Stevens Point
Stevens Point is located in central Wisconsin and serves as the seat of government for Portage County. It is positioned on a point of land that extends into the Wisconsin River. Long ago, this area was home to the Menominee Nation. A series of treaties with the U.S. government, beginning in 1836 and ending in 1854, resulted in the Menominee ceding their land to the United States. They called this place along the Wisconsin River, Pasīpahkīhnen. In the Menominee language, it means “juts out as land.”
Early fur traders set up posts along the Wisconsin River near what would become Stevens Point to barter with Native Americans. The location of these posts was influenced by the nearby Plover Rover. This fast moving stream connected the Wisconsin and Wolf Rivers, and was used by Native Americans and fur traders as the journeyed from Green Bay westward.
In the late 1830s, George Stevens journeyed up the Wisconsin River to capitalize on the potential lumber industry. Stevens was a lumberman from Allegany County, New York and saw plenty of logging opportunities in the newly opened Wisconsin frontier. The spit of land where he first unloaded his supplies was later was named Stevens’ Landing. Further up-river, at Big Bull Falls, he set up a sawmill. Today that place is Wausau. Stevens used the landing at what became Stevens Point as a stopping and storage place during his travels.
With Stevens Point surrounded by vast Wisconsin forests, and situated on Wisconsin River, it became known in the mid-1800s as the “Gateway to the Pineries.” The timber industry dominated the area for decades and turned Stevens Point into a thriving community.
Stevens Point incorporated as a city in 1858. Until the 1860s, most of the city’s incoming immigrants were British and Norwegian descent. But after the Civil war, most immigrants coming to the area were Polish. Stevens Point retains it Polish heritage today.
Many immigrants who arrived to the area of Stevens Point became farmers, with potatoes being a valuable cash crop. The downtown market square in Stevens Point was a bustling trading spot for farmers and other businessmen, as well as a social gathering place for residents. Another favorite spot near downtown was Stevens Point Brewery. It opened its doors in 1857, a year before the city was incorporated. It continues as one of the longest operating breweries in the nation.
Today Stevens Point is home to the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. This public liberal arts university was established in 1894, and today enrolls about 7200 students. Stevens Point is also home to Sentry Insurance. Established in 1904, the insurance company’s home office houses about half of its 4,500 employees.
Trail-goers and nature enthusiasts enjoy Schmeelke Reserve. The 280-acre conservancy has a large diversity of habitats that support numerous wildlife species. The Green Circle State Trail travels through the reserve, and its main trailhead is located there. The Green Circle Trail is a valuable asset to the community. The circuitous route reveals both urban and rural landscapes of this charming city and its neighboring communities.
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