Life slows down in the city of Portage, Wisconsin’s third-oldest community. The city is situated at the center of expansive farmlands and nearby nature preserves, which separates its 10,000 residents from the busy atmosphere of downtown Madison. Nestled between the Wisconsin and Fox rivers, Portage features a charming downtown district and a wide array of 19th-century homes. The community takes pride in its rich history as a stopping point along the water route created by the two rivers and makes an effort to preserve the past through local heritage events and museum exhibits. “It’s a nice place, it really is,” says Realtor Scotty Smith with First Weber Real Estate Services, who has sold many homes in town. “The people are friendly, and you do get a small-town feel, but it’s big enough where there are things to do. I think it’s very appealing.”
Portage is a very cute town.
Some portage residents owbn homes right on the Wisconsin River.
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An abundance of recreational opportunities
Locals flock to Silver Lake Beach year after year during the summer months for a picnic on the sand or for a dip in the water, while people from all over the region head to Cascade Mountain, a ski resort that just happens to be about five minutes down Interstate 39 from Portage. Both the Wisconsin River and the Fox River offer prime spots for paddling. Sports enthusiasts can often be found at the sports complex in the city's southeastern corner, featuring soccer fields, a baseball diamond and the local Little League complex. Additionally, residents of Portage enjoy proximity to the 2,466-acre Swan Lake Wildlife area, where they can walk or cross-country ski through the preserve's wetlands, grasslands and wooded habitats. On nice evenings, a crowd may form to listen to live music under the pavilion at Pauquette Park, an event the Chamber of Commerce organizes in the summer.
Portage residents can take their dog on a relaxing walk.
Silver Lake Beach is a great spot to get outside in Portage.
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Portage’s shopping and dining scene
Portage has a variety of modern amenities, mostly concentrated along U.S. Route 51. Locals can pick up their day-to-day necessities at the Walmart Supercenter, Aldi or Festival Foods. A more mom-and-pop shopping experience can be had in Portage’s charming downtown area, where stores offer everything from jewelry to gifts to sporting goods. “Every Thursday from May to October, they have a farmers market, and people bring in all the things they’ve grown,” Smith says. “It’s nice to get local produce and flowers for your kitchen table.” There are plenty of great places to eat, too, whether starting the day with a cup of coffee and a pastry at Two Rivers Coffee Roaster or winding things down with a burger, a brew and a game of pool at the Corner Pocket. Head just outside of town for dinner at B&B Hitching Post, which is popular on Friday nights for its fish fry special.
A Portage resident gets help picking out the perfect paint at Beautifully Blemished Market.
Portage residents can head to Two Rivers Coffee Roaster to study.
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Year-round events
The close-knit, community-oriented atmosphere is why Portage residents stick around, and locals can be seen gathering each year to celebrate their community at the Columbia County Fair. For over 170 years, locals and visitors alike have been gathering to enjoy carnival rides, livestock shows, rodeos and delicious carnival food. The Portage Canal Days event specifically celebrates Portage’s heritage as a canal town, and neighbors come out for live music, local vendors and activities for the kids. A slew of other fun things to do happens throughout the year, according to Smith, from Fourth of July fireworks to farmers markets to parades with Santa.
Veterans Memorial Park in Portage has large sports fields, like this baseball diamond.
Residents are free to roam the extensive garden path at Pauquette Park in Portage
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Appealing options for all buyers
Smith says the area attracts all types of people. First-time homebuyers may have luck in Portage thanks to its relative affordability compared to homes in Madison — which Smith says are at least $100,000 higher — while retirees looking to downsize can find a condo convenient to amenities like golf courses and healthcare at the local hospital. Buyers looking for more rural property where they can hunt and fish can find it on the outskirts. Most homes in the center of town, located along gridded city streets, were built in the mid-1800s and early 1900s, featuring styles like Colonial Revivals, Cape Cods, and American Foursquares; these homes tend to range from $100,000 to $315,000. Fanning outwards from the city's center are more modern builds, with prices typically topping out around $450,000.
A unique Victorian style home in Portage.
A lovely colonial style home in Portage.
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Details on the local school district
Students attend schools in the Portage Community School District. Most students start off at Woodridge Primary School for kindergarten and first grade before finishing up their elementary school years at John Muir Elementary School; both schools are graded B by Niche. They then go on to attend Wayne E. Bartels Middle School, graded C-plus, and Portage High School, graded B-minus. Portage High School is in talks of either being renovated or rebuilt completely in a new site; after the city receives community feedback on the preliminary options, more concrete plans are expected to be drawn up.
Portage High School offers many extracurricular activities, like archery and bowling.
Portage students can attend Wayne Bartels Middle School.
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Getting around the area
Interstate 39 runs right by the community for convenient commutes to downtown Madison, about 40 miles south. In the center of town, an Amtrak station offers train service to destinations like Milwaukee and beyond. It’s the only form of public transportation in Portage, so most residents will need a car to get around. When it’s time to get out of town, the Dane County Regional Airport is about 35 miles south.
Portage residents can easily head to Madison using I-39.
Interstate 39 crosses over the Wisconsin River in Portage.
It is a big decision! It may mean using your life savings or moving your family to a new community and school. You need someone who cares about your dreams!
Let Rena assist you through the process. She will take you from step one, all the way through to the end of the transaction and even after. Just to make sure things are going as planned. She will not pass you off to anyone else, after the buyer’s agency or listing contract is signed. It is especially important to her that you are in communication and understand what is going on during each step. Her goal is to make it seamless.
Rena’s passion about your dreams is really borne out of her personal life. She is devoted to her family and friends, and enjoys spending time with her husband, children and six grandchildren. Rena also believes that a home is built upon the community you live in and is highly active in her community: She sits on the Waunakee Professional Women, Schumacher Farm Park, and Wauktoberfest Boards. She is the Waunakee Chapter leader for Box of Balloons.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
