Historic Indian Agency House
Built in 1832
The Indian Agency House was built in 1832 by the United States Government for John Harris Kinzie and his wife Juliette Magill Kinzie. John Kinzie was the Indian Agent to the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) Indians. He had been assigned by the Government to protect the interest of the Ho-Chunk and pay them their stipend of silver.
Juliette Magill Kinzie wrote Wau-Bun, the Early Day in the Northwest about her life at Fort Winnebago and the Agency House. Wau-Bun means early day in Anishanabi (Ojibwa). Wau-Bun includes sketches she made that depicted the Wisconsin landscape before the land rush by American and European settlers. Wau-Bun is one of the most important records of the Northwest territory.
The site of Fort Winnebago was on the Mohr Farm northeast of this site across from the Surgeon's Quarters.
The Agency House cost $3,497.18 to build. Materials and labor came from long distances:
• Masons and carpenters came from St. Louis, Missouri, 718 river miles away.
• Lime was burned at Pierre Pauquette's farm "Bellefontain" twelve miles north of this site.
• Brick was made two miles away at the site of present-day Pauquette Park, Portage.
• Part of the lumber came from Green Bay and the rest was transported 70 to 80 miles down the Ouisconsin (Wisconsin) River from the north.
• Finished doors probably were brought by ox team from Galena, Illinois.
The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Wisconsin purchased the Agency House in October, 1931 restored it and opened it to the public in 1932.
The Agency House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
Marker is on Agency House Road 0.8 miles north of East Albert Street, on the left when traveling north.
Courtesy hmdb.org
