Fish Creek in Door County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Cold Cure

Hemlock

Photographed By Sean Flynn

1. Cold Cure Marker

Inscription. Ah-choo! Menominee Indians made a tea of the hemlock's inner bark to treat colds. Today, hikers enjoy the dark evergreen for its beauty. Examine its short, flat needles. Do you see two white stripes underneath?

Hemlock is an indicator species, a tree whose presence signifies Wisconsin's northern forest. It is favored by another indicator species, the black-throated green warbler. Listen for this tiny bird's slow, wheezy song. If you're lucky, you'll spot a deeply cupped nest woven with spider webs and curly strips of white birch bark.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Horticulture & Forestry • Native Americans • Parks & Recreational Areas.

Location. 45° 9.428′ N, 87° 12.148′ W. Marker is in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, in Door County. Marker can be reached from Shore Road. The marker is found in Peninsula State Park along the Sentinel Trail, a short hike from Highland Road and about ½-mile from the Eagle Tower. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fish Creek WI 54212, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Growing a Forest (within shouting distance of this marker); Late Bloomer (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Albert E. Doolittle (approx.

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0.3 miles away); A State Park System is Formed (approx. 0.3 miles away); A Tough Tree (approx. 0.4 miles away); A Road Less Traveled (approx. 0.4 miles away); Life on the Ledge (approx. 0.4 miles away); Shipwrecked! (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fish Creek.

Also see . . . Tsuga canadensis (Eastern Hemlock) Pinaceae. From Lake Forest College

Excerpt: "Native Americans used the inner bark, roots, and needles of the Eastern Hemlock in antiseptics, cold medicines, and remedies for rheumatism and arthritis. In times of famine, they ate the inner bark. Its soft, lightweight wood makes lousy firewood, but it does work well in crates, general construction, and paper pulp. Tannins in the tree’s bark soften leather."

(Submitted on January 1, 2024, by Sean Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

Photographed By Sean Flynn, December 31, 2023

2. Cold Cure Marker

Cold Cure Marker along the Sentinel Trail image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Sean Flynn, December 31, 2023

3. Cold Cure Marker along the Sentinel Trail

Credits. This page was last revised on January 1, 2024. It was originally submitted on January 1, 2024, by Sean Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 50 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 1, 2024, by Sean Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.