Wildcat Mountain State Park
Encyclopedia
Wildcat Mountain State Park is a 3643 acres (1,474.3 ha) state park in Vernon County, Wisconsin
in the United States. The park is on the Kickapoo River
in Wisconsin's Driftless Area. Sandstone bluffs topped with limestone, two of which are Wildcat Mountain and Mount Pisgah, provide views over the narrow valley of the river and its tributaries. The Kickapoo Valley Reserve is immediately adjacent and forms a continuous protected area. Wildcat Mountain State Park is open for year-round recreation including hiking
, canoe
ing, fishing
, and cross-country skiing
.
practices have been found in the vicinity. Historians believe that the Natives used the Kickapoo Valley as a hunting area and held more permanent settlements in the Tomah
area near the confluence
of the Kickapoo and Wisconsin River
s.
The Kickapoo River was known as the "river of canoes" to the Indians who lived in the area. It was canoes that brought the first European explorers to the area. French voyageurs
from New France
explored the area and called the area bateaux. When English-speaking settlers arrived in the area the name was mispronounced as Bad Axe. In fact, Vernon County was originally known as Bad Axe County and the name was not changed until 1862 to Vernon, which means greenness.
When American pioneer
s arrived in the Kickapoo Valley it was home to the Meskwaki
and Sac Indians and later the Ho-Chunk
. The Native Americans were forced from their land in 1837 when the Government of the United States compelled the Ho-Chunk to move to points west of the Mississippi River
. The land was covered with vast expanses of old-growth forests that was to soon fall under the axe of the lumberman.
The need for lumber as the United States was growing was tremendous. Trees in New England
were among the first to fall as they were nearest the early settlements of Boston
and New York City. The forests of Pennsylvania
feed the need for lumber in Philadelphia, Baltimore
, Pittsburgh and the coal mines of the region. The lumber industry reached Wisconsin by 1844.
John Ostrander and William Saubert bought up many acres of land on what is now Wildcat Mountain State Park. Their lumber company purchased the land for $1.25 an acre from the government. Ostrander and Saubert clear-cut
the forests and then sold the cleared land to new settlers for $2.50 an acre. A small community of lumberjack
s and their families remained in the area as long as there were trees to be bought. Their settlement included a gristmill
, post office
and school. The community was abandoned by 1900.
Many people remained in the area and established small family farms. They used the natural resources of the Driftless Area in the Kickapoo Valley to provide them with many of their needs. They built their homes near streams that provided a steady supply of fresh water and fish for eating.
The lumber industry had a negative affect on the environment. Over harvesting of timber affected the water table
in the Kickapoo Valley. The lack of trees and their extensive root systems underground caused an increase in runoff
. Instead of soaking into the ground and trees the water was flushed out of the valley and down the river. The water level of the streams dropped and many natural springs dried up. Over use of the natural resources forced some of the early settlers to move on and the lumber towns were abandoned.
A thriving ginseng
business was once prominent in the economy of Vernon County. The root of the plant was widely used by Chinese people to cure and ward off various types of disease. Residents of the area harvested the naturally growing ginseng and sold it at market in Woodstock, Illinois
. For a time Vernon County was the greatest producer of ginseng in the United States.
The protection of what became Wildcat Mountain State Park started off in 1938 when a local man, Amos Saunders, donated 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land for the establishment of a park. The park grew to 60 acres (24.3 ha) in 1947 when it was acquired by the state of Wisconsin for a state park. The park, formally established in 1948, has since grown to a size of 3643 acres (1,474.3 ha).
, Iowa
and Illinois that was not covered by glaciers in the Last Ice Age. The term "driftless" indicates a lack of glacial drift
, the material left behind by retreating continental glaciers. The hills of the Driftless Area are made of Precambrian
sandstone
that is topped with limestone
. Overall, the region is characterized by an eroded plateau
with bedrock overlain by varying thicknesses of loess
. Most characteristically, the river valleys are deeply dissected. The bluffs lining this reach of the Mississippi River drainage basin currently climb to not quite 600 feet (182.9 m).
