Winter 2003

One of the best working archaeological sites in the Chicago area

Cook County, Illinois

Though its location and geology have periodically placed it in the sights of human industry, these qualities have also made 375-acre Wampum Lake Woods an unusual and interesting place to explore. Springs flowing through dolomitic limestone once carried salt up from underground deposits left by a prehistoric inland sea. The salt is mostly gone from the woods, but seepage springs still crisscross acres of forest floor, most noticeably during spring.

The sandy soils around Wampum Lake Woods foster trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and other plants uncommon in this region. Skunk cabbage, wild geraniums, cinnamon ferns, phlox, and toothwort scatter color among the trees in warmer weather. Paul Strand, a local naturalist, observes that as temperatures drop, "Sandy soils seem to make the fall colors richer, more colorful." A marsh nestles against the northeast corner of Wampum Lake, but it is dominated by cattails and the stately but invasive Phragmites.

In late fall and winter, geese and mallard ducks tread the lake water. Loons in their winter colors, eagles, and osprey migrate through the preserve in fall. In spring, birders may spot the red-breasted merganser, the great blue heron, and many warbler species. The yellow-rumped warbler is a particularly dependable visitor to Wampum Lake.

According to Strand, Wampum Lake is one of the best working archaeological sites in the Chicago area. Archaeologists have found human artifacts that date back to the last glaciation, 10,000 years ago. Among these are fish remains, scraps of rock from arrowhead production, and evidence that a long house once occupied the site. Archaeologists have also discovered several shallow pits, six to ten feet in diameter, that they believe Indians may have used to process salt, possibly for use in trade. Since it is still being studied, the site is off-limits to the public.

Wampum Lake itself is a human artifact of a more modern sort. In the late 1950s, the Illinois Toll Road Commission removed tons of earth from the preserve for use as fill for I-294. The project created a large pit, which filled with water and now attracts shoreline fishing for such species as largemouth bass and bluegill. The toll road, only a few hundred feet from the preserve, continues to affect the area. Some level of background noise is a frequent companion on a visit to Wampum Lake.

Cross-country skiing is fast becoming the most popular winter pastime in the region, and the Wampum Lake area is a good spot for this. And when ice on the lake gets thick, the hardy come here to ice fish.

Visitors to this area may want to stop by the Sand Ridge Nature Center, (708) 868-0606, to pick up the Forest Preserve District's Thorn Creek Division map. The map includes adjacent sites, including Zanders Woods. Boating, swimming, and wading in Wampum Lake are not allowed. Snowmobiles are prohibited, but dogs on leashes are welcome. To volunteer for workdays at Wampum, contact Land Management Volunteer Coordinator Bill Koenig at (708) 771-1334.

— Susan Larys