This archive is dedicated to the shared memories of a special group of friends (G-J-K-C-F) whose lives intersected deeply in Assembly Park from the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s. Learn more about our history here.
Indian Mounds in Assembly Park, Delavan, Wisconsin
The Indian mounds located in Assembly Park in Delavan, Wisconsin, are among the area’s most important historical and cultural landmarks. Built centuries ago by Indigenous peoples who lived along the shores of Lake Delavan, these earthen mounds are believed to have served ceremonial, burial, and territorial purposes. Their presence reflects the deep human history of Assembly Park long before it became a lakeside retreat, reminding visitors that this land held meaning, community, and spiritual significance well before modern development shaped the park.
Personal reflections on Assembly Park:
This postcard brings back many memories of the Indian mounds in Assembly Park on Lake Delavan.
As kids, these mounds were our winter launch site. Snowmobiles roared to life here, and we took reckless runs across Assembly Park during the frozen months, fueled by bravado and the lingering influence of Evel Knievel, still jumping buses and casinos on television. This was our chance to test gravity with gas-powered sleds and teenage confidence. And that rock in the lower right corner of the image? It was to be avoided at all costs. A dedication stone with a mounted plaque, placed there by the Ladies Guild or some civic group, became a permanent obstacle to both snowmobiles and survival once the snow fell.
The house visible in the background served another purpose entirely. When the police made their patrols through the park, that was our hiding place. Snowmobiles parked, engines cooling, we waited them out. Once they left, the circus resumed.
Beyond the trees, across Lake Delavan, sits Lake Lawn Lodge, now Lake Lawn Resort. That place would later figure into many chapters of my life and my friends’ lives, from boredom to employment, from curiosity to familiarity. Those stories come later.
But this postcard also captures a deeper moment for me. A quieter one. A painful one.
On an autumn day in 1984, that Indian mound became my earthen chair. I sat there overlooking Lake Delavan with my dog, heartbroken. I had just learned that my first love, my only love at the time, had been unfaithful. As “Could It Be Magic” played through my headphones, Barry Manilow of all people, I made a decision that would change my life.
I would leave Assembly Park.
I would leave my home, my childhood, my youth, and head West. I would leave the heartache behind, but never the friendships, the memories, or the moments that shaped who I became.
That Indian mound no longer launched me into the air. It launched me out West. Toward adulthood. Toward a city that shimmered like the stars over a summer night on Lake Delavan. And this time, I knew I was never coming back.