Dec. 21st @ 4pm – WINTER SOLSTICE OBSERVANCE SLATED FOR FRANK’S HILL

Dec 11, 2017 by Brett

The public is invited to Frank’s Hill in southern Richland County on Thursday, December 21st, when the setting sun on the shortest of day of the year will be viewed from a small knoll peppered with effigy mounds in southern Richland County. The property is located on STH 193 just off STH 60 a few miles west of Muscoda and has been the site of many solstice and equinox gatherings in the past. Weather permitting, area residents are invited to join the festivities and remember events of the past year. A moment of silence will be observed for those who have passed away since the last trip around the sun. Following the sunset, attendees are welcome to gather around the campfire to share stories and learn more Frank’s Hill. The event is sponsored by the Three Eagles Foundation.

Frank’s Hill is on the National Register of Historic Places. A group of unique effigy mounds is situated on the East Ridge where the event will occur, which looks across to the west ridge where a line of small mounds, believed to be calendar mounds, is situated. The site offers a panoramic vista of the area which once contained the highest concentration of bird effigy mounds found anywhere in the world, including the remnants of the giant Ghost Eagle mound with a wingspan of over ¼ mile. The mounds were built a thousand or more years ago.

Participants should arrive by 4:00 p.m. to allow for time to hike to the top of the hill. Dress warmly and bring food, drink and a chair for sitting around the fire. Directions to Frank’s Hill are as follows; from the north end of the Muscoda bridge at the intersection of STH 80 & 60, drive west on Hwy. 60 for two miles and turn north on STH 193. Park by the first gate on the east side of the road, a short distance from Hwy. 60, and walk to the top of the hill. To learn more about the solstice event or for directions, contact Dave Martin at (608) 739-4198 or Mark Cupp at (608) 739-3188.

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Dec. 2nd – Archeologists to Discuss Effigy Mounds at Muscoda Library

Nov 20, 2017 by Brett

ARCHEOLOGISTS TO DISCUSS EFFIGY MOUNDS AT MUSCODA LIBRARY

MUSCODA…..The effigy mounds of the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway and other regions in Wisconsin will be the topic of a special lecture and book signing at the Muscoda Public Library on Saturday, December 2^nd, beginning at 10:00 a.m. A guided tour of the effigy mounds at Frank’s Hill in southern Richland County will follow for those interested.

Dr. Robert Birmingham, former State Archeologist for Wisconsin, and Dr. Amy Rosebrough, Deputy State Archeologist for the Wisconsin Historical Society, will discuss the second edition of their book entitled, Indian Mounds of Wisconsin. The new edition will include LiDAR images of mounds, such as the Bloyer (Twin Lizard) mound group near Muscoda.   LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging and is a surveying method that uses pulsed laser light from an airplane to capture topography on the ground. LiDAR is not impeded by trees and other vegetation and produces a three-dimensional image of the earth’s surface, including effigy mounds. The technology has become an exciting new tool used by archeologists to see mound shapes from above. Dr. Rosebrough also will discuss her research and findings from her dissertation about mounds in Wisconsin.

The event is co-sponsored by the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board, the Three Eagles Foundation which is the group that takes care of the mounds on Frank’s Hill near Muscoda, and Cultural Landscape Legacies (CLL), an organization dedicated to protection of mound and rock art sites in the Upper Midwest. CLL is known for marshalling volunteers to work on maintenance of mounds sites on public and private lands in the Riverway.

Mark Cupp, Executive Director of the Riverway Board, who also is involved in leadership roles with the Three Eagles Foundation and CLL, said, “Bob Birmingham and Amy Rosebrough are two of the most knowledgeable scholars in Wisconsin regarding the effigy mound builders from the Late Woodland Tradition. They will discuss the people that lived in this area 1000 years ago and their unique earthworks in the shapes of animals such as eagles, bears and panthers. Exciting new imagery using LiDAR will enhance the view of mounds and will be shared at the lecture. Anyone with an interest in effigy mounds and the history of southwestern Wisconsin prior to European contact won’t want to miss this special event.” Cupp also thanked Lorna Aigner, Library Director, and her staff for making the event possible. He noted the guided tour of the effigy mounds at Frank’s Hill will occur if the weather permits. A short hike to the top of the hill will be required.

Questions about the event may be directed to Cupp at the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board office by calling 608-739-3188. Additional details will be posted on the websites and Facebook pages for both the Three Eagles Foundation and Cultural Landscape Legacies.

For further information, contact Mark E. Cupp, LWSRB Executive Director, at (608) 739-3188 or by cell phone at (608) 739-2179 or by e-mail at [email protected].

