The rugged range of hills which can be seen to the north of here is among the oldest visible physical features on the earth. The hard quartzite rock that forms them was deposited as sand in a shallow sea which once covered this region. Although deposited horizontally, the layers were warped until they were tilted fifteen degrees at Devils Lake and vertically at Rock Springs. The gorges which may be seen at these places were eroded by rivers millions of years ago.

The Wisconsin River once flowed through the Devils Lake Gorge. Glaciers brought debris which blocked the river, leaving the lake after melting.

Exploration for iron ore began in 1887, and in 1900 ore was found and mining operations started. By 1925 the cost of mining had become too high to compete with other sources and mining in the district ceased after producing 643,030 tons of ore.

Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.

Show me all markers in:  Prairie Du Sac, WI  |  Sauk County  |  53578  |  Wisconsin  |  United States of America

Wollersheim Winery
August W. Derleth
Free Congregation of Sauk County
Culver's
Sauk City
The Salem Church
Early History of Devil's Lake
North Shore Hotel Era
Devil's Lake and the Local Residents
South Shore Hotel Era

• GPX
• KML
• LOC

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.