8/6 – Today we learned about Portage history. Did you know that Winnebago translates as People Of the Stinking Water? Portage once had a military presence – Fort Winnebago – that was once staffed by a young Jefferson Davis. The main work of the fort was to remove the Ho Chunk Indians from their lands and ship them further west. Unfortunately, the Ho Chunk kept coming back, so the fort was decommissioned and then it burned down. Here ends the lesson.

The only building that remains of the fort (now a gas station) is the Surgeons Quarters, so we took the short tour.

Then we walked along a very pretty trail along the Portage Canal.

The canal, though stagnant, was a lovely shade of green.

Did you know that Juliette Lowe, founder of the Girl Scouts, came from Portage? Now you know!