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                        THE ARBORETUM SPRINGS 
Source: (See "The Springs of Lake Wingra"l by Charles E. Brown
in the 
         Wisconsin History Magazine, March 1927, Vol. 10, No. 3, pp. 298-301.)
     The Winnebago Indian name for Lake Wingra was Ki-chunk-och-he-er-rah
meaning the "place where the turtle comes up." * These Indians
have a belief 
that springs are places through which animals enter into the spirit world-
hence a former custom of casting offerings of tobacco, stone and bone imple-
ments and other articles into the springs to obtain the "blessings"
of these 
animals. Springs were tribal property and their use was generally well-regulated.
To defile a spring by casting camp refuse into it or to misuse it in other
ways was 
certain to bring severe punishment upon the offender's head. Bathing in springs
whose waters were in use for household or drinking purposes was strictly
forbidden. 
      The name Wingra, or Weengra as it appears on some early maps, means
duck. It is a name also obtained from the Winnebago Indians, who formerly
inhabited its shores. 
                                The Springs 
      Lake Wingra, up to a few years ago, had upon its shores a greater number
 of fine large springs than any other of the upper Madison lakes. About four
or 
 five of these original fifteen springs are now out of existence, due to
improve- 
 ments made on the city shores of the lake. Too, the number and size of these
 Lake Wingra springs was no doubt largely responsible for the former location
 of six different villages and a number of camp sites and the large number
of 
 prebistoric Indian mounds (150) on its shores. Some of these springs were
very 
 near to the Indian trails formerly passing through this region and none
very far 
 from them. The Indians appreciated the abundance of clear fresh water. 
 * Oliver Lemere, Winnebago Indian, 1925 
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