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The Stone Cairns of Red Wing         
County:   Goodhue, MN  
City Township:   Red Wing  


Dr. W.M. Sweney also investigated these stone cairns. In an address given in 1869 before the old settlers association (Brower 1903:61-62), Sweney described the cairns he investigated as follows:

"Evidences of occupation of the country by a race of people whose habits in some respects differed from those of the Dakota's of the more recent period, were numerous. On the sharp hill points in the vicinity of Cannon River and Spring Creek, were a number of cairns or stone mounds. These were on the highest points, where shelly rock outcropped, and always overlooked the lower plateaus or valleys on which were situated large groups of earthen tumult. The cairns were of various sizes, ranging from six feet in diameter to twelve at the base. Their shape was conical, and some in the best state of preservation had an elevation of from eight to ten feet. The base was on the bed rock and all the loose stones in the vicinity had evidently been gathered to aid to the completion of the structure. The first layer was in the form of a circle, and by in lapping toward the centre in every succeeding layer, an apex was finally reached. A majority of these structures had fallen in, leaving a circle of rude masonry from three to four feet high while the remains of the upper portion laid in a mass inside the wall, not filling the cavity, showing very conclusively that they had been built hollow. Being very desirous of ascertaining the purposes for which they were erected, I selected two of the most perfect, which were situated on an isolated hill in the valley leading from the little brook near Hawley's mill to Spring Creek. This hill is very sharp and narrow barely affording level base enough for the foundation of the large mound which was at least twelve feet in diameter and nine feet high. It had settled considerably pressing on the cavity. After an hour's hard work we were in a situation to observe the condition at its foundation. A few handsful of black mould was scattered over the bare base rock, a mussel shell nearly in powder and two remnants of wood, distant from each other about six feet in an east and west direction, was all it contained. When we found the wooded fragments they were standing upright, as stakes, supported in that position by rock, and were dry-rotted to points. With a knife I cut off all the decayed wood, the centre being a mere splinter, but enough to clearly distinguish it as that kind of oak known as swamp or blue oak. The other mound did not yield the same amount of discoveries; a little mould, and traces of what we supposed to be decayed bones or shells was all that repaid our labor.

As I observed, I think these cairns were designed as burial places, and for distinguished personages. The material of which they were composed secured them against the depredations of wild animals. Their number, however, would lead to the conclusion that it was not the common mode of sepulchre. The groups of earthen mounds in the valleys overlooked by these cairns, were counted by hundreds, and I think were once human habitations; and if my conjectures be in the right direction, these isolated cemeteries would not alone contain the mortuary remains of as numerous a people as the evidences then to be observed indicated.

These rock structures appear to be peculiar to that portion of our county lying between Hay Creek and Cannon River, and distant but two or three miles from the Mississippi River. In no other portion of our county or state have I observed remains of a similar character . . ."

 
 


 

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Updated 30 Jun 1999