Stop 8: Camps of Black Hawk and Atkinson
(Hwy. 82, 2 mi W of West Prairie)

Continue west on Hwy 14 into Vernon County. Turn on left County Hwy M (approximately one mile west of Readstown.) Turn right onto Kolstead Road. Drive approximately 3 miles where Kolstead becomes Hinkst Hollow Road traveling north. Drive 1.5 miles on Hinkst Hollow to Oregne Road. Turn left. Travel west on Oregne Road to Hwy 82/27. Turn left on 82/27. Hwys 82 and 27 split at Fargo. Continue on Hwy 82 through West Prairie. Marker is on left hand side of Hwy 82 two miles west of West Prairie. Vernon County Marker.

In the pursuit from the Wisconsin to the Bad Axe [River], it was evident that the Indians were greatly distressed by the starvation and sickness; numbers of dead warriors,women, and children were found along their trail. Their principal subsistence seemed to be roots and the bark of trees; where they killed a horse for food, there was no vestage of the animal left but the hair.13

Near present-day West Prairie, Black Hawk rested his weary band on July 31. Slowing down because of fatigue, the army was quickly upon them again. Atkinson and the troops would rest here on August 1 for five hours.

Above: These stone markers were created by Dr. C. V. Porter, a Vernon County historian, in the early 1900s, to commemorate the Black Hawk War. Note: The language used by Dr. Porter would not be considered politically correct by today's standards. In all fairness, much of his terminology was considered correct and proper in his time.