artifacts from Roger Mortensen (no relation).
The Town of Armenia also features several effigy mounds, along with Mauston and several other spots in south central Wisconsin.
Some of Harry Mortensen’s collection is more than 10,000 years old. One of the most unique items among the artifacts is a fragment of melted sand, hardened after a lighting strike and preserved for centuries. The library isn’t the only place in New Lisbon to find ancient native history. New Lisbon Indian Mounds Park, also known as Gee’s Slough Group, is located on Indian Mounds Road, a few miles south of New Lisbon on Highway 12 and 16. The park features several rolling burial mounds and the sacred native landmark was placed on the
Natives of Juneau County left their mark in other ways, too. Near Hustler, ancient petroglyphs are etched into the stone along Twin Bluffs and the bluff at the mouth of the Lemonweir River. The pictorial etchings (one resembles a thunderbird) are believed to have been carved by the Winnebago Ho-Chunk tribe between 100 B.C. to 1650 A.D. Despite many natives being driven away from the local area, their impact remains. Their names and culture can be found in almost any direction one looks. www.juneaucounty.com | 57