Rt. Rev. Terry Landsgaard gave an overview of the history and significance of the sites. As the afternoon drew to a close, over 55 members of the audience in a caravan of 25 cars headed into the threatening skies and windy outdoors. At the former Turkey River Indian Subagency a heavy rain began to fall. Undeterred, the Rev. Terry Landsgaard lectured on the Winnebago school to eager but rain-soaked listeners who trudged up the muddy road. Approximately 250 Indian children and adults attended the school. Their families lived along the Turkey River, in nearby woodlands and along tributaries like the Bass Creek.

The large caravan meandered its way over muddy roads to the nearby Huber family homestead. Ruth Huber Pavlovec and Helen Huber Langreck shared stories of their growing up in this old late 1850’s limestone house that served as post office and road house during those early decades of European settlement in the area. Helen and Ruth spoke of the nearby Indian burials and their strong desire to respect these sacred spaces. Their love of the old stone house of their childhood shined through their emotionally remarks. Rev. Landsgaard emphasized the historical significance of this site to both the Winnebago and the European settlers.

The Chapel of St. Anthony de Padua, the smallest church, was the third stop. Rev. Landsgaard recited the story of the soldier in Napoleon’s Army in Russia who promised to build a chapel for prayer, if he could escape the harsh northern winter and the constantly threatening Russian forces. The Chapel grounds contains the only known remaining building from the Turkey River Subagency.

According to Tom Huber, the Huber family had it professionally restored in the 1980s. It was moved from the Zeno Huber farm to the present site. The tour participants engaged in a lively conversation about Winnebago living at and near this site along the Turkey River until the post-World War II period and of Winnebago burials in nearby woodlands.

The rain did not prevent the group from visiting the Winnebago former living site at the confluence of the Bass Creek with the Turkey River. Thirty persons stood under a beautiful burr oak tree as they exchanged stories of Winnebago presence until recent decades.

Clair Blong recalled “Lee Stammeyer, now 97 years old, who as a teenager, saw the Winnebago erect three large tents in the 1930s at this Turkey River site and they spend the summer hunting, fishing and occasional farm work in exchange of chickens and piglets”. The group spontaneously gathered in a large circle under this mighty oak tree and continued their animated discussion of historic cross-cultural encounters for nearly an hour as the summer solstice approached.