Forest Hill Cemetery
1 Speedway RoadMadison, WI 53705 Directions
In 1857, the City of Madison purchased a tract of land with a lovely view overlooking the entire city and the surrounding lakes. Even today, this tree-lined cemetery, located on Speedway Road, retains an original park-like atmosphere with winding roads and flowerbeds. For details, visit:
At this Park
Native American Mounds
Location: Southeast side of cemetery
Built: ca. 700 - 1200 A.D.
Description: Beautiful views of the surrounding area were the reason for acquiring this land as a city cemetery, but it was the same reason that the Native Americans used the site for their burial mounds many centuries before. The Forest Hill Cemetery Mound group once consisted of 7 mounds: four linear, two panther and one rare flying goose. Of this group, three of the linear mounds have been destroyed. The head of the goose was destroyed in 1886 by grading for the IC railroad.
The mounds group is designated as a City of Madison landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The mounds are considered sacred by modern Native Americans and should be treated with respect.