Sheboygan Indian Mound Park

The park spans about 15 acres of wooded land with 18 preserved mounds distributed throughout, creating an outdoor museum setting. Walking paths wind through natural vegetation and trees, revealing various mound shapes and sizes that date from different periods.

Construction of the mounds spanned from 500 BC to 1500 AD, representing a long period of occupation by different groups. The Kletzien Mound Group gained National Register status in 1981, recognizing its historical importance.

The mounds reflect how Native American communities of the Great Lakes region arranged their burial spaces and gave them intentional shapes. Visitors who walk through notice that the forms were chosen deliberately and held deep meaning for those who created them.

Entry is free and the grounds are open with marked walking trails connecting the mounds. Wearing sturdy shoes is helpful since the terrain is uneven and paths pass through natural wooded areas.

Several mounds are shaped like turtles, reflecting the spiritual importance this animal held in Native American beliefs of the region. Discovering these animal-shaped monuments while walking through the wooded area makes them especially memorable.