Life, Death, and Archaeology at Fort Blue Mounds: A Settlers’ Fortification of the Black Hawk War

By Robert A. Birmingham

Focusing on the strategically located Fort Blue Mounds in southwestern Wisconsin, Robert A. Birmingham summarizes the 1832 conflict and details the history of the fort, which played a major role not only in US military and militia operations but also in the lives of the white settlers who sought refuge there. Birmingham then transports us to the site decades later, when he and fellow Wisconsin Historical Society archaeologists and dedicated volunteers began their search for the fort. The artifacts they unearthed provide fascinating—and sometimes surprising—insights into the life, material culture, and even the food of the frontier.

Recommended for readers interested in the Black Hawk War, frontier life, Native American history, military history, and archaeology, "Life, Death, and Archaeology at Fort Blue Mounds” is grounded by a sense of place and the discovery of what a careful examination of our surroundings can tell us about the past.