Portage, Wisconsin
Portage is a city of 10,236 people in Columbia County, Wisconsin, founded in 1854.
Why visit Portage
Townapedia lists 15 museums and landmarks, 16 parks and trails, 19 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Portage Theatres, Cascade Mountain, Church Hill Historic District and Fort Winnebago Surgeon's Quarters.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 10°F, and about 39 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Portage
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Portage
Portage is a city in Columbia County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. The population was 10,581 at the 2020 census, making it the largest city in Columbia County. It is part of the Madison metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Portage, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Cascade Mountain
Ski area · 4.1 mi
Ski resort in Caledonia, Wisconsin, United States
Museums and landmarks15
Church Hill Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic district in Portage, Wisconsin
Fort Winnebago Surgeon's Quarters
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Barrack in Portage, Wisconsin, United States
Henry Merrell House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Old Indian Agency House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Portage Canal
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Canal in Wisconsin, United States of America
Portage Industrial Waterfront Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic district in Wisconsin, United States
Portage Retail Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic district in Wisconsin, United States
Society Hill Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Wisconsin
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Zona Gale House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
3 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds16
Swan Lake Wildlife Area
Park · 3.6 mi
State Wildlife Area in Columbia County, Wisconsin
4 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes19
B&B Hitching Post
Restaurant · American, Burger · 1.3 mi
2503 West Wisconsin Street
Mo-We 07:00-20:00; Th 11:00-20:00; Fr 07:00-21:00; Sa-Su 07:00-14:00
Dino’s Restaurant and Lounge
Diner · American · 1.4 mi
2900 New Pinery Road, Portage
Mo-Su 06:00-22:00
La Tolteca Authentic Mexican Cuisine
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.1 mi
2756 New Pinery Road, Portage
Riley's Bar & Grill
Restaurant · Barbecue · 0.8 mi
1314 West Wisconsin Street, Portage
7 more on the map.
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". This is reflected in indigenous names for the town, such as the Menominee name Kahkāmohnakaneh, which means "at the short cut". In May 1673, Jacques Marquette joined the expedition of Louis Jolliet, a French-Canadian explorer, to find the Mississippi River. They departed from St. Ignace on May 17, with two canoes and five voyageurs of French-Indian ancestry (Métis). They followed Lake Michigan to Green Bay and up the Fox River, nearly to its headwaters. From there, they were told to portage their canoes a distance of slightly less than two miles through marsh and oak plains to the Wisconsin River. Later, French fur traders described the place as "le portage", which eventually lent itself to the name of the community. As a portage, this community developed as a center of commerce and trade; later, a canal was constructed to facilitate this trade. When the railroads came through, the community continued in this role.
From the History section of Portage, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship4
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries19
Healthcare5
Map of Portage
91 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26°F | 10°F | 1.4 in | 10.2 in |
| Feb | 31°F | 13°F | 1.4 in | 10.0 in |
| Mar | 42°F | 24°F | 2.2 in | 5.5 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 36°F | 4.2 in | 2.2 in |
| May | 68°F | 48°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 58°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 59°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 73°F | 51°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 59°F | 39°F | 2.9 in | 0.5 in |
| Nov | 44°F | 28°F | 2.2 in | 2.0 in |
| Dec | 32°F | 17°F | 1.7 in | 8.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Portage Wwtp Hcn (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Columbia County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2008-06-14: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2007-08-26: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2004-06-18: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 29 miles away.
- Baraboo 15 mi west, about 24 min by car
- DeForest 23 mi south, about 37 min by car
- Reedsburg 27 mi west, about 43 min by car
- Middleton 31 mi south, about 49 min by car
- Madison 32 mi south, about 51 min by car
- Beaver Dam 32 mi east, about 52 min by car
- Fitchburg 39 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Oregon 43 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Fond du Lac 54 mi east, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Oshkosh 56 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- PortageRetailHistoricDistrictCookBetweenWisconsinDeWittWIS33, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Canadian Pacific Covered Hopper Cars in Portage Rail Yard - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Portage, Wisconsin, Mx. Granger, CC0
- Portage Amtrak station, Mx. Granger, CC0
- Portage Amtrak Station (POG) - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Portage station, Cr4410, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Canadian Pacific Tank Cars Portage Rail Yard - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Zion Evangelical Church Portage, WI - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Trinity United Church of Christ Portage, WI - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Portage Fire Department - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Portage City Hall - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Portage Canal in downtown Portage WI looking west, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 4.0
- HenryMerrellHousePortageWisconsinWIS33, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Church Hill Historic District Portage WI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Society Hill Historic District Portage WI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Old Indian Agency House north side, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Zona Gale House Portage WI, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fort Winnebago Surgeons Quarters Historic Site and Garrison School, Perrywattleworth, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Portage Industrial Waterfront Historic District, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Canadian Pacific Railway Office - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- The Canadian Pacific and Soo Line locomotives - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Canadian Pacific Railway Tank Cars in Rail Yard - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Rusch Elementary School - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Melissa and Milas Alverson House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- R.O. and Isabell Loomis House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Bryon Taylor House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 305 West Franklin St. - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Harriet and N.H. Wood House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Arthur C. Flanders House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Isabell Loomis House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- 315 W. Franklin St. - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Turner House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- William Fulton House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Kannan House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- George Jurgen House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Robert and Lucy Cochrane House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- G. J. Owen House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- St. John's Lutheran- Grace Bible Church Building - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- C. J. and Martha Goss House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
- Robert and Julia Rosenfeld House - panoramio, Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0
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