A log cabin built in Grand Rapids (now Wisconsin Rapids) about the mid-1800s now stands on a rise on the banks of the Wisconsin River at Historic Point Basse. It was discovered on land originally owned by Robert Wakely when an old house was being torn down to make room for a new building. The cabin was found under a more modern facade that covered it. The cabin was given to the members of Historic Point Basse if they would move it. The logs were numbered. The house disassembled, moved to the site and reassembled just like Lincoln logs. A fireplace was added. A local young man did the chinking of the cabin as his Eagle Scout project. It now serves Historic Point Basse as a trading post.
The first business Robert Wakely started was a trading post so he could meet a very real need of supplying the Indians with their needs and a market for their furs. Many new settlers were following the Wakelys to the pinery and also had many needs.
At the trading post, you might find a clerk or a neighbor who is tending the post in the absence of the proprietor. You might also meet a traveler who is passing through with his tales of life on the frontier. You will learn about the life of the attendant or have an opportunity to experience the art of the trade.
At the Pioneer Festival, children are given a piece of fur when they enter the gate that they may take to the trading post to trade for a candy stick. How hard a deal can they drive?