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FRANK’S HILL OPEN TO PUBLIC FOR EQUINOX EVENT – September 22nd

Sep 11, 2017 by Brett

MUSCODA…..Frank’s Hill, an effigy mound site in southern Richland County, will be open to the public on Friday, September 22^nd through Sunday, September 24^th, for observance of the autumnal equinox. 3:02 p.m. on September 22^nd will mark the end of summer and beginning of fall.  Everyone is invited to gather at Frank’s Hill near Muscoda from Friday through Sunday to view the sunrise or sunset or to visit the site during the day to see the mounds and the grand vista. A campfire and sharing of stories hosted by the Three Eagles Foundation will occur following the sunset on Friday night. The event is subject to suitable weather conditions. A short hike will be required to the top of the hill that offers a stunning view of the lower Wisconsin River valley. Participants should arrive by 6:00 a.m. to view the sunrise or 6:15 p.m. to view the sunset. Frank’s Hill is located 2 miles west of Muscoda near the intersection of Hwy. 60 and Hwy. 193.

Frank’s Hill is on the National Register of Historic Places. A group of unique effigy mounds is situated on the east ridge where the observances will occur. Across Hwy. 193 lies the west ridge where a line of small conical mounds, thought to be calendar mounds, is situated. The site offers a panoramic vista of the area which once contained the highest concentration of bird effigy mounds found anywhere in the world. The mounds are thought to have been built during the Late Woodland period dating back to one thousand or more years ago.

To learn more about the equinox event or for directions, contact Dave Martin at (608) 739-4198 or visit the Three Eagles Foundation website or Facebook page.

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Summer Soltice Event at Frank’s Hill!

Jun 12, 2017 by Brett

The public is invited to Frank’s Hill in southern Richland County to observe the setting sun on the longest of day of the year. The summer solstice will occur at 11:54 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20th. The public is welcome to visit the hill on June 20th to say farewell to the last sunset of spring or on June 21st to view the first sunset of summer. Early risers also may enjoy the glorious sunrises from the site. Weather permitting, the Three Eagles Foundation expects to enjoy a campfire and stargaze following the sunset on June 21st.

Frank’s Hill is a small knoll peppered with effigy mounds that offers a commanding view of the lower Wisconsin River valley. The neighboring ridge to the west contains a group of small conical mounds thought to be calendar mounds that track the setting sun from May 1st to the summer solstice and back. The property, formerly owned by Frank Shadewald, is located on STH 193 just off STH 60, a few miles west of Muscoda. Participants should arrive by 8:00 p.m. to have time to walk around the mounds and should be there no later than 8:30 to view the sunset.

Those attending should bring chairs or blankets and insect repellant. Also, feel free to bring a telescope or good set of binoculars and a camera. Directions to Frank’s Hill are as follows; from the north end of the Muscoda bridge at the intersection of STH 80 & 60, drive west on Hwy. 60 for two miles and turn north on STH 193. Park by the first gate on the east side of the road, a short distance from Hwy. 60, and walk to the top of the hill. For questions regarding the event, contact Dave Martin at (608) 739-4198 or Mark Cupp at 739-3188. More information on Frank’s Hill may be found at the Three Eagles Foundation website at www.3-Eagles.org or by visiting the Foundation’s Facebook page.

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Celebrate Spring at Franks’ Hill!

Mar 13, 2017 by Brett

Bid farewell to winter and welcome spring by observing the vernal equinox amongst the ancient effigy mounds at Frank’s Hill near Muscoda. The Three Eagles Foundation will welcome people to observe the sunrises and sunsets from Saturday through Monday, March 18th to 20th, in recognition of the changing of the seasons. Spring officially begins at 5:28 a.m. on Monday, March 20th. Frank’s Hill will be open to the public for self-guided tours of the mounds throughout the weekend. Foundation representatives will be onsite for the Sunday evening sunset with a campfire and night sky watching to follow. The observations are subject to suitable weather conditions. A short hike will be required to the top of the hill that offers a stunning view of the lower Wisconsin River valley. The site is located 2 miles west of Muscoda near the intersection of Hwy. 60 and Hwy. 193.

Frank’s Hill is on the National Register of Historic Places. A group of unique effigy mounds is situated on Hill East where the observances will occur. Across Hwy. 193 is the west ridge where a line of small mounds, thought to be calendar mounds, is situated. The site offers a panoramic vista of the area which once contained the highest concentration of bird effigy mounds found anywhere in the world, including the remnants of the giant Ghost Eagle mound with a wingspan of over 1300 feet. The mounds are thought to have been built a thousand or more years ago by the people of the Late Woodland Tradition, recognized by many as the ancestors of the modern Ho-Chunk Nation.

To learn more about the equinox events or for directions, contact Three Eagles Foundation President Dave Martin at (608) 739-4198 or visit the Foundation’s website or Facebook page.

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