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The
Historic Indian Agency House was built by the
U.S. Government in 1832 for the
Indian Agent to
the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), John Kinzie. His wife, Juliette Magill
Kinzie wrote "Wau-Bun," an account of their voyage to Fort
Winnebago, their home, pioneer life and the Indians. (Their
granddaughter was Juliette Gordon Low, who founded the Girl
Scouts of the U.S.A.)
The
Agency House stands near the site of Fort
Winnebago and the portage between the Fox and
Wisconsin Rivers. It faces the Portage Canal
that connects the two rivers. The canal was
completed in 1876. The area is rich in history,
Pere Marquette and Louis Joliet made the portage
in 1673 and found their way to the Mississippi
River.
The Agency House is on
the National Register of Historic Places. It has
been carefully restored and furnished with
antiques, none later than 1833, the year the
Kinzies left the Agency House.
The house is open May
15th-October 15th, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
(Sunday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.) It is off Highway 33,
one mile from downtown Portage on Agency House
Road, also designated as Rustic Road Number 69.
It is operated by the National Society of the
Colonial Dames of America in the State of
Wisconsin. A nominal admission fee is charged.
Off Season By Appointment
Historic
Indian Agency House Portage, Wisconsin

Restored by The
National Society of Colonial Dames of America in
the State of Wisconsin |