4. Aztalan State Park (Wisconsin)
Aztalan State Park, a 172‑acre National Historic Landmark in Wisconsin, preserves a fortified Mississippian settlement that thrived between about 1050 and 1300 CE. Established by migrants from Cahokia, the site features reconstructed flat‑topped earthen mounds, log stockade walls, and traces of residential, ceremonial, and agricultural spaces.
Originally covering around 35 acres, the town had three platform mounds: one for a temple and sacred fire, another for mortuary rites, and possibly a chief’s residence. Farmers also grew corn, squash, and sunflowers along the Crawfish River floodplain. Abandoned around 1200 CE—likely due to environmental stress or conflict—the site remains a fascinating window into ancient Midwestern societies. Today, visitors walk trails, climb mounds, and explore interpretive signs that bring to life a thousand‑year‑old culture.
