Near Friendship in Adams County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Roche-A-Cri State Park
By Keith L, June 7, 2009
1. Roche-A-Cri State Park Marker
This prominent butte, perhaps the steepest hill in Wisconsin, was called La Roche-a-Cri by 17th and 18th century French voyageurs. Rising 300 feet above the surrounding plain, this landmark undoubtedly guided Indians and early pioneers. Indians of an undetermined cultural group left rock carvings, called petroglyphs, at places on Roche-a-Cri. Like many similar formations on Wisconsin's sandy Central Plain, this butte is composed of Cambrian sandstone about 500,000,000 years old. The flat plain is the old bed of Glacial Lake Wisconsin, which covered 1,800 square miles of central Wisconsin some 15,000 years ago. The buttes were islands in that immense lake.
The State Highway Commission purchased nearby land for a road-side park in 1937 and ten years later conveyed it to the Wisconsin Conservation Department. Roche-a-Cri State Park was established in 1948 and now contains over 400 acres. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Erected 1979 by the Wisconsin Historical Society. (Marker Number 260.)
Marker series. This marker
By Keith L, June 7, 2009
2. Roche-A-Cri State Park Marker
Location. 44° 0.1′ N, 89° 49.192′ W. Marker is near Friendship, Wisconsin, in Adams County. Marker can be reached from State Highway 13 0.3 miles north of Czech Avenue, on the left when traveling north. Marker is in Roche-A-Cri State Park (fee area), near the Eagle Ridge Trail parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Friendship WI 53934, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 6 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Veterans Memorial / Cpl. Red Cloud Tribute (approx. 2.1 miles away); East Arkdale Cemetery (approx. 3.3 miles away); Site of the First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Roche-a-Cri (approx. 5 miles away); West Church (approx. 5.1 miles away); Lutheran Church of the Norwegian Synod (approx. 5.2 miles away); Monroe Cemetery (approx. 10.4 miles away).
Also see . . . History of Roche-A-Cri State Park. "The abundance of rock art suggests that this place had special significance to the ancient inhabitants of the region and remains a mystery. It is estimated that the petroglyphs were carved before A.D. 900 and pictographs appeared only 400-500 years ago. The artists are believed to be ancestors of the Ho-Chunk people... French explorers in the 17th and 18th centuries called the mound
By Keith L, June 7, 2009
3. Nearby Trail to Roche-A-Cri Mound
Additional keywords. Friendship Glyphs
Categories. • Landmarks • Native Americans • Natural Features • Parks & Recreational Areas •
By Keith L, June 7, 2009
4. Plaque by Mound Stairway
By Keith L, June 7, 2009
5. 303-Step Mound Stairway
By Keith L, June 2, 2013
6. New Improved Stairway
By Keith L, June 7, 2009
7. Mound Observation Deck
By Keith L, June 7, 2009
8. Mound Observation Deck
By Keith L, June 7, 2009
9. Map at Observation Deck
By Keith L, June 7, 2009
10. Petroglyphs on South Side of Mound
By Keith L, June 7, 2009
11. Historic Graffiti
Early Yankee settlers carved their names and initials on the rock wall. The earliest date recorded here is 1845. The height of the writing suggests that many of the names were carved by people standing on horseback.
In 1861, Company D of the Wisconsin Sharpshooters camped on this spot. The circular pock marks on the rock face may have been made by bullets fired at the rock during marksmanship trials held by this unit.
—Interpretive panel
—Interpretive panel
By Keith L, June 7, 2009
12. Plaque Beyond Shelter
Wisconsin State Parks
100 Years
Centennial Tree
Planted on Arbor Day, 2000 to celebrate the 100th year of Wisconsin State Parks.
100 Years
Centennial Tree
Planted on Arbor Day, 2000 to celebrate the 100th year of Wisconsin State Parks.
By Keith L, June 7, 2009
13. Centennial Tree and Plaque
By Robert L Weber
14. Petroglyphs
By Robert L Weber
15. Above the Petroglyphs
More. Search the internet for Roche-A-Cri State Park.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 5, 2018. This page originally submitted on June 10, 2009, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 2,096 times since then and 6 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 10, 2009, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. 6. submitted on June 4, 2013, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. submitted on June 10, 2009, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. 14, 15. submitted on December 17, 2010, by Bob (peach) Weber of Prescott Valley, Arizona. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.
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