Our History

Some of the information contained in this narrative was taken from the book "The History of Ossian and Military Township", researched and recorded by C.C. Cornell.

Ossian, a city located in Winneshiek County, was founded by John Ossian Porter. John Ossian Porter, born in New York State, migrated to Winneshiek County, probably in the late 1840s or early 1850s. Mr. Porter purchased property which bordered on the "Military Trail"; a road connecting Fort Crawford, WI and Fort Atkinson, IA.When the Porter's youngest son was born in 1855, he was named Ossian. This same year the Village of Ossian was founded.

"Ossian" is described in the encyclopedia dictionary as: "A legendary Irish hero and bard of the third century, subject of a cycle of poems by James MacPherson, published 1760 to 1768. Legendary or not, Ossian the Bard, is a well know tradition in Ireland. Quite likely, Porter, though born in New York State, was of Irish ancestry.

Our town's name is not unique. There is an Ossian, Indiana and at one time an Ossian, New York was in existence.

Ossian was actually incorporated on February 7, 1876. Sixty-Seven voted for the incorporation and fifty-seven against. At the time there were 475 people living in Ossian.

Because of Ossian's location on the Military Trail, it was a center for railroad trails. Even in 1928, there were 12 daily trains passing through; eight passenger and four freight. Today the railroad still passes through with just freight trains.