Portage, commonly referred to as "Where the North Begins", is a city in Columbia County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 9,728 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Columbia County^GR6. Portage is named for the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway, a portage between the Fox River and the Wisconsin River which was recognized by Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet during their discovery of a route to the Mississippi river in 1673. Columbia County is a county located in the state of Wisconsin. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42°30N to 47°3N  - Longitude 86°49W to 92°54W Population  Ranked... A county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county, primarily used in the United States. ... Columbia County is a county located in the state of Wisconsin. ... The Fox-Wisconsin Waterway is a waterway formed by the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers. ... For the Gentoo Linux package manager, see Portage (software). ... The Fox River is a river in Wisconsin in the United States. ... The Wisconsin River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 430 mi (692 km) long, in the state of Wisconsin in the United States. ... Father Jacques Marquette (French: Père Jacques Marquette) (June 10, 1637–May 18, 1675) and Louis Jolliet were the first Europeans to see and map the Mississippi River. ... Louis Joliet, also known Louis Jolliet (September 21, 1645–May 1700), was a Canadian explorer born in Quebec who is important for his discoveries in North America. ... The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning great river (gichi-ziibi big river at its headwaters), is the second-longest river in the United States; the longest is the Missouri River, which flows into the Mississippi. ... 1673 (MDCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Geography

Portage is located at 43°32′45″N, 89°27′48″W (43.545704, -89.463199)^GR1. Image File history File links WIMap-doton-Portage. ...

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 23.4 km² (9.0 mi²). 21.5 km² (8.3 mi²) of it is land and 1.9 km² (0.7 mi²) of it (8.09%) is water. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... A square metre (US spelling: square meter) is by definition the area enclosed by a square with sides each 1 metre long. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ...

Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 9,728 people, 3,770 households, and 2,228 families residing in the city. The population density was 453.1/km² (1,172.9/mi²). There were 3,970 housing units at an average density of 184.9/km² (478.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.76% White, 3.90% African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.85% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.39% of the population. 1870 US Census for New York City A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... Race, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget, is a self-identification data item in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ...

There were 3,770 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.96. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

In the city the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 106.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,815, and the median income for a family was $44,804. Males had a median income of $33,158 versus $23,478 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,039. About 4.6% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over. The per capita income for a group of people may be defined as their total personal income, divided by the total population. ... Map of countries showing percentage of population who have an income below the national poverty line The poverty line is the level of income below which one cannot afford to purchase all the resources one requires to live. ...

History

The Native American tribes that once lived here, and later the European traders and settlers, took advantage of the lowlands between the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers as a natural “portage,” which eventually lends itself to the name of the community, taken from the word the French fur traders used to describe the place, “le portage.” As a portage, this community developed as a center of commerce and trade, and later, a canal was constructed to facilitate this trade. When the railroads came through, it continued in this role. An Aani (Atsina) named Assiniboin Boy. ... This article is about the continent. ... For the Gentoo Linux package manager, see Portage (software). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Channel (geography). ...

Portage emerged at this place because of its unique position along the one and a half mile strip of marshy floodplain between the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers. by the end of the 17th century, the Fox-Wisconsin waterway, linked at The Portage, served as the major fur trade thoroughfare between Green Bay and Prairie du Chien. It was not until the 1780s and 1790s that traders built their posts and warehouses at each end of The Portage. In 1828, the federal government recognized the strategic economic importance of The Portage and built Fort Winnebago at the Fox River end. After 15 years of controversy, Winnebago settlement (now Portage) won the county seat in 1851. The community incorporated as Portage City in 1854. (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... The Name Green Bay refers to: The city of Green Bay, Wisconsin. ... Prairie du Chien is the county seat of Crawford County, Wisconsin. ... Nothing much really happened in the 1780s only that Mary-Anne Tobin was hung in public for wearing a flase beard and voting. ... Events and Trends French Revolution (1789 - 1799). ... 1828 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the U.S. Army fort. ... A county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county, primarily used in the United States. ... 1851 (MDCCCLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

The Portage business district lies along a hillside which overlooks the Portage Canal. The buildings now in the city's downtown were once part of a bustling, urban commercial center serving a large region across north central Wisconsin. The building of the city paralleled its commercial prominence between the end of the American Civil War and the second decade of the 20th century. The Portage Canal was built to connect the Fox River and Wisconsin River at Portage, Wisconsin. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Lincoln, President Ulysses S. Grant, General Jefferson Davis, President Robert E. Lee, General Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999...

Notable people

• Frederick Jackson Turner, historian
• Zona Gale, writer
• Russell W. Peterson, former Governor of Delaware

Frederick Jackson Turner Frederick Jackson Turner (November 14, 1861–1932) was, with Charles A. Beard, the most influential American historian of the early 20th century. ... Zona Gale (August 26, 1874-1938) was an American writer. ... The following biography is largely attributed to the National Governors Association: Russell W. Peterson (born October 3, 1916) was born Russell Wilber Peterson in Portage, Wisconsin. ... List of Delaware Governors Governors of New Sweden, 1639-1655 Peter Minuit 1639-1640 Peter Hollandaer Ridder 1640-1643 Johan Björnsson Printz 1643-1653 Johan Papegoya 1653-1654 Johan Classon Rising 1654-1655 Part of New Netherland, 1655-1664 Part of New York, 1664-1682 Part of Pennsylvania, 1682...

See also

• Portage Canal

The Portage Canal was built to connect the Fox River and Wisconsin River at Portage, Wisconsin. ...

External links

• Portage Canal Society - History
• City of Portage
• Portage Chamber of Commerce

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 43.545704° -89.463199°
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA