Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Prairie du Chien is a city in and the county seat
of Crawford County, Wisconsin
, United States
. The population was 5,911 at the 2010 census. Its Zip Code is 53821.
Often referred to as Wisconsin's second oldest city, Prairie du Chien was established as a European settlement by French
voyageurs
in the late seventeenth century. The city is located near the confluence of the Wisconsin
and Mississippi River
s, a strategic point along the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway
that connects the Great Lakes
with the Mississippi.
Early French visitors to the site found it occupied by a group of Fox Indians led by a chief
whose name Alim meant Chien in French
(Dog in English
). The French explorers named the location Prairie du Chien, French for "Dog's Prairie". The American anglicized pronunciation is "prairie doo sheen". Originally this name applied only to the plain upon which the settlement is located, but it was later extended to mean the city as well. The city of Prairie du Chien is located between the Town of Prairie du Chien
and the Town of Bridgeport
.
ans to reach Prairie du Chien were the French
explorers Jacques Marquette
and Louis Joliet, who arrived by canoe on June 17, 1673, discovering a route to the Mississippi River
. Later travel between French Canada
and the Mississippi River passed through Prairie du Chien, although routes via the Illinois River
were also used. In 1685, the French explorer Nicolas Perrot
established a trading post
in the area as part of the large and lucrative French fur trade
industry. After Americans entered the trade in the nineteenth century, John Jacob Astor
built the Astor Fur Warehouse
, an important building in the regional fur trade whose business was done in Prairie du Chien. The significance of Prairie du Chien as a center of the fur trade did not diminish until the mid-nineteenth century.
In 1763, when Great Britain
defeated France in the French and Indian War
(part of the Seven Years War), it took "possession" of the French territory in North America
, including Prairie du Chien. The British expanded the fur trade during their occupation of the area. During the American Revolutionary War
, the city was used as meeting point for British troops and their Native American allies. After the American victory, the Treaty of Paris (1783)
granted the area to the new United States of America
, but the British and their Loyalists were slow to withdraw. Only after the War of 1812
did the city become fully American.
The US was slow to present any authority over Prairie du Chien, but late in the War of 1812 when the government realized the importance of holding the site to prevent British attacks from Canada, it began construction of Fort Shelby
in 1814. In July, British soldiers captured the fort during the Siege of Prairie du Chien. The British maintained control over the city until the war's end in 1815. Not wanting another invasion through Prairie du Chien, the Americans constructed Fort Crawford
in 1816.
The fort was the site of the negotiations and signing of the Treaty of Prairie du Chien
(1825 and 1829), by which the Fox
and Sauk ceded much of their land to the US. Representing them and the United Nations of the Chippewa, Ottawa
and Pottawatomie in the 1829 negotiations was Billy Caldwell, of Scots-Irish and Mohawk descent. He became involved with the Pottawatomie after moving to the US as a young man from Canada.
In 1829, the army doctor William Beaumont
carried out many of his famous experiments on digestion
in the hospital
of Fort Crawford. Beaumont's discoveries are still the basis of current knowledge on the human digestive process.
Col. Zachary Taylor
, who later became the 12th U.S. President, was the commanding officer at Fort Crawford during the Black Hawk War
of 1832. Taylor oversaw the surrender of Black Hawk in Prairie du Chien. Lt. Jefferson Davis
, who later became president of the Confederate States of America
, was stationed at Fort Crawford at the same time. Here Jefferson Davis met Zachary Taylor's daughter, Sarah "Knoxie" Taylor
, whom he married in 1835.
Outside the walls of the fort, early nineteenth century life in Prairie du Chien was still dominated by the fur trade. Prairie du Chien's most well-known traders during this time were Michel Brisbois
, Joseph Rolette, Nathan Myrick
, and Hercules L. Dousman
. Dousman built a fortune in the fur trade, which, combined with income from investments in land, steamboats, and railroads, propelled him to become the first millionaire
in Wisconsin. Dousman died in 1868, and his son, H. Louis Dousman
, inherited much of his fortune. In 1870 Louis Dousman used his inheritance to construct a luxurious Victorian mansion over the site of the former Fort Shelby. When Louis died unexpectedly in 1886, his family renamed the home "Villa Louis
" in his memory. The Dousman family continued to occupy the home until 1913. Nearly 40 years later, in 1952, the mansion became Wisconsin's first state-operated historic site.
After the fur trade declined in the mid-nineteenth century, Prairie du Chien's attention shifted to agriculture and the railroad. Although the city was first connected to the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad
in 1857, the width of the Mississippi River posed a challenge for further expansion of the railroad into Iowa. This problem was temporarily solved by disassembling the trains at Prairie du Chien and ferrying them across the river to be put back on the tracks on the other side. A better solution was found by Michael Spettel and John Lawler, who designed a permanent pontoon bridge
to span the river in 1874. Lawler took most of the credit for this invention, and made a small fortune through its operation. Lawler later donated property to establish two Catholic boarding schools in Prairie du Chien, St. Mary's Institute (now Mount Mary College
of Milwaukee
), and Campion High School
in the later part of the century. Campion High School produced several notable alumni including Vicente Fox
, Congressman Leo Ryan
, Governor Patrick Lucey, actors David Doyle
, George Wendt
, and