Ancient canoes discovered in Wisconsin lake reveal 5,200-year-old history
A canoe found in Lake Mendota that dates back about 1,200 years. (Wisconsin Historical Society)
MADISON, Wis. (FOX 9) - Sixteen ancient canoes discovered in Lake Mendota, located in Madison, Wisconsin, in recent years are shedding light on historical transportation networks and cultural practices in the area.
Ancient canoe discoveries in Lake Mendota
The backstory:
Archaeologists from the Wisconsin Historical Society and First Nations are investigating the canoes to understand the past. They have mapped 16 canoes in Lake Mendota since the discovery of a 1,200-year-old dugout canoe in 2021.
Two canoes were mapped and retrieved, and 14 other canoes have been mapped but are still submerged in the lakebed. Six of the still-submerged canoes were found in the spring of 2025. Carbon dating shows the oldest canoe is about 5,200 years old, while the most recent is around 700 years old.
The oldest canoe predates the Great Pyramid of Giza and is the third oldest in eastern North America and the oldest in the Greal Lakes region.
The canoes, half of which are made from red or white oak, were likely communal resources, the Wisconsin Historical Society suggests. They were stored at designated sites, much like modern bike-sharing programs, to facilitate travel and commerce between communities. The canoes likely help people get to places of importance in the area, such as Lake Wingra, which is sacred to the Ho-Chunk Nation people.
Preservation efforts underway
What they're saying:
A $113,912 grant from the Save America's Treasures program will support the preservation of the two recovered canoes. The preservation process involves transporting the canoes to a freeze-drying facility in Texas. The canoe that was recovered in 2021 will be exhibited at the Wisconsin History Center in the future.
"The recovery and preservation of the Mendota canoes is a remarkable achievement made possible through the dedication, expertise and strong partnerships between First Nations, archaeologists and preservation specialists," said Christian Overland, Ruth and Hartley Barker Director & CEO of the Wisconsin Historical Society.