Member of the Week

The Chamber Member of the Week is the Portage Community Historical Society.  Located at 5250 US Hwy. 6 in Portage, Countryside Park was established in 1984.  This 33-acre park site is located in the southwestern part of the city, just east of County Line Road.  The park features a playground, sledding hill, picnic shelter, softball field, disk golf and a fishing pond.  The park also has access to the Prairie Duneland Trail which passes along the southern boundary of the park.  Countryside park is most recognized as the home of the Portage Historical Society and the Alton Goin Historical Museum.  The museum along with the restored structures of the Traeger Homestead create a farm-like setting for visitors to enjoy.  The Museum is a wonderful community resource that captures the history of Portage.  Completed in 2003 and renovated in 2006-07, the museum features numerous displays and artifacts that transport visitors from the early days of settlement to Portage’s arrival as the largest city in Porter County.  The museum is a part of the overall historical theme of Countryside Park and is accompanied by buildings of the 1900 Traeger Homestead.  These historical assets are managed by the Portage Community Historical Society.