Prophet Wabokishiek’s village, at the mouth of the Coon Creek where the Prophetstown State Park is now, was the largest village along the Rock River.  There was a second, smaller village where Walker’s Slough enters the river about halfway between Prophetstown and Lyndon.  A third village was downstream about a mile and a half from the Prophet ‘s village near a bluff called Fisk’s Point.  Large artifact collections found north of the river about two miles west of Lyndon suggest that a settlement may have existed there also.  Farther down river in Portland township is Thunderbolt Hill, once a large camp and Indian cemetery.
      Much of the Tampico area was swampy and probably good hunting and fishing ground, especially Big Slough north of town.  Artifacts have been found west of Tampico at the site of the blowout, a seven-acre natural sand-blown basin.  A large red cedar tree in the center of the blowout was thought to have been planted there by the Indians.  Many spearpoints and stone tools have been found on a farm north of Deer Grove and also south at the Rt 4o-92 mound site, which suggest that camps or small villages may have been located nearby.
 
 

Home Page

Next page