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Effigy Mounds National Monument Tour with Sauk County Historical Society
Date: September 13, 2025
Event Description
The Historical Society is hosting a coach bus trip to Effigy Mounds National Monument on Saturday, September 13, leaving from Baraboo at 9 am. The trip will include a delicious boxed lunch from Little Village as we roll through McGregor, Iowa, where several of the Ringling Brothers were born and where Lou Ringling was from, on our way to the national monument. Seth Taft of Baraboo, an archeologist and former park ranger at the monument, will be along for the tour and will share about the importance of the site and how it came to be. Guided tours will be available. The visit will involve walking one to two miles on hilly terrain.
Earthwork effigy mounds were once numerous across an area that covered what is now southern Wisconsin and small parts of neighboring states. At one time there were an estimated 3,000 effigy mounds stretching from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River Valley. Sadly, only a fraction of these still remain.
The largest concentration of surviving effigy mounds can be found at Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa, just across the river from Prairie du Chien. Over 200 mounds including 31 bear and bird effigies can be found at the site which is the largest of its kind in the world.
The largest concentration of surviving effigy mounds can be found at Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa, just across the river from Prairie du Chien. Over 200 mounds including 31 bear and bird effigies can be found at the site which is the largest of its kind in the world.
The coach bus trip, including lunch, is $45 for Society members and $50 for non-members. The trip is being sponsored by a donation from a generous member who wishes to remain anonymous and who wants to keep the price as low as possible. Seating is limited so please register now by emailing history@saukcountyhistory.org or calling 608-356-1001. Registration can also be found online at https://saukcountyhistory.org/schs.../effigymoundsbustour.