Fort Winnebago facts for kids
Fort Winnebago was an important army fort built in the 1800s. It was located on a hill near what is now Portage, Wisconsin. This spot was special because it was right next to a short land path, called a portage, that connected the Fox River and the Wisconsin River.
Fort Winnebago was one of three forts along the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway. This waterway was a key travel route. The other forts were Fort Howard in Green Bay, Wisconsin and Fort Crawford in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. The U.S. Army built Fort Winnebago in 1828. Its main goal was to help keep peace between settlers and the Native American tribes in the area. This was especially important after the Winnebago War in 1827.
The fort's location was chosen carefully. It was near where a Native American leader named Red Bird had surrendered during the Winnebago War. More importantly, the portage itself was a very busy connection between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. Fort Winnebago helped control who and what traveled along this important route.
Even though it was a fort, Fort Winnebago didn't see much fighting. The only major event was when its troops helped in the Black Hawk War in 1832. Most of the time, the soldiers at the fort had other jobs. For example, Lt. Jefferson Davis (who later became the President of the Confederate States of America) served here from 1829 to 1831. The soldiers helped build a military road between Portage and Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. They also helped move the Ho-Chunk Nation from Wisconsin to Minnesota in the 1840s. By 1845, the area was peaceful, so the army left the fort. Nine years later, the land was sold. In 1856, a fire destroyed most of the fort buildings.
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Why Was the Portage Important?
The "Portage" was a narrow strip of land, only about 1.25 miles wide. It separated two major waterways. The Fox River flows north towards Green Bay. From there, you could reach the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River, and eventually the Atlantic Ocean. The Wisconsin River flows southwest to the Mississippi River, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico.
This area around Portage was a very old travel route. Native Americans used the path between the rivers for centuries before Europeans arrived. They knew it was a vital connection for travel and trade.
In the early 1800s, the U.S. government also realized how important "le Portage" (which became known simply as "Portage") was. Fort Winnebago was one of three forts built to help control the Native American tribes and protect trade for settlers along the Fox-Wisconsin water system. This area later became the state of Wisconsin. The other two forts were Fort Howard in Green Bay and Fort Crawford in Prairie du Chien.
One reason for building the fort was to protect the fur trade. Native American tribes, especially the Ho-Chunk (also called Winnebago), sometimes charged fees or "tolls" on goods passing through. A powerful fur company, led by John Jacob Astor, asked the government for help. So, the government decided to build a fort at the portage to protect these goods.
Fort Winnebago Surgeons Quarters
Quick facts for kids |
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Fort Winnebago Surgeons Quarters
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Fort Winnebago Surgeons Quarters Historic Site
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Portage, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | circa 1820-1824 |
| Built by | Francis Le Roi |
| Architectural style | French colonial log home |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000029 |
| Added to NRHP | October 28, 1970 |
Today, only two buildings from the original fort remain standing: the surgeon's quarters and the officers' quarters. The surgeon's quarters building is now a historic house museum. It is run by the Wisconsin Society Daughters of the American Revolution. This building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The surgeon's quarters was built around 1824 by Francois Le Roi and Therese L'Ecuyer. They were a Métis couple. They ran a fur trading post and a business that helped people carry their boats and goods across the portage. Later, they sold the building to the U.S. Army, and it became the home for the fort's surgeon. This building is one of the oldest French colonial log homes in Wisconsin. It is still on its original spot. It is the only remaining building from the historic Fort Winnebago, which was active from 1828 to 1845.
A building called Garrison School was built around 1850 near the old fort. It was a one-room schoolhouse used until 1960. It was moved to its current spot next to the surgeon's quarters. Both the surgeon's quarters and Garrison School are owned and cared for by the Wisconsin Society Daughters of the American Revolution. They operate them as a historic house museum. You can see 19th-century furniture and items from the fort there.
Who Lived at Fort Winnebago?
Many interesting people lived or served at Fort Winnebago. Some of them later became famous. Here are a few:
- John Joseph Abercrombie – A lieutenant.
- Jefferson Davis – A lieutenant from 1829 to 1831. He later became a very important political leader.
- William S. Harney – A captain who later became a general.
- John H. Kinzie and Juliette Augusta Magill Kinzie – He was an Indian Sub-Agent, helping with relations between the government and Native Americans.
- Randolph B. Marcy – A second lieutenant from 1832 to 1835.
- Edwin Vose Sumner – A military officer.
- David E. Twiggs – A major.
- Charlotte Ouisconsin Clark Van Cleve – Her father was a military officer.
- Horatio P. Van Cleve – A second lieutenant from 1831 to 1836.
Historic Indian Agency House
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Historic Indian Agency House
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Historic Indian Agency House in December 2014
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| Location | NE end of old Agency House Rd. (Rte.1) near NE city limits, Portage, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 1.4 acres (0.57 ha) |
| Built | 1832 |
| Architectural style | Federal, New England Colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000045 |
| Added to NRHP | February 1, 1972 |
The Fort Winnebago Old Indian Agency House is another original building connected to the fort. It is the only known Indian Agency building still standing in its original spot. The U.S. Government built it in 1832. It served as both a home and an office for John H. Kinzie. He was an Indian sub-Agent. His job was to be a link between the local Ho Chunk (also known as Winnebago) Nation and the U.S. Government.
Kinzie lived there with his wife, Juliette Augusta Magill Kinzie. Juliette later wrote a book about their experiences called 'Wau-Bun, the "Early Day" in the Northwest'. Since 1932, the house has been a museum. It is run by The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Wisconsin. The museum has items and displays about Native American culture. You can visit it from May 15 through October 15 each year. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
