Norwegians and Indians.

Before the arrival of the first white settler to this area, the land had been the hunting ground of the Winnebago Indians, who gave up title to the territory in a treaty in 1837 with the United States government. Many of the Indians continued to live in the Westby area, keeping a watchful eye on the whites as they built their homes and established farms.

As the years went by, the Indians and the whites became friends and today, many of Westby citizens can trace their ancestry back to one of these early Indian settlers.

For hundreds of years, Indians traveled through Westby on a trail that went from Black River Falls to Prairie du Chien. Today Highway 27 and Black River Avenue are located where the old Indian trail once was.

Evelyn Larson cartoon from the Westby Times dated May 8, 2008.
Even Gullord, Westby's first settler, is depicted establishing his claim on Coon Prairie.