Copper Culture State Park

Significant dates

Oconto Site
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Farmstead at Copper Culture State Park
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Location	Oconto, Wisconsin
Coordinates	44°53′12″N 87°54′3″W / 44.88667°N 87.90083°W / 44.88667; -87.90083Coordinates: 44°53′12″N 87°54′3″W / 44.88667°N 87.90083°W / 44.88667; -87.90083
NRHP Reference #	66000023
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966^[1]
Designated NHL	January 20, 1961^[2]

Copper Culture State Park is a 48-acre (19 ha) Wisconsin state park in Oconto, northeastern Wisconsin. The 40-acre 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 years ago 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.^[3]

Artifacts

Utilitarian products were much more numerous than ornamental items in the grave goods found, and the ancient artifacts were created from various materials.^[3]

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.^[4] 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 habitats 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, 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.^[5]

The Charles Werrebroeck Museum, with the Oconto Archaic Copper Museum, is open in the summer from Memorial Day to Labor Day, on Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm, or by appointment. Free admission and guided tours are available.^[5]

References

↑ National Park Service (2008-04-15). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
↑ "Oconto Site". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
1 2 Rootsweb: Original 1952 report and photographs of the Copper Culture Burial Site — from the first archaeological dig. | accessed 4.14.2013
↑ rootsweb: Werrebroeck Farmhouse
1 2 Rootsweb: Copper Culture State Park . accessed 4.14.2013

External links

official Copper Culture State Park website
Belgium-Roots Project: Belgium Home—the Werrebroeck Farmhouse — in Copper Culture State Park, Oconto County (Wisconsin).

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

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Protected areas of Wisconsin

Federal

National Park Service	Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Ice Age National Scientific Reserve Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway

National Forests	Chequamegon-Nicolet

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State

State Parks	Amnicon Falls Aztalan Belmont Mound Big Bay Big Foot Beach Blue Mound Brunet Island Buckhorn Capital Springs Copper Culture Copper Falls Council Grounds Devil's Lake Governor Dodge Governor Nelson Governor Thompson Harrington Beach Hartman Creek Heritage Hill High Cliff Interstate Kinnickinnic Kohler-Andrae Lake Kegonsa Lake Wissota Lakeshore Menominee River Merrick Mill Bluff Mirror Lake Natural Bridge Nelson Dewey New Glarus Woods Newport Pattison Peninsula Perrot Potawatomi Rib Mountain Roche-a-Cri Rock Island Rocky Arbor Straight Lake Tower Hill Whitefish Dunes Wildcat Mountain Willow River Wyalusing Yellowstone Lake

State Natural Areas	Abraham's Woods Bayshore Blufflands Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie Black Tern Bog Dells of the Wisconsin River Dorothy Lake Dunnville Barrens Gibraltar Rock Grandma Lake Kangaroo Lake Moquah Barrens Parfrey's Glen Pewits Nest Rush River Delta Spread Eagle Barrens Spruce Lake Bog Twin Lakes Bog Two Creeks Buried Forest Wind Pudding

State Recreation Areas	Browntown-Cadiz Springs Chippewa Moraine Fischer Creek Hoffman Hills Menominee River Richard Bong

State Forests	Black River Brule River Coulee Experimental Flambeau River Governor Knowles Havenwoods Kettle Moraine - Lapham Peak Unit Kettle Moraine - Loew Lake Unit Kettle Moraine - Northern & Southern Units Kettle Moraine - Pike Lake Unit Northern Highland-American Legion Peshtigo River Point Beach

State Historical Sites	Black Point Estate Circus World Museum First Capitol H. H. Bennett Studio Madeline Island Museum Old World Wisconsin Pendarvis Reed School Stonefield Sylvanus Wade House Villa Louis

State Wildlife Areas	Buena Vista Marsh Crex Meadows Dewey Marsh Horicon Marsh Killsnake Mead

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

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