Reedsburg hosts third celebration of county’s Indigenous Peoples Day
This photo collage shows how Reedsburg residents stopped federal agents from removing Chief Blue Wing and his family from the train depot, which now houses the Reedsburg Area Chamber of Commerce. (Sauk County Historical Society photos)
Sauk County’s third annual Indigenous Peoples Day will be held on Monday, Oct. 11 at 1 p.m. at the historic train depot in Reedsburg at 240 Railroad St., which now houses the Reedsburg Area Chamber of Commerce. The site was the location of a dramatic incident in December of 1873 when the forced removal of several members of Ho-Chunk Chief Aahuchoga’s (Blue Wing) family by federal troops was halted by the action of hundreds of Reedsburg residents. That event will be commemorated by a new interpretive panel, which will be unveiled along with a new bench for the depot, which also serves as a trailhead for the 400 Trail. Guests are invited to come early and sample native foods made by Ho-Chunk chefs, which will be available throughout the event. The Winnebago Sons drum group will be participating along with the Indigenous Students United group from the Baraboo High School. A history walk with twelve stations of Ho-Chunk history will be set up in Harvest Park across the street from the depot.
Contributing partners for Indigenous Peoples Day include Sauk County, the Ho-Chunk Nation, the Sauk County Historical Society, the Reedsburg Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of Reedsburg, Reedsburg ArtsLink, Indigenous Students United, Madison College and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
For more information check out the Sauk County Historical Society’s website at www.saukcountyhistory.org or call the Reedsburg Chamber of Commerce at 608-524-2850.
Paul Wolter is executive director of the Sauk County Historical Society.
