Archaeological dig resumes at Menominee Park

OSHKOSH, WI – (WISS) – The archaeological work on Menominee Park’s Pratt Trail continues now that nicer weather has arrived. The work is expected to continue through summer. 

In August of 2023, roadwork and reconstruction of the Pratt Trail had to be delayed when workers discovered artifacts from a Native American village dated from about 900 to 1600 AD. Archaeologists will work alongside road crews. They expect the work to be completed by fall. Visitors to Menominee Park are asked to respect the restricted areas of the park to allow archaeological teams to complete their work.

Press Release

Archaeological work continues at Menominee Park

Pratt Trail reconstruction completion expected by fall 2024

OSHKOSH, Wis., April 22, 2024 – Reconstruction of Menominee Park’s Pratt Trail began in August, 2023, and scheduled completion has been delayed due to archaeological work that is taking place at the site. Archaeological work is underway now through summer, 2024, within Menominee Park.

Based on work completed in 2023, the project area is known to be coincident with an extensive Native American village that dates from circa AD 900 to 1600. The Cultural Resource Management program at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (UWM) identified evidence of this village during the initial phase of work, and before road work began. Through consultation with the Wisconsin Historical Society, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, as well as Tribal Nations, UWM developed a plan to ensure protection of these archaeological items of significance during the road reconstruction work. During the plan implementation, which, in part, entailed on site monitoring of the existing road bed removal, UWM confirmed to the city of Oshkosh that the historically significant village site has been preserved intact beneath the road bed. 

Archaeologists’ work, in part, is aimed at conservation of archaeological assets in the original location of the significant finds. The archaeologists will work in tandem with road construction crews, with work anticipated to be completed by fall, 2024. Visitors to Menominee Park are asked to respect the restricted areas of the park to allow archaeological teams to complete their work. For more information about this archeological site, please contact Jennifer Haas, Director of the Archaeological Research Laboratory Center at UW Milwaukee, at (414) 251-8853.