. Common birds include Tundra Swans, Canada Geese
, Great Blue Heron
s, Sandpipers, Wild Turkey
s, Red-tailed Hawk
s, Bald Eagle
s and Turkey Vulture
s. Reptiles are also found in the park including, Five-lined Skink
s, Red-bellied Snakes and Eastern Hog-nosed snakes. White-tailed deer
, Red squirrel
s, and Beaver
are among the mammals found in the park.
Mount Pisgah in Wildcat Mountain State Park has been preserved. It is covered with old-growth white pine and hemlock trees. The hill was never logged off by lumbermen and never grazed by the livestock
of farmers in the area. The park is also home to fern
s including maidenhair
, interrupted and the unusual walking fern
.
s, Belted Kingfisher
s, Green Heron
s and Great Blue Herons. Biologic surveys on the river have documented up to 46 species of fish
. The Kickapoo has been designated a Class II trout
stream. Brown Trout
spawn
in tributaries of the river within the park.
Wildcat Mountain State Park has 25.8 miles (41.5 km) of trails that are open to hiking, snow shoeing, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. Additionally the park is home interpretative programs, a nature center, pincic facilities and stations for bird and wildlife viewing.
Vernon County, Wisconsin
Vernon County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2009, the population estimate was 29,324. Its county seat is Viroqua.-History:...
in the United States. The park is on the Kickapoo River
Kickapoo River
The Kickapoo River is a tributary of the Wisconsin River in the state of Wisconsin, United States. It is named for the Kickapoo Indians who occupied Wisconsin before the influx of white settlers in the early 19th century.-Watershed:...
in Wisconsin's Driftless Area. Sandstone bluffs topped with limestone, two of which are Wildcat Mountain and Mount Pisgah, provide views over the narrow valley of the river and its tributaries. The Kickapoo Valley Reserve is immediately adjacent and forms a continuous protected area. Wildcat Mountain State Park is open for year-round recreation including hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
ing, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, and cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
.
History
Wildcat Mountain State Park is in the Kickapoo Valley. Archaeologists have found evidence of human occupation in the area dating back to 2000 BC. Indian rock shelters and mounds have been found in and around the park. Most archaeologists believe that the shelters and mounds are remnants of temporary hunting camps. No evidence of agriculturalAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
practices have been found in the vicinity. Historians believe that the Natives used the Kickapoo Valley as a hunting area and held more permanent settlements in the Tomah
Tomah, Wisconsin
Tomah is a city in Monroe County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 9,093. The city is located partially within the Town of Tomah.-Education:...
area near the confluence
Confluence (geography)
In geography, a confluence is the meeting of two or more bodies of water. It usually refers to the point where two streams flow together, merging into a single stream...
of the Kickapoo and Wisconsin River
Wisconsin River
-External links:* * * , Wisconsin Historical Society* * * *...
s.
The Kickapoo River was known as the "river of canoes" to the Indians who lived in the area. It was canoes that brought the first European explorers to the area. French voyageurs
Voyageurs
The Voyageurs were the persons who engaged in the transportation of furs by canoe during the fur trade era. Voyageur is a French word which literally translates to "traveler"...
from New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
explored the area and called the area bateaux. When English-speaking settlers arrived in the area the name was mispronounced as Bad Axe. In fact, Vernon County was originally known as Bad Axe County and the name was not changed until 1862 to Vernon, which means greenness.
When American pioneer
American pioneer
American pioneers are any of the people in American history who migrated west to join in settling and developing new areas. The term especially refers to those who were going to settle any territory which had previously not been settled or developed by European or American society, although the...
s arrived in the Kickapoo Valley it was home to the Meskwaki
Meskwaki
The Meskwaki are a Native American people often known to outsiders as the Fox tribe. They have often been closely linked to the Sauk people. In their own language, the Meskwaki call themselves Meshkwahkihaki, which means "the Red-Earths." Historically their homelands were in the Great Lakes region...
and Sac Indians and later the Ho-Chunk
Ho-Chunk
The Ho-Chunk, also known as Winnebago, are a tribe of Native Americans, native to what is now Wisconsin and Illinois. There are two federally recognized Ho-Chunk tribes, the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska....
