Agency House Flag Day Luncheon and Speaker

The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of Wisconsin (NSCDA-WI) will again host their annual Flag Day Celebration Picnic & Program on Saturday, June 15 on the lawn of the newly restored 1832 Winnebago Indian Agency, which the Wisconsin Dames have proudly owned and operated since 1932.
 
This patriotic event begins with a social hour at 11:30, an open-air luncheon at noon, with the program to follow.  An al fresco lunch will be catered by Portage’s Trail’s Lounge, with a build-your-own-sandwich bar  with fresh rolls, turkey, ham and an assortment of "fixins," pasta salad and fresh fruit, your choice of tea or lemonade, and a cherry cheesecake dessert.  The program portion of the day will begin with a ceremonial raising of the United States flag by visiting Girl Scouts, followed by featured speaker Peter Shrake, active and invaluable site volunteer, historian and author of the recent Wisconsin Magazine of History front page article, "The Silver Man: John H. Kinzie and the Fort Winnebago Indian Agency."  
 
Shrake, a longtime scholar of 19th century Indian-white relations and a trained historian and archivist, recently collaborated with museum consultant Anna Rusk to produce an updated furnishing plan that would support the Historic Indian Agency House's newly expanded guided tour.   Among the tour's enhancements: a more complete interpretation of the many and varied duties of Indian Agent Kinzie--complete with new and authentically crafted reproduction artifacts e researched, purchased (using grant monies) and, in one instance, even built by Mr. Shrake himself. 
 
As our Flag Day featured guest, he will present a show-and-tell discussion of many of these artifacts (including a set of fascinating "Indian peace medals") explaining the reasoning and meaning behind each carefully thought-out addition.  
 
Finally, a limited number of copies of the Wisconsin Magazine of History edition featuring Shrake's "Silver Man" article will be available for purchase and signing. 
 
Mr. Shrake is currently the archivist of Circus World’s Robert L. Parkinson Research Library in Baraboo, Wisconsin.
 
The public is invited and welcome to attend this event, but please note that there is a $20 per person fee to attend ($15 for members of the HIAH Supporters group). Reservations are required and can be made at 608-742-6362. 
 
Please join us for a day of patriotic camaraderie in a lush and peaceful setting imbued with American history and culture.