Wisconsin archaeologists found 16 ancient canoes in Lake Mendota, dating 5,200 to 1,200 years ago, indicating a long-used Indigenous canoe storage site.

Wisconsin archaeologists have discovered 16 ancient canoes in Lake Mendota near Madison, dating from 5,200 to 1,200 years ago, suggesting the site served as a prehistoric canoe storage area, or "parking lot," used by Indigenous peoples for centuries. The finds, made since 2021, include the third oldest known canoe in eastern North America and were located near historic travel routes, likely used during a prolonged drought when the lake was shallow. The site, near culturally significant Lake Wingra, was studied with tribal preservation officers from the Ho-Chunk Nation and Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, highlighting deep Indigenous connections to the land and water.