Copper Culture Museum open daily through Labor Day

The city of Oconto and the Department of Natural Resources, the Copper Culture Museum will be staffed with guides daily from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Labor Day, thanks to additional funding provided by the state. Operated by the Oconto County Historical Society, the museum is located in the Copper Culture State Park, one block south of the intersection of state Highway 22 and U.S. Highway 41. The museum focuses on the Old Copper Complex, an Archaic Tradition people who utilized native copper to form tools and ornaments. Within the park is the Oconto archeological site which is the oldest dated burial ground in eastern North America. Some experts suggest it was used primarily between 3,000 and 4,000 years B.C.E. A 3/4-mile hiking trail through the park along the Oconto River is highlighted by trail signs that describe local plants, animals and historic facts. A stone monument and State Historic Marker sign commemorate the Old Copper burial site which is a State and National Historic Landmark. No Wisconsin state permit sticker is required for admission to the Copper Culture State Park.