"At Nakoma, on the west side of Lake Wingra, is the Do-gee-rah Spring [Trail Spring], taking its name from the pre-pioneer Winnebago camp once located here. This spring, located on the Nakoma road, is now improved with a stone masonry setting. This is one of the springs, according to an Indian belief, through which the spirits of animals entered the spirit world." [1]

"THE GORHAM SPRING: This fine spring is located by the side of the Nakoma road, in Nakoma, opposite the site of the old Spring Grove tavern, now occupied by James G. Dickson as a residence.  This spring was known to the Winnebago who camped here in early days as "Nibin-na-goo", or the trail spring.  The name of this campground or village site was “Do-gee-rah”, or summer village.  It occupied the land west of the spring and the ridge or highland above the tavern.  From this site the writer and others collected quite a few flint points (1908-1917).  On the high land hundreds of Indian hearth stones were to be seen.

At this Gorham spring the pioneer drivers of ox teams stopped to rest and refresh their oxen.  The old road was on the highland west of the tavern building, winding through present Nakoma Park and over the site of the present Nakoma School.  Senator Robert M. LaFollette’s father and uncles were among these pioneer travelers.

Deer and other wild animals also came to the Gorham springs to drink in early days of settlement.  There is an account of a black bear once having been seen here.  The Indian hunters because of some superstitious belief would not shoot at wild animals when they were quenching their thirst at the spring.

Water was hauled from this spring by the farmers of this region who had no wells or no good wells.  They came from as far as the Verona Road, generally bringing two or three barrels on a wagon.  A group of tall walnut trees formerly stood by the roadside above the spring.  This spring was recently beautified by the erection of an artistic limestone wall and stairs designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.  The land about the spring and stream flowing from it has been converted into a small park area." [2]

Commentary. "Do-gee-rah" -- this is Dogira, "Summer."

"Nibin-na-goo" -- this is for Nîp'î Nâgú, "Trail Spring" with the first word being literally, "Good Water".

Links: ...

Stories: mentioning springs: Vita Spring, The Resurrection of the Chief's Daughter, Bear Clan Origin Myth, vv. 6, 8, Bird Clan Origin Myth, The Woman Who Fought the Bear, Bluehorn's Nephews, Blue Mound, The Boy who was Blessed by a Mountain Lion, The Lost Child, Old Man and White Feathers, The Wild Rose, The Omahas who turned into Snakes, The Two Brothers, Snowshoe Strings, The Daughter-in-Law's Jealousy, He Who Eats the Stinking Part of the Deer Ankle, How the Thunders Met the Nights, The Mulberry Picker, The Orphan who was Blessed with a Horse, Rich Man, Boy, and Horse, The Two Boys, Warughápara, Wazûka, The Man Who Fell from the Sky, Turtle and the Witches; set at Lake Wingra: The Man Who Fell from the Sky, The Mesquaki Magician.

Themes: animals enter Spiritland through a spring: The Resurrection of the Chief's Daughter.

Notes:

[1] Dorothy Moulding Brown, Indian Legends of Historic and Scenic Wisconsin, Wisconsin Folklore Booklets (Madison: 1947) 9.

[2] Charles E. Brown, Wisconsin History Magazine (1927). Special thanks to Kathy Miner who sent me a copy of this.