POWELL SPRING CONSERVANCY
Powell Spring Conservancy is the home to one of the largest springs feeding Green Lake. This property was acquired by the Green Lake Conservancy in 2021 and will have future public access.
The Natural History of Powell Spring
Those who have had the pleasure of viewing the impressive flow of Powell Spring as it comes pouring directly from the limestone bedrock are aware that they are seeing something truly rare and special. We cannot see or fully understand how the underground tributaries of groundwater have converged to create this impressive spring, but certainly it must have to do with the way the limestone has become fractured – perhaps just above a less-permeable layer that keeps the water from sinking deeper. READ MORE…
Early Settlements
How long have people lived continuously in this area? As evidenced by the stone, copper, bone, and pottery collections of Steven Decatur Mitchell, Native Americans have been living near Powell Spring continuously since Paleo times. The Paleo-Indian Period refers to a time approximately 12,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age when humans first appeared in the archeological record in North America. READ MORE…
Native American Trails
Native American trails were the method of overland travel for many hundreds of years, and one well-known Native American trail called the Grand Butte des Morts trail passed just to the south of Powell Spring. This trail (also known as the Green Bay-Portage trail) followed along the west shore of the Fox River, passing near present-day Oshkosh, and linking Green Bay with Fort Winnebago at Portage – very near the Wisconsin River. Along these ancient trails French trading posts were started, and Powell Spring was the location of one of these posts. READ MORE…
The Trading Post and the Powell Family
European trade with the Native Americans played a very important part in shaping early America, and this was no more prevalent than in the Wisconsin territory. As early as 1654 French explorers came to Wisconsin through the Great Lakes in search of furs and were the first Europeans to be involved in the fur trade. Along with them they brought steel knives, tools, and other wares to trade in exchange for predominantly beaver pelts which were in high demand back in Europe. Many of these early traders married Native American women and their children grew up to be traders who could speak the Native American dialects. READ MORE…
The Mitchell Family
A history of the site would not be complete without a mention of the Mitchell family. Archibald and Laura Mitchell moved to Green Lake from Iowa around 1861, and soon purchased the land that included Powell Spring – initially 60 acres, then later 220. The Mitchells raised 12 children, with one of their sons being Stephen Decatur Mitchell. READ MORE…
Green Lake Conservancy and the Powell Spring Acquisition
The acquisition and ongoing preservation of Powell Spring provides a good case study of how the Green Lake Conservancy works. As an all-volunteer, non-profit Land Trust, we must carefully evaluate the type of projects that we take on. This process starts with a determination of public benefit. In the case of Powell Spring, it was easy to identify the many public benefits of preserving this special place. These benefits include those of historic, ecological, and aesthetic factors, thus checking all the major boxes for any project we consider. READ MORE…