POLK, Town, in county of Washington, being town 10 N., of range 19 E.; centrally located, 20 miles southwest from Ozaukee. Population in 1850 was 1,344. It has 9 school districts. PORTAGE, County, is bounded on the north by Marathon, on the east by Waupacca, on the south by Waushara and Adams, and on the west by La Crosse, and is 30 miles north and south, by 54 miles east and west. It was set off from Brown, Dec. 7, 1836, at which time it embraced about the present county of Columbia. By an act of the legislature, approved March 14, 1841, the territory forming the present counties of Adams, Portage and Marathon was annexed to Portage county, which was organized for county purposes, the judicial connection being with Dane. The county seat was established at the Wisconsin Portage, and the county was fully organized Jan. 31, 1844; as now organized, it does not contain any of its original limits. The eastern boundary of the county was extended one range February 27, 1851. Plover, a little east of the centre of the county, is the seat of justice. The Wisconsin river passes about contrally through the county from the north, and with its branches afford many good water powers which are, at present, chiefly used for working up pine timber, with forests of which the country is covered. This county is connected with the third judicial circuit, and with the second senate and second congressional districts, and, with Marathon, sends one member to the assembly. The population, as organized in 1840, was 1,623; 1842, 646; 1846, 931; 1847, 1,504; 1850, 1,267. At the last date, including Marathon, there were 13 farms, 30 manufactories, and 280 dwellings. County Officers for 1853: Judge, Enoch S. Bean; Sheriff, Aaron Drake; Clerk of Court, C. Shekels; District Attorney, Luther Hanchett; Clerk of Board of Supervisors, Matthias Mitchell; Treasurer, Ames M. Dunton.

PORTAGE CITY, P. V. & C. H., on section 5 and 8 of town 12 N., of range 9 E., in Columbia county. It is 40 miles north from Madison. Population 2,000; with 12 stores, 7 hotels, 1 steam

The

saw mill, 2 harness makers, 4 waggon makers, 6 blacksmiths, 3 cabinet, 3 paint, 8 shoe, 3 tin and sheet iron, 3 butchers, 6 millinery and 4 tailor's shops, 2 breweries, 2 livery stables, 2 jewelry stores, 2 drug stores, 1 brick yard, 1 iron foundry, 1 blind and sash factory, 1 chair factory and 1 tannery; 12 lawyers and 5 doctors; 3 district and 2 select schools; 1 church building and 2 denominations. It is finely situated on a bluff between the Fox and Wisconsin rivers at the point where they are connected by a ship canal. The Wisconsin is navigable to this place, and the commerce on the river is considerable and constantly increasing. Two steamers ply constantly between this place and Galena during the summer. number of mills on the Wisconsin, and its tributaries, is about 100; the lumber from which seeks a market between this place and St. Louis. The amount of lumber sent below is almost beyond calculation. In addition to which, numerous mills are starting on the river at different points below the pinery, and logs are rafted to them. The amount of square timber rafted exceeds millions of feet annually, shingles and bolts, lath, pickets, &c. The Wolf river pinery is beginning to pour its vast amounts of the finest lumber in the State, through the Fox river, which stream also is navigable for small steamboats. When the projected State improvement is finished, inter-communication will be established between the upper Lake country and the Gulf of Mexico, and the carrying trade will produce a large revenue to the State. The importance of Portage City, as a commercial point, is beyond doubt very great. It commands 200 miles north where the pine forests nourish a large population, and are continually pouring their products south, and will for years to come.

PORTAGE, Lake, is a small body of water in the north part of Marathon county, tributary to the Chippewa river.

PORTAGE PRAIRIE, Town, in county of Columbia, being town 12 N., of range 12, 18 miles east of Portage city. Population in 1850 was 455. It has 4 school districts.

PORT DES MORTS, see Death's Door.

PORTER, Town, in county of Rock, being town 4 N., range 11 E.; centrally located, 12 miles northwest from Janesville. Population in 1850 was 881. It has 7 school districts.

PORT HOPE, Town, in county of Columbia. Population in 1850 was 603. It has 4 school districts.

PORT HOPE, P. V., in town of same name, on section 3 on the

Neenah river, at the junction of French creek, 74 miles north from Portage city, and 48 miles north of Madison, at the natural head of steamboat navigation on the Neenah river, and on the stage and mail route from Fort Winnebago to the Wisconsin pinery. It is beautifully located, in a good farming district. Population about 30; 5 dwellings, 1 store, 1 hotel, 1 Baptist, and an organized church of Methodists, and has a good hydraulic power unimproved.

