11/27/2025
Wonder if there could be canoes in the bottom of Lake Union, Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish etc etc
Sixteen ancient canoes discovered in Lake Mendota, located in Madison, Wisconsin, in recent years are shedding light on historical transportation networks and cultural practices in the area.
Two canoes were mapped and retrieved, and 14 other canoes have been mapped but are still submerged in the lakebed. Six of the still-submerged canoes were found in the spring of 2025. Carbon dating shows the oldest canoe is about 5,200 years old, while the most recent is around 700 years old.
The oldest canoe predates the Great Pyramid of Giza and is the third oldest in eastern North America and the oldest in the Greal Lakes region.
The canoes, half of which are made from red or white oak, were likely communal resources, the Wisconsin Historical Society suggests. They were stored at designated sites, much like modern bike-sharing programs, to facilitate travel and commerce between communities. The canoes likely help people get to places of importance in the area, such as Lake Wingra, which is sacred to the Ho-Chunk Nation people.
