Last Autumn the St. Lucas Historical Society received a grant from the Episcapol Diocese of Iowa for “Creating Indigenous People Awareness” in NE Iowa.  At the time of Spanish, then French, and after the 1800s American settlement, NE Iowa had a significant presence of indigenous people. Only a few historic roadway markers in the region share their presence.

This project attempts to acknowledge and share that earlier human history.    We have been identifying historical sites from the written record and from oral history.  We coordinate with a group of historical organizations on this roadway signage project for historic sites. 

We have worked closely with the Cultural Preservation team of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska in the development of the textual materials for the signs.  Also closely involved in this project are the Fayette County Historical Society, the Winneshiek County Historical Preservation Commission, the Waucoma Historical Society, Bear Creek Archaeology, and the Office of the State Archaeologist.  

The key to sharing more information than a small sign can hold, is the use of the QR Code.  Each roadway sign has a QR Code that takes you to significant historical information about the site.

All signs are placed on public property and emphasize that Federal and Iowa laws protect indigenous people burial sites, and warn not to trespass on private property.

Our initial focus is on the many unmarked historic sites in the Ho-Chunk Turkey River Reserve area and the surrounding towns like Auburn, Clermont, Eldorado, Spillville, St. Lucas, Waucoma and Jackson Junction.  Little did we know, until a recently discovered student’s 1895 essay, that 20 plus Ho-Chunks were living in the town of St. Lucas, at that time.  There are many more indigenous people historic sites in the NE Iowa area to be discovered.

Neighboring counties and towns may wish to identify and review unmarked historic sites and acknowledge this early indigenous people history.  This process of historic site identification, researching historic information, and considering appropriate signage is a laborious effort.  Hopefully, the method and coordination we undertook may be helpful to others in the NE Iowa region.

At this point we have created 16 roadway signs and are installing them in the Fayette and Winneshiek counties.  They highlight indigenous people’s living areas, burial mounds and sites, the Turkey River Reserve area, sacred sites, a sugar making encampment and a treaty rock. Each roadway sign is 2 feet by 3 feet and with a red brown background indicating historic site signage.