Wickiup Hill

Wickiup Hill has been occupied by people for around 8,000 years and has archeological evidence of Native American villages as well as of their burial grounds. Its burial grounds are under protection by Iowa law and are not documented for others to find.[1] The mounds were stolen from repeatedly and no one knows what remains of their contents. The Oneota, Ioway, and Meskwaki people used to live in the area.[1] Starting in 1994, multiple surveys and excavations were completed by archeologists to record its historical sites. People helped contribute to the effort by volunteering through field schools, teacher workshops, and camps for student archeologists. More than 20 historical sites were discovered within river terraces, sand dunes, bluffs, and ridge-tops. The excavations include 5,000-year-old campgrounds, clusters of mounds, and late 19th-century pioneer cabins. Items that were discovered include a blue glass bead, metal, buttons, ceramics, two 1865 Indian Head cents, and one 1868 Indian Head cent. Other discoveries were intact charred wooden boards that might have come from a cabin and an oval basin that had slabs of dolomite and other rocks. The basin and rocks may have come from a sweat lodge that was used by Native Americans.[2]

A nomination for Wickiup Hill to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places was started in 2020. If approved, the area could be eligible to receive more state and federal grants.[1]

The Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center is a 790-acre (320 ha) nature center on Cedar River's left bank in Linn County and it is controlled by the Linn County Conservation Department. The nature center has exhibits, tours, and events.[2] It was built on a Meskwaki village site.[3] In 2021, the nature center held two snowshoe hiking events.[4]