. The Native Americans were forced from their land in 1837 when the Government of the United States compelled the Ho-Chunk to move to points west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. The land was covered with vast expanses of old-growth forests that was to soon fall under the axe of the lumberman.
The need for lumber as the United States was growing was tremendous. Trees in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
were among the first to fall as they were nearest the early settlements of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and New York City. The forests of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
feed the need for lumber in Philadelphia, Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Pittsburgh and the coal mines of the region. The lumber industry reached Wisconsin by 1844.
John Ostrander and William Saubert bought up many acres of land on what is now Wildcat Mountain State Park. Their lumber company purchased the land for $1.25 an acre from the government. Ostrander and Saubert clear-cut
Clearcutting
Clearcutting, or clearfelling, is a controversial forestry/logging practice in which most or all trees in an area are uniformly cut down. Clearcutting, along with shelterwood and seed tree harvests, is used by foresters to create certain types of forest ecosystems and to promote select species that...
the forests and then sold the cleared land to new settlers for $2.50 an acre. A small community of lumberjack
Lumberjack
A lumberjack is a worker in the logging industry who performs the initial harvesting and transport of trees for ultimate processing into forest products. The term usually refers to a bygone era when hand tools were used in harvesting trees principally from virgin forest...
s and their families remained in the area as long as there were trees to be bought. Their settlement included a gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
, post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
and school. The community was abandoned by 1900.
Many people remained in the area and established small family farms. They used the natural resources of the Driftless Area in the Kickapoo Valley to provide them with many of their needs. They built their homes near streams that provided a steady supply of fresh water and fish for eating.
The lumber industry had a negative affect on the environment. Over harvesting of timber affected the water table
Water table
The water table is the level at which the submarine pressure is far from atmospheric pressure. It may be conveniently visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials that are saturated with groundwater in a given vicinity. However, saturated conditions may extend above the water table as...
in the Kickapoo Valley. The lack of trees and their extensive root systems underground caused an increase in runoff
Runoff
Run-off or runoff may refer to:* Surface runoff, the flow of water, from rain, snow melt, or other sources, over land* Runoff model , a mathematical model describing the rainfall-runoff relations of a rainfall catchment area or watershed...
. Instead of soaking into the ground and trees the water was flushed out of the valley and down the river. The water level of the streams dropped and many natural springs dried up. Over use of the natural resources forced some of the early settlers to move on and the lumber towns were abandoned.
A thriving ginseng
Ginseng
Ginseng is any one of eleven species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, belonging to the genus Panax of the family Araliaceae....
business was once prominent in the economy of Vernon County. The root of the plant was widely used by Chinese people to cure and ward off various types of disease. Residents of the area harvested the naturally growing ginseng and sold it at market in Woodstock, Illinois
Woodstock, Illinois
Woodstock is a far northwest suburb of Chicago in McHenry County, Illinois. The population was 20,151 at the 2000 census. The 2010 Census shows 24,770 residents. It is the county seat of McHenry County...
. For a time Vernon County was the greatest producer of ginseng in the United States.
The protection of what became Wildcat Mountain State Park started off in 1938 when a local man, Amos Saunders, donated 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land for the establishment of a park. The park grew to 60 acres (24.3 ha) in 1947 when it was acquired by the state of Wisconsin for a state park. The park, formally established in 1948, has since grown to a size of 3643 acres (1,474.3 ha).
Geology
Wildcat Mountain State Park lies within the Driftless Area. This is an area of Wisconsin, MinnesotaMinnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
and Illinois that was not covered by glaciers in the Last Ice Age. The term "driftless" indicates a lack of glacial drift
Drift (geology)
In geology, drift is the name for all material of glacial origin found anywhere on land or at sea , including sediment and large rocks...
