Feel free to hike the trails that wind in and around this community of historic farmsteads offering beautiful overlooks of Lake Michigan, passing old barns, farmhouses, milk houses and sugar shacks. Field guides are available at the Olsen House to help you get the most from your tour.

About Port Oneida

Past and present influences of man and nature, in both the buildings and the landscape, are evident throughout the Port Oneida Rural Historic District. First settled in 1852, this historic community is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance in agriculture, ethnic heritage and European settlement which can be experienced through the 22 farmsteads, two cemeteries, two schoolhouses, a log structure and two individual barns. The spatial relationships of historic structures in the district are primarily defined by topography and vegetation. Lake Michigan is an overarching presence, a significant influence on climate and the sensory experience of the visitor, and it played a vital role in the development of the community.

Port Oneida was named after the S.S. ONEIDA of New York state, the first ship to land at the village dock (originally located near the Burfiend Farm) to replenish food supplies and wood fuel. At one time several other buildings existed which are long gone. In order to survive, the settlers of Port Oneida employed diverse subsistence activities. Fishing, logging, farming, maple syrup and dairy production, even working on a life-saving rescue crew were some of the occupations any one settler might engage in to make a living. Farming was difficult however, due to sandy soils, with the exception of lucrative potato crops that thrived in those conditions. These early settlers worked long and hard to make their way in this small community of 87 people, at its heyday. Their life can be appreciated through the landscape and structures that remain.