Indian Park

General Information
Acreage: 0.8
Acquisition: 1917

History & Amenities
The land was originally owned by John H. Rountree. In 1848, it was deeded to the trustees of the German Presbyterian Church for use as a public burial ground. In 1917, it was given to the City and the cemetery was deemed vacated by the state. In that notice, it was asserted that "all but a very few of the remains had been removed". In 1918, the land was plotted as Cemetery Park, but on March 8, 1918 the Common Council designated it as Rountree Park. The next month, a committee was formed to move any additional remains to Greenwood Cemetery. In the following years, this dedicated name seems to have been forgotten. In 1928 the lot was plotted as "North Park." In 1938 a newspaper article from The Fennimore Times referred to the lot as "Children's Park". Then in 1959 the lot was referred to in Common Council meeting notes as "Fourth Street Park (also known as North Park and Indian Park)." The name Indian Park seems to have stuck as many current residents remember the park always being referred to by that name. Per the Wisconsin Historical Society, "local legend states that a Native American is buried in the middle of the parcel, thence the name of the park," but no documentation has been found to verify this claim.

Today, Indian Park appears much the same as it was drawn in the plot from 1928. It is lightly developed with sidewalks, grills, and picnic tables as the only amenities. Potential additions should be done thoughtfully, in a way that is respectful to the history of the park as a burial ground. Prior to future developments, the Wisconsin Historical Society should be consulted.