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PORTAGE - Portage is second only to Perrysburg as the oldest trading center in Wood County. The store was established in 1829, in a log cabin built by Collister Haskins, who came from New Salem, Mass. His cabin was located just west of the present Main St., on the south bank of the river. It was stocked with notions for the Indians and “such goods as would meet the needs of the white pioneer.” Until 1828, when Mr. Haskins petitioned for a post office for Portage, the mail as delivered just once every two weeks. The petition was granted in January, 1929, and he was appointed the first postmaster of the village. Joseph F. Wade was one of the teachers at the Portage school more than 100 years ago. According to early Board of Education records, in 1852, Mr. Wade received $17 a month for his duties as a teacher. Nearly 100 years, in June, 1857, a petition signed by 30 persons asked that the village be incorporated. On Dec. 7 of the that year, the petition was granted.
This article was published in the Sentinel Tribune, and contained several photographs that I was unable to reproduce (they were old copies of copies several times over). Even though the pictures are missing, I've gone ahead and included their captions below. Harley Finley, a retired metal worker, has been Portage’s street commissioner for more than a year. Harry Hatfield, a veteran of 14 years on the Portage Village Council, is serving his first term as mayor. Harley Clark has been chief of the Portage Fire Department since it was organized in 1947. The department has 30 volunteers and a high-pressure fog truck. William Drain is in his 10th year as Portage’s Village Clerk. These men are the city fathers of Portage. They are Fred Holloway, John Hottinger, Ned Caldwell, A. D. Valentine, C. A. Lloyd, president; and Clifford Schroeder. Mrs. Ruth Willis is president of the Ladies Auxiliary of the American Legion. The group’s 88 members are helping the Legion pay for the Post’s hall. Mrs. Raye Klopfenstein is president of the Portage Mother’s Club. The main project of the club’s 22 members is to raise funds for the Portage Elementary School. President of the Portage Garden Club is Mrs. Evah Hackenberg. The club has 25 members. Rex. Klopfenstein is president of the Portage PTA. The
organization has 45 members who are raising money for the school library.
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