In the waterways of the American Midwest, archaeologists are uncovering dugout canoes dating back thousands of years, offering a glimpse into the rich and enduring history of Indigenous peoples. Among these discoveries, a canoe found in Wisconsin’s Lake Mendota in 2021 stands out—a remarkable 1,200-year-old relic carved from great white oak.
An Accidental Discovery
Maritime archaeologist Tamara Thomsen stumbled upon the ancient canoe while diving recreationally in Lake Mendota, a lake bordering Madison, Wisconsin. At 24 feet underwater, she identified the decayed end of the hollowed-out log—a dugout canoe, considered the oldest type of boat ever discovered.
Though Thomsen was not actively seeking artifacts that day, her background made her uniquely prepared to recognize its significance. As a researcher for the Wisconsin Historical Society, her work typically focuses on shipwrecks, such as 19th-century freighters in the Great Lakes. Yet this unexpected find opened a new chapter in her career.
“This was a remarkable discovery,” Thomsen said, “but what I didn’t realize at the time was the scope of what lay ahead.”
Mapping a Rich Maritime Legacy
Thomsen’s find inspired the creation of the Wisconsin Dugout Canoe Survey Project, spearheaded by Thomsen and University of Wisconsin-Madison archaeologist Sissel Schroeder. The project, supported by local volunteers and tribal historians, has documented 79 dugout canoes to date, with some ranging between 4,000 and 5,000 years old.
These relics offer a wealth of insights into the lifeways of Indigenous communities, illustrating patterns of trade, travel, and environmental adaptation. Two of the dugouts are among the ten oldest found in eastern North America, highlighting the enduring ingenuity of the region’s first inhabitants.
A City of Deep Indigenous Roots
The Madison area, known as Dejope in the Ho-Chunk language, was a thriving Indigenous metropolis long before European settlers arrived. Contrary to misconceptions of temporary encampments, Dejope was a well-connected, vibrant community, says Bill Quackenbush, tribal historic preservation officer for the Ho-Chunk Nation.
“This was one large living community,” Quackenbush explains. “The interconnectedness of the society here was profound.”
The discovery of these ancient canoes underscores the sophisticated cultural and technological achievements of the Ho-Chunk and other Indigenous nations.
Bridging Past and Present
The project has also forged meaningful connections between archaeologists and Indigenous communities. In September 2022, former Ho-Chunk Nation President Marlon WhiteEagle personally thanked Thomsen for her dedication to recovering and preserving these artifacts, which hold immense cultural significance.
The dugout canoes not only tell the story of millennia of ingenuity but also remind us that the waterways winding through America’s urban landscapes are windows into a past that continues to resonate. “To explore thousands of years of history,” Thomsen says, “you don’t need to look far—just dive into the lakes and rivers around us.”
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