, the material left behind by retreating continental glaciers. The hills of the Driftless Area are made of Precambrian
Precambrian
The Precambrian is the name which describes the large span of time in Earth's history before the current Phanerozoic Eon, and is a Supereon divided into several eons of the geologic time scale...
sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
that is topped with limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
. Overall, the region is characterized by an eroded plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
with bedrock overlain by varying thicknesses of loess
Loess
Loess is an aeolian sediment formed by the accumulation of wind-blown silt, typically in the 20–50 micrometre size range, twenty percent or less clay and the balance equal parts sand and silt that are loosely cemented by calcium carbonate...
. Most characteristically, the river valleys are deeply dissected. The bluffs lining this reach of the Mississippi River drainage basin currently climb to not quite 600 feet (182.9 m).
Ecology
Wildcat Mountain State Park has a woodland ecosystem. The Kickapoo River Valley and the park provided a habitat for many animals typically found in the woods of the Upper MidwestUpper Midwest
The Upper Midwest is a region in the northern portion of the U.S. Census Bureau's Midwestern United States. It is largely a sub-region of the midwest. Although there are no uniformly agreed-upon boundaries, the region is most commonly used to refer to the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and...
. Common birds include Tundra Swans, Canada Geese
Canada Goose
The Canada Goose is a wild goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, having a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body....
, Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
s, Sandpipers, Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
s, Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
The Red-tailed Hawk is a bird of prey, one of three species colloquially known in the United States as the "chickenhawk," though it rarely preys on standard sized chickens. It breeds throughout most of North America, from western Alaska and northern Canada to as far south as Panama and the West...
s, Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s and Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture
The Turkey Vulture is a bird found throughout most of the Americas. It is also known in some North American regions as the Turkey Buzzard , and in some areas of the Caribbean as the John Crow or Carrion Crow...
s. Reptiles are also found in the park including, Five-lined Skink
Five-lined Skink
The Five-lined Skink is one of the most common lizards in the eastern U.S. and one of the five species of lizards in Canada...
s, Red-bellied Snakes and Eastern Hog-nosed snakes. White-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, Red squirrel
Red Squirrel
The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia...
s, and Beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
are among the mammals found in the park.
Mount Pisgah in Wildcat Mountain State Park has been preserved. It is covered with old-growth white pine and hemlock trees. The hill was never logged off by lumbermen and never grazed by the livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
of farmers in the area. The park is also home to fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s including maidenhair
Adiantum pedatum
Adiantum pedatum is a maidenhair fern native to moist woodland in eastern North America.Adiantum aleuticum was once considered a subspecies...
, interrupted and the unusual walking fern
Asplenium rhizophyllum
Asplenium rhizophyllum, the American Walking Fern, is a rare, low lying fern native to North America. It is a close relative of Asplenium ruprechtii which is found in East Asia and also goes by the common name of walking fern.-Description:The name walking fern was derived from the way the fern...
.
Recreation
Wildcat Mountain State Park is open for year-round recreation. The Kickapoo River is known for its many miles of slow moving waters that flow through wild areas. The river attracts canoeing enthusiasts to the park. Canoeists can observe rare plants growing on the banks of the river and observe wildlife that live on the riverbanks including MuskratMuskrat
The muskrat , the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats...
s, Belted Kingfisher
Belted Kingfisher
The Belted Kingfisher is a large, conspicuous water kingfisher, the only member of that group commonly found in the northern United States and Canada. It is depicted on the 1986 series Canadian $5 note. All kingfishers were formerly placed in one family, Alcedinidae, but recent research suggests...
s, Green Heron
Green Heron
The Green Heron is a small heron of North and Central America. It was long considered conspecific with its sister species the Striated Heron , and together they were called "Green-backed Heron"...
s and Great Blue Herons. Biologic surveys on the river have documented up to 46 species of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
. The Kickapoo has been designated a Class II trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
stream. Brown Trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
spawn
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
in tributaries of the river within the park.
Wildcat Mountain State Park has 25.8 miles (41.5 km) of trails that are open to hiking, snow shoeing, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. Additionally the park is home interpretative programs, a nature center, pincic facilities and stations for bird and wildlife viewing.