Ossian

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 still 12 daily trains passing through; eight passenger and four freight.  Today the railroad still passes through with just freight trains.

Various dates showing how Ossian progressed through the years:

• 1882     Telephone established in the community.
• 1888     Installed street lights powered with oil.
• 1898     Actual fire department established with pumpers and a building to house equipment.
• 1912     Horse and buggy were still the main form of transportation, but automobiles became more common.
• 1913     Oil street lights were replaced with electric lights.
• 1917     The town installed a municipal water system with a 60,000 gallon water tower.  This tower was replaced

                      in 1988 with a 150,000 gallon water tower.

• 1923     The first municipal sanitary sewer system was installed.  This was upgraded twice; once in 1949 and again in 1990.

                                             Population of Ossian through the years:

            1876   -    476                 1910   -   749                1950   -    804                 2010   -   845

            1880   -    444                 1915   -   850                1960   -    827                 2020   -   802

            1885   -    519                 1920   -   858                1970   -    847

            1890   -    609                 1925   -   842                1980   -    829

            1895   -    638                 1930   -   740                1990   -    810

            1900   -    670                 1940   -   806                2000   -    853