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1902 Map of Portage

Name: 1902 Topographic Map of Portage
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1902
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1902

About this map

Portage serves as the focal point of this 1899 survey, situated at the historic land bridge between the Wisconsin River and the Fox River. This geography, long used for portaging between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds, is shown here during a period of industrial expansion. The city is a dense hub for the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul R. R., with the Portage City Line and lines toward Madison radiating from the center.

Beyond the urban center, the landscape is a network of marshes and lakes, including Buffalo Lake and Swan Lake. Rural life centers on small settlements like Marcellon, Pardeeville, and Endeavor, while Observatory Hill stands as a prominent topographical landmark in the north. The map also records the jurisdictional boundaries between Marquette Co. and Columbia Co., alongside established townships like Fort Winnebago and Moundville.