historic indian agency house

A visit here, especially in the colder weather, gives one a good idea of what it was like on the frontier. Whether you're interested in the Ho-Chunk First People of the region or are just a history buff, this is a good stop. The people running it went out of their way to be nice and schedule a tour for us, too.

The Historic Indian Agency House was built with the purpose of a mediator between the Indians and early Wisconsin settlers. John Kinzie would handle transactions of land sales from the Indians to the settlers. The tour guide was very knowledgeable.

The Indian Agency House sets the story of Portage's relationship to the Ho Chunk people. The Kinzie's lived here from 1832-34. We had a nice young man, extremely knowledgeable about the history of the area, give us an in depth tour of the home and grounds. Well worth the time. I understood the historic site only receives a handful of tourist. Its a shame because the location is beautiful with the Portage canal right there and the Ice Age trail adjacent to the site. I would encourage anyone in the area to give this a try. Renovations from a few years ago put the home back to its original decor. There is a small gift shop and museum. Take your time going through for there is much history to absorb. There is also a ciproke on the grounds as well. My young children enjoyed this stop! Well worth it.