Mounds At A Mental Hospital

The Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison, Wisconsin was built on a plot of land that already contained several groups of effigy mounds.  Its buildings were thus located to keep the mounds intact.  Because of the nature of the place, we were advised not to go wandering off during our visit.

This group of conical mounds is located near the old superintendent's house.

These two trees are rooted in one end of a mound that is thought to represent a bear as seen from above, in other words, an "aerial view bear".

Here's a closer view of the largest of the three conical mounds, with the old superintendent's house behind it.

In another part of the MMHI grounds is an effigy mound with a long curved "tail", with trees growing out of it.

These straight embankments with sharp corners form part of a bird effigy mound.

This is part of another bird effigy.

This two-lobed mound is thought to represent a small animal such as a beaver.  The trees are not growing on the mound, but are behind it.

A mental institution might seem an odd place to find Indian mounds, but 12 years ago, I visited a site that I would consider even more unusual, a golf course.