Ancient Aztalan Village

State Natural Area (No. 408)

Location: Within Aztalan State Park, Jefferson County. 25 Acres.

Access: From the intersection of I-94 and State Highway 89 in Lake Mills, go south on 89 0.9 mile, then west on County B 2.6 miles, then south on County Q about 0.4 mile to the park entrance. The park is open year round from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Description: Ancient Aztalan Village is a unique, archaeological treasure of Native American culture and is one of the most important archaeological sites in Wisconsin. Aztalan showcases an ancient Middle Mississippian village and ceremonial complex that flourished between 1000 and 1200 AD. It is one of the northernmost outposts of the Middle Mississippian Tradition. This tradition is most notable in west-central Illinois at a site called Cahokia. Mound and stockade construction, house construction, pottery decoration and agricultural practices are just a few of the similarities that exist between Aztalan and Cahokia. But there are differences. Although classic Middle Mississippian features exist, many artifacts belonging to the local Woodland people are also present in large numbers. The people who settled Aztalan built large, flat-topped pyramidal mounds and a stockade around their village. They hunted, fished, and farmed on the floodplain of the Crawfish River. It is believed that the Aztalan Indians moved north to Wisconsin from the large mound settlement at Cahokia near St. Louis, Illinois. Following the Mississippi, Rock, and Crawfish Rivers they finally settled on the west bank of the Crawfish River near Lake Mills. The village prospered until 1200 AD, after which all the inhabitants left. The reason for this abandonment remains a mystery. Aztalan become a state park in 1948. The site was designated a National Landmark in 1964 and listed in the National Registry of Historic Places in 1966. Ancient Aztalan Village is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2003.