From Wood to Watercraft:
Dugout Canoes of Wisconsin
Monday, August 3, 2026
Registration deadline is Friday, July 31
Registration will open July 7
Sissel Schroeder, Professor of Anthropology at UW Madison, will educate us about the Wisconsin Dugout Canoe Survey Project. The talk will take place on an MSCR Pontoon boat where, if the weather permits, we will hover over where dugout canoes were discovered in Lake Mendota a few years ago.
The goals of the Wisconsin Dugout Canoe Survey include locating, identifying, and documenting dugouts across the state. When this project started in 2018, 11 dugout canoes were documented in Wisconsin, ranging in age from about 150 years old to a fragment from Kenosha County that is 1,850 years old. By February 2024, there were 95 reports of dugouts in the state (the research team has confirmed and documented 73 of them). These discoveries put Wisconsin second in eastern North America for the number of reported dugout canoes. The Wisconsin sample of dugouts has two of the 10 oldest dugouts in eastern North America that range between 4,000 and 6,000 years old.
Don't miss this fascinating lecture and opportunity to glimpse the front lines of Wisconsin history as it's being made.
Sissel Schroeder received her PhD from The Pennsylvania State University and is currently a Professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is also an affiliate of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, the Center for Culture, History, and the Environment, the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program, and the Material Culture Studies Program. Her current research is focused on issues of sociopolitical complexity, climate change impacts, and historical ecology among ancient Native American societies of the southeastern and midwestern United States.
The talk will given on an MSCR Pontoon boat while we are travelling Lake Mendota. You will be required to sign a Pontoon Program Liability Waiver before boarding. There will be no bathroom breaks for the 90 minute pontoon ride. There are Porta Potties at the departure point. Bring your own water and snacks and dress appropriately for the weather. It is often windier and cooler on the lake.
Meeting Point: Tenney Park, 1615 Sherman Ave
Boat trips to either Monona or Mendota (dependent on lake accessibility) depart from the Tenney Park Boat House.
Cost: $20 per person.
Seating is limited, so register today! Registrations must be received no later than noon on Friday, July 31, 2026.
Mail-In Registration Form:
Refund Policy: PLATO refunds an event fee if cancelled prior to the registration deadline. Refunds after the registration deadline are only processed if a wait-listed registrant can attend.
PLATO Membership: PLATO membership is $60.00/year and all memberships renew on July 1.
For further information, contact PLATO trip coordinators, Bob Shaw, robert.e.shaw@gmail.com , 608-255-3486 or Liz Coleman, liz_coleman@msn.com, 608-320-4480