PORTLAND, Town, in county of Dodge, being town 9 N., of range 13 E.; centrally located, 14 miles southwest from Junea. Population in 1850 was 523. It has 6 school districts.

PORT WASHINGTON, Town, in county of Washington, being town 11 N., range 22 E. See Ozaukee. Population in 1850 was 1,373. It has 5 school districts.

PORT WASHINGTON, V., (Ozaukee P.O.), on section 28, in town

of same name, in Ouzaukee county. It is the county seat, and is situated 80 miles northeast from Madison, on the lake shore, half way between Milwaukee and Sheboygan. Population, 2,500; with 300 dwellings, 10 stores, 5 hotels, 3 mills, 2 breweries, 1 foundry, 5 blacksmiths, 4 waggonmakers, 6 shoe-makers, and 5 tailors' shops; 2 good piers, 1 church, and 5 denominations.

POPLAR, Creek, a small stream in the eastern part of Pewaukee, Waukesha county, being a tributary to the Pishtaka.

POPLAR, River, a tributary of Lake Superior, in La Pointe county.

POTOSI, P. V., on section 34, in town 3, of range 3 W., 12 miles south of Lancaster, and 80 miles southwest from Madison. It is at the head of a ravine about 2 miles from the Mississippi river, near the mouth of Grant river, and embraces the town plats of Lafayette, Van Buren, and Dublin. This place was formerly known as Snake Hollows, at which improvements were commenced as early as 1836.

POTOSI, Town, in county of Grant, being fractional town 2, and town 3 N., of range 3 W.; centrally located, 10 miles south from Lancaster. It has 8 school districts.

POTTAWOTTOMEE, Island, in towns 33 and 34 N., of range 30 E., in Door county; contains about 35 square miles.

POTTER, Lake, a small lake in the east part of East Troy, Walworth county.

POWACK, Lake, a small body of water in the northern part of the town of Muskego, in Waukesha county.

POYNETTE, P. V., on section 34, town 11 N., of range 9 E., in Columbia county, 12 miles south from Portage city, and 21 miles north from Madison. It is situated in a rich farming district of cultivated lands, on Ockee creek, and has a good hydraulic power unimproved. It contains 150 inhabitants, 32 dwellings, 1 store, and 1 hotel.

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, P. V. & C. H., is situated on section 6, town 6 N., of range 6 W., upon an elevated prairie, averaging one mile in width, and is about 8 miles in length, extending from the mouth of the Wisconsin river, northward, along the bank of the Mississippi. It has one of the best landings on the river, is very healthy; and all who have visited the place concur in the opinion that its location gives it a commanding commercial importance.

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Town, in county of Crawford, including the same. Population in 1850 was 1,407. It has 14 school districts.

1

POYSIPPI, P. O., in Waupacca county.

PRAIRIE DU LAC, (Lake Prairie), is a large prairie in Rock county, near the foot of Lake Koskonong.

PRAIRIE DU SAC, P. V., in town of same name, Sauk county, on section 36, town 10 N., of range 6 E.

PRAIRIE DU SAC, Town, in county of Sauk, south of Baraboo. It has 5 school districts.

PRAIRIE LA CROSSE, is the name given to the beautiful prairie at the mouth of La Crosse river, it was formerly an Indian trading station, and was frequented by them for the purpose of playing their favorite game of ball, from which fact the river now known as La Crosse river, derived its original name of Ball river.

PRAIRIE LA CROSSE, Village, see La Crosse P. V.

PRATT'S, Creek, rises in the north part of town of Oak Grove, in Dodge county, and runs southwest, emptying into the Crawfish, in the town of Shields.

PRESCOTT, Town, (formerly Elizabeth), in county of Peirce, being all of said county, south of town 27 N. It is southeast of Willow river.

PRESCOTT, P. V. & C. H., of the new county of Peirce. It is at the junction of the St. Croix and Mississippi, having a number of public houses, stores, warehouses, &c. It must eventually be an important depot for the St. Croix and its tributaries, as well as for Minnesota.

PRIDEAUX FORK, Creek, a branch of Grant river from the northwest, in Beetown, Grant county.

PRIMROSE, P. V., on section 9, in town of same name, Dane county; 22 miles southwest of Madison. It contains 250 inhabitants, 30 dwellings, 1 store, 1 Baptist, and 1 Freewill Baptist

church.