Dane County Parks to receive Ho-Chunk dugout canoe
Dane County Parks will formally receive the donation of a Ho-Chunk dugout canoe crafted by Bill Quackenbush, soon to retire from his role as Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Ho-Chunk Nation. The canoe was made from a cottonwood tree removed from McDaniel Park during construction of the Lower Yahara River Trail.
When: Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.
Where:
Heritage Center Solar Shelter
William G. Lunney Lake Farm County Park
3101 Lake Farm Rd, Madison, WI 53711
Background
The donation has special significance in Dane County, where ancient dugout canoes discovered in Lake Mendota have helped deepen public understanding of the region’s Indigenous history. The canoe also carries a unique local connection, having been carved from a cottonwood tree removed during Lower Yahara River Trail construction.
For several years, the Ho-Chunk Nation has used this canoe as part of an educational project, taking a dugout canoe onto various bodies of water that have served generations of the Nation well.
Dane County Parks will work with the Ho-Chunk Nation on storage and display plans so the canoe can be available for the public to view, while also remaining accessible to the Nation for educational and cultural events.
This content is sourced from
Dane County
. It reflects the author's views and has not been edited by our newsroom. It may have been generated using AI assistance.
