August 26, 1874: Zona Gale was born in Portage on this date. She was nationally acclaimed for her articles, novels, short stories and plays. Gale began her career as a newspaper writer in Milwaukee and New York. She returned to Portage in 1905 to devote her time to writing, using Wisconsin as the background for most of her work. She received the Pulitzer Prize in 1921 for her play, "Miss Lulu Bett." Gale was a member of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. Died December 27, 1938.