Type a surname in the box to search this site. [USGenWeb Archives] and [PortageCoWI Message Board] are separate searches.

[To make a submission] formating and locations

The territory of Wisconsin was established by an act of Congress in 1836. In the same year a treaty signed with Menominee Indians gave a strip of land called “the Indian strip,” three miles (4.8 km) wide along both shores of the Wisconsin River, to the Americans. Portage County was created. In 1839 the land was surveyed, divided into lot. In 1840 the U.S. Land Office in Mineral Point put the lots up for sale. In Portage County “the Indian strip” was renamed “the Pinery” because of its rich timber resources. Sawmills were built on the Wisconsin River, as early as 1840. George Stevens, an Illinois lumberman, built a warehoue on the left bank of the Wisconsin River, right before the rapids, and this place became known as Stevens Point.

Originally, a relatively small area, in 1841 an act extended the Portage County boundaries to make it the third largest county in the Wisconsin Territory. In 1846, Columbia County with the town of Portage, was separated from Portage County. Later other southern counties were created: Adams County in 1848 (Juneau County from Adams in 1856), Marathon County in 1850, and Wood County in 1856.

To contribute your information to these pages, drop an email to the webmaster. Or if you would like to host a WI county, contact Tina Vickery, State Coordinator or Marcia Ann Kuehl, Assistant State Coordinator.

A special thanks goes to Aileen Fish Underwood, who originally created this site for your use.