Organizational Description

About the State Archaeology Program

The State Archaeology and Maritime Preservation Program is a part of the State Historic Preservation Office and provides the following services to the public:

Maintenance of State Archaeological Site Records

Our staff maintains a database of the location and nature of archaeological sites and areas that have been systematically investigated for archaeological sites.

To protect the sites and landowner rights, the locations of archaeological sites are exempt from public disclosure. To request information on sites on your property, or to report an archaeological site, contact the Office of the State Archaeologist by phone at 608-264-6496 or by email.

Report an Archaeological Site or Artifacts

Our database of archaeological sites works best to protect Wisconsin's sites when it is complete. We are always happy to hear about new sites. If you would like to report a new site and help preserve it for curent and future Wisconsin residents, please see our forms.

Protection of Archaeological Sites on State and Public Lands

It protects archaeological sites on state and public lands through a permit system. Under state law (Section 44.47), it is illegal to remove objects or artifacts or conduct archaeological research of any kind on state and municipal lands (County, Civil Town, City, Village) without a permit from the State Archaeologist. The law applies to the bottomlands of lakes and rivers owned by the state or municipal governments and also covers submerged sites such as shipwrecks.

Permits are normally only given to professional archaeologists who have clear research goals or are completing work required by Federal or State law. For more information contact the State Archaeologist by phone at 608-264-6496 or by email.

Administration of Property Tax Exemptions for Archaeological Sites

As an incentive for the protection of archaeological sites on private lands, state statute provides property tax exemptions to property owners who formally agree to protect the sites. Sites must be listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the owners must sign a binding covenant. For more information, please see our page About the Archaeological Sites Property Tax Exemption Program.

Public Education and Outreach

We provide public lectures, public education materials and school programs on the archaeology of the state. Our program also assists the Society's Office of Programs and Outreach in the production of classroom materials. For more information, view our Museum Archaeology Program page.

Collection and Dissemination of Archaeological Research

The State Archaeology and Maritime Preservation Program conducts archaeological research on Wisconsin's past and disseminates the information in the form of presentations, reports, summaries, websites and publications.

For information on Wisconsin Archaeology see "The Wisconsin Archaeologist," published by the Wisconsin Archeological Society. For other Society archaeology publications, view titles from the Wisconsin Historical Society Press, Museum Archaeology Program and the State Archaeology and Maritime Preservation Programs.

Provision of Federal Historic Preservation Grants

As part of the State Historic Preservation Office, the State Archaeologist provides federal Historic Preservation Grants to Certified Local Governments to identify important archaeological sites and nominate them to the National Register of Historic Places. For more information, contact the State Archaeologist at 608-264-6496 or by email.