About this property
Copper Culture State Park is a 42-acre (17 ha) Wisconsin state park in Oconto, northeastern Wisconsin, United States. The park has natural areas, farmlands, archaeological sites, and a Native American museum. Plans for the park go back to 1959. However, it was not opened until 1976. The park contains an ancient burial ground used by the Old Copper Complex Culture of early Native Americans, between around 4,000 and 2,000 BCE. It was rediscovered in June 1952 by a 13-year-old boy who unearthed human bones while playing in an old quarry. By July the first archaeological dig had commenced, as part of the program of the Wisconsin Archaeological Survey. Utilitarian products were much more numerous than ornamental items in the grave goods found, and the ancient artifacts were created from various materials. Copper: awls, crescents, clasps; and a spear-point, fishhook, bracelet, spirally-coiled tubing, rivet, and a spatula. Bone: awl (fish jawbone), and a "fine specimen of a whistle" (leg bone of a swan). The ancient burial ground is a National Historic Landmark, on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Wisconsin, and protected within Copper Culture State Park. The Oconto Archaic Copper Museum is located within the Charles Werrebroeck Museum—Belgium Home, a traditional Belgian style farmhouse built in 1924 by Charles Werrebroeck. Artifacts and photographs from excavations on the park's grounds are displayed in the museum. Other features in the 40-acre Copper Culture State Park include picnic tables, BBQ grills, restrooms, and a community pavilion. Nature trails explore various natural habitats in the park. Riparian zone of the Oconto River, and fishing in it. Copper Culture State Park is managed by the Oconto County Historical Society, a non-profit organization, rather than the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, therefore admission is free. Visitors do not require a Wisconsin state park pass to enter, but are encouraged to make a donation at the museum. The Charles Werrebroeck Museum, with the Oconto Archaic Copper Museum, is open in the summer daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day from 10am to 4pm, or by appointment. Free admission and guided tours are available. Native American archeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Oconto County, Wisconsin' Belgium-Roots Project: Belgium Home—the Werrebroeck Farmhouse — in Copper Culture State Park, Oconto County (Wisconsin).
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Oconto Site
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Questions about this property
When was Oconto Site listed on the National Register?
Oconto Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.
What type of historic resource is Oconto Site?
Oconto Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Oconto Site a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Oconto Site has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Oconto Site?
The period of significance for Oconto Site is recorded as the modern era, specifically around 1959.
Can I research the history near Oconto Site?
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