Sacred History & Effigy Mounds

Bonnie Oaks holds not only an extraordinary artistic legacy, but also a deeply sacred and ancient one. Long before the property was granted to settler Cyrus Woodman in 1853, this land was home to Indigenous peoples whose presence can still be felt today. Within the Bonnie Oaks Historic District lie two remarkably preserved Effigy Mounds—rare, earthen forms constructed between 200 BC and 1200 AD, linking them to the Prehistoric Woodland Period.

These mounds offer a tangible connection to the past and are considered among the best-preserved examples in Wisconsin. The most prominent is an Eagle Effigy Mound, its wings stretching nearly 70 feet across as if in flight beside the Neenah Creek. Nearby rests the Bear Effigy Mound, a more subtle form shaped by time and the elements. Together, they represent powerful symbols in Indigenous cultures and reflect sophisticated ceremonial and social practices.

Additional features, documented in the early 20th century, include a small Oval Mound south of the Bear Mound and a Linear Rock Formation north of the Carpenter Cottage—each a reminder that this landscape once held meanings we are only beginning to understand.

It is an honor and responsibility to protect these sacred cultural landmarks. They inspire humility, reflection, and a profound sense of continuity, reminding all who visit that Bonnie Oaks carries a deep and ancient story—one that long predates our own.