Paleo Indians

First People of Wisconsin

Paleo Indian Big Game Hunters 12,000 to 8,000 Years Ago

Paleo-Indians were nomadic big game hunters. They probably arrived in North America from Asia during the Ice Age more than 12,000 years ago as they pursued game through a land bridge that connected the two continents.

  • Stone spear points found in the Little Eau Pleine valley confirm hunting here about 10,000 years ago.
  • Paleo-Indians lived in small mobile bands and hunted mastodon, mammoth, bison, elk, caribou and other game.

Arrow Head

A spear point hafted to its shaft.


Plainview Spear Arrow Head

This “Plainview” spear point was found by Walter Krause on his farm about one mile from here. Archeologists have associated this type of point with extinct bison from 10,000 to 9,000 years ago.


Plainview Point Arrow Head

A reproduction of a complete Plainview point.


Spear Point in Wisconsin

This “Dalton” spear point was found by Walter Krause on his farm. It has been dated to about 10,000 years ago.


Dalton Point spear head

A reproduction of a complete Dalton point.


Eden Point tip

This “Eden” point tip, found in the Mead Wildlife Area, dates to the late Paleo period about 10,000 years ago.


Eden Point Spear Head

A reproduction of a complete Eden point.


Silver Mound Archeological Conservancy

These spear points were made of solidified sandstone, also called “sugar quartz”, found only in Silver Mound, an ancient quarry near Hixton in Jackson County. Stone from this site was mined and traded for ten thousand years.


Hixton

These Hixton “sugar quartz” scrapers were found in the 1991 UWSP excavation. They were used in the late paleo period, 10,000 to 9,000 years ago.


This scraper of Cochrane, Wisconsin chert was found in a 1991 University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point archeological excavation. It was used about 10,000 to 9,000 years ago.


Animal hides were scraped in the preparation of clothing.

Animal hides were scraped in the preparation of clothing.