Point of the Past

07/27/2026

Love this!

07/24/2026

07/24/2026

This morning PVT. Blonien’s remains will be escorted through Rudolph by the Rolling Thunder Riders.

07/12/2026

Step into the past with Saturday Stroll Through History, a guided walking tour of Heritage Park in Plover at 10:30 AM on Saturday July 11, 25, August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and September 12. The tour begins at the General Store, where your docent will introduce you to the park’s rich history before leading you through 11 historic buildings - including a one-room schoolhouse, railroad depot, barn, and more. Each building offers a unique glimpse into life in Portage County's past.

The 90-minute tour concludes with the special exhibit, Rhythms of the River: The History of Music in Portage County, which celebrates the songs, sounds, and musical traditions that have shaped the community.

Whether you're a first-time visitor or a local history buff, this immersive experience offers something for everyone! Stroll with them and discover the rhythms of the past that still echo today.

For tickets and additional information, visit Portage County Historical Society!

📸: Portage County Historical Society

07/09/2026

Well, the GOOD news is that the air quality is better than it was last year. The BAD news is that I still have to work around our wonderful Wisconsin weather- which has been challenging this season. Sincerely, it's not the heat, it's the humidity, right?! Now in my sixth cleaning season, I'm still surprised by the challenges, but enjoy finding ways to make it work.

Right now, I'm getting out there and catching up on the requests for stone care from you and have been enjoying beautiful and solemn moments of purpose with every visit. After this weekend, I should be caught up on my 'backlog' and will continue caring for the stones that find me, reaching out to families for permissions, and researching as I go!

If you have family members buried in ANY Portage County cemetery and would like me to check on them, message this page to get started. I spend much of my time at Forest Cemetery, but there are more than a dozen other spaces I visit and work in regularly, and I'm happy to visit your loved ones and update you on the condition of their monuments, even if they don't need cleaning or care!

I also have VERY limited availability for private tours at Forest Cemetery from August through October. If you'd like a small group tour, contact me now because those opportunities will go quickly, and I won't be adding more! I'm expanding to other cemeteries next season (again, on a VERY limited basis to start) and look forward to sharing even more of our stories from the past with you.

I miss sharing here and will keep working on ways to tell our stories in other ways and spaces. Thank you for being here and for all of your support of Point of the Past, and for me in the present!

- Jen

06/30/2026

What a wonderful & unique way to celebrate someone's life!

06/27/2026

It was a near-perfect evening for our Twilight Tour last night! We shared accounts of remarkable women who helped shape our community and sweet children, lost too young in too many ways. We were lucky enough to have a sweet newborn on the tour, and she helped balance the sadness brought by those stories. Thank you to everyone for joining us- if you had a favorite story or a photo you'd like to share, I'd love that!

I'd like to extend a special thanks to the Portage County Historical Society for making these tours possible; being disabled, I literally couldn't do it without them. Get on their mailing list for the most up-to-date info about my tours and their other events!

Save the date for next month's tour on Friday, July 24th! Watch for the official theme announcement, but it's a whole new tour with a whole new group of community members to meet. I'll see you in the cemetery soon. 🪦🪦🪦

06/26/2026

I was treated to a stunning sunset at the cemetery last night! Will we get an encore tonight at our Twilight Tour? Fingers crossed, but even if we don't, every night is a beautiful night at Forest Cemetery.

There are just a couple of tickets left, so grab yours NOW! Each tour is unique, and I'm looking forward to sharing some new people with you as we enjoy a summer stroll together. Thank you so much for supporting me, the Portage County Historical Society, and our shared history. -Jen

06/24/2026

I'm looking forward to Friday's tour and hope to see some of you there!

We hope you enjoyed Heritage Days last weekend! That was the kickoff to an amazing slate of summer programming here with PCHS.

This Friday, join us for two summer events: Family Fridays and a Forest Cemetery Twilight Tour!

🏚️Family Friday: Early Occupations
📍Heritage Park, 2700 Madison Ave, Plover
🕐️ Friday, June 26, 1-4pm
Discover the jobs and trades that helped build Portage County, including blacksmiths, farmers, and lumber workers.

🪦Forest Cemetery Twilight Tour: Women & Children First
📍Forest Cemetery, 2135 Patch Street, Stevens Point
🕖️ Friday, June 27, 7pm
Join PCHS and local cemetery researcher Jen Brilowski at Forest Cemetery in Stevens Point for an evening stroll through the second-largest cemetery in Portage County.

Each tour shares unique tales of tragedy and loss, as well as eternal love and triumph. You’ll be reminded of stories you might have heard before and hear untold tales you’ll never forget.

Space for these tours is extremely limited, and the tickets sell out fast.

Women and Children First - Stories of the women who shaped our community and fond remembrances of children who may have been lost too soon.

Click the link below for more information and to purchase tickets!