Portage Wisconsin Historical Society

04/13/2026

03/21/2026

It's official! Today is the first day of Spring! 🌷Now the countdown begins… until Opening Day of our local history sites!

Historic Indian Agency House at Fort Winnebago
Fort Winnebago Surgeons Quarters
Museum at the Portage (Portage Wisconsin Historical Society)

Mark the calendar for May 15th and make your plans to Explore Portage.

01/20/2026

Alright Portage history sleuths- who recognizes this building?

update: Vicki Vogts has a “history detective” from the museum who found this photo with a description on the bottom. The building is the pump house for the Portage Waterworks located near Sunset Point circa 1901.
Thank you Vicky!

I have this picture of a building in my collection but there is no writing on it as to the location. I thought it looked like a railroad building. Can anyone recognize where this was located in Potage?

01/11/2026

Calling all curling enthusiasts! It's great to see a longtime favorote sport recognized at the international level. Are you a curler or have any family members who did? What's your favorite curling memory? Thanks to the Wisconsin Historical Society for the post!

Wisconsin will be well represented at this year’s Milano Cortina Winter Olympics! Several Badger State athletes will take the ice in men’s, women’s, and wheelchair curling competitions. The games will be held in Italy from February 6-22.

𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴?

🥌 Curling was an important part of life among Scottish immigrants for much of 19th century.

🥌Curling stones are made of a rare, dense granite.

🥌Curling stones weigh between 38-44 pounds.

🥌Curlers wear two different shoes. One is a slider, and one a gripper.

🥌The team with the most points at the end of a curling match wins. Points are scored by placing stones closer to the center of the target than the opposing team’s stones.

🥌Curling has been popular in southern Wisconsin for a long time. The Milwaukee Curling Club, founded in 1846, is the oldest continuously operating curling club in the United States. The second oldest in Wisconsin is the Portage Curling Club, established in 1850. The Pardeeville Curling Club was established in 1875. In 1892 Lodi joined its Columbia County neighbors Portage, Arlington, Cambria, and Poynette as five of the eight founding Wisconsin members of the Northwestern Curling Association of America (NWCAA).

📸: 1956 | WHI Image ID 38349

11/28/2025

Giving Tuesday is happening now!!! We're striving to raise $10,000 to fund various projects at the Museum at the Portage:

$25 - funds new LED lightbulbs & fixtures
$50 - funds for archival supplies
$150 - funds speaker at an event
$300 - pays for one month of heat in the winter
$500 - funds for metal shelving to store collection artifacts
$2,000 - toward restoring the sunroom windows

Will you help us continue saving and educating our residents and visitors about our rich Portage history? Donate now on our website homepage (button in the upper right corner) or click on this link: https://portagemuseum.org/donate/

Thank you so much for your support!!!

11/25/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at the Portage Historical Society & the Museum at the Portage!

As we gather with loved ones to celebrate, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our wonderful visitors, members, volunteers, and donors. Your unwavering support makes it possible for us to preserve and share our Historic Portage.

We are truly thankful for your enthusiasm and dedication, which bring our exhibits and programs to life. May your Thanksgiving be filled with joy, warmth, and wonderful memories.

Warmest wishes for a safe and happy holiday!

11/02/2025

Closed for the Season - reopen in May 2026.
Thanks for your support!

10/16/2025

The Museum at the Portage is closed today so our team members can attend the Local History & Historic Preservation Conference in Baraboo. Are you attending? Let us know your favorite part so far!

10/15/2025

Museum Closed
October 16
for Local History Conference
(reopen Oct 17)

10/13/2025

Check out this fun day of activities in Westfield, coordinated by the Marquette County Historical Society, on November 1!

10/13/2025

Here's a tasty way to help support another great historical site here in Portage!

If you’re thinking about going out for supper, dessert or just a snack this Monday, Oct. 13, please stop in at Culver's at 2733 New Pinery Road in Portage.
From 4 to 7 p.m., the restaurant will be sharing proceeds of its sales with Fort Winnebago Surgeons Quarters to benefit operations of this historic site. That could add up to 15 percent of sales during those three hours.
Surgeons Quarters representatives will be on hand to answer any questions you might have about the site, located at 1824 State Highway 33 and owned and operated by the Wisconsin Society, Daughters of the American Revolution.
This will mark the second time that the Portage Culver's has supported the nonprofit Surgeons Quarters in this way. Thanks in advance to Culver’s staff and all who stop in tonight!

Support FWSQ and visit Culver’s! 2733 New Pinery Road, Portage, Monday October 13th, from 4:00-7:00pm. Your dinner will help raise funds for Fort Winnebago Surgeons Quarters!

09/23/2025

Do any of our amazing followers have any stories to add to this? Thanks!

My Great Aunt Maybell Little born in 1884 was an actress at the Opera House in Portage during her early adult years. She married Perry Stroud, a banker in Wisconsin Dells, and they lived in Portage. One of their daughters, Jean, married Casey Eulberg who most of us remember from the wonderful Eulberg Men's Clothing Store. Can anyone elaborate or correct my remembrances?