Events Calendar 2008
Native American Garden: All summer.
June 21, 7:30: Soltice at Aztalan, was held to experience the seasonal movements of the sun that were important in the religious beliefs of the Mississippian people.
July 6th: Aztalan, WI. Aztalan Days Annual event included continous tours of the park, and admission to the town of Aztalan's Museum. Picnic, specializing in pies.
July 26-27 10:00-4:00 each day: First Native American Week-End. Native American dancing, art, and children's dream catcher workshop.
August 17: Annual Aztalan Picnic - Foods of Aztalan. Taste the foods of ancient Aztalan including the fruits of the Aztalan Native American garden. Please bring a dish to pass.
September 6 - 7: Indian Summerfest, Milwaukee. Native American pow-wow with food, crafts and dance. Friends of Aztalan will man a booth.
September 27 - 28 Bus tour: Mounds along the Wisconsin River, the Ho-Chunk bison farm, and Effigy Mounds National Monument in Mcgregor, Iowa.
Call Bob Birmingham at (608) 241-4958 or email birmi@sbcglobal.net or follow the link for more information.
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Aztalan State Park is 2 miles off I-94 at Lake Mills, 1 hour from Milwaukwee or Madison.
Historical Summary
Aztalan State Park is the site of a ceremonial and residential town established in 1100 AD (approximately). This site has provided insights into ancient agriculture and gardening.
While people lived along the Crawfish River in Wisconsin's Jefferson County before 900 A.D., the Mississippians arrived at ancient Aztalan between 1050 and 1100AD. They established a heirarchal society that was culturally exotic for the area.
The Mississippian peoples built earthen pyramids which were used by the religious and ruling leaders. The largest Mississippian site is Cahokia, located near St. Louis, Aztalan is the most northern.
The Aztalan people built three earthern pyramids, and a protective stockade complete with guard towers. Two of the pyramids and sections of the stockade have been reconstructed.
In 1837 Nathaniel Hyer mapped the site, and believing that it was built by people from the ancient Mexican city of Aztalan, named the Wisconsin site, Aztalan. Though it is now known that this is not true, the name of the site was not changed.
The Book by Bob Birmingham, president of Friends of Aztalan, former Wisconsin state archeologist.
This website was developed and is maintained by the Friends of Aztalan State Park. We invite you to learn about the Mississippian culture from the information presented here, and the links to other Mississippian sites that we found of interest.
Friends
P.O Box 855
Lake Mills, WI 53551
See the video, purchased by the Friends of Aztalan to raise awareness of the historical uniqueness of Aztalan, and funds for an on-site visitor's interpretive center.
Site designed/developed by Marifrances A Cataldi
8/4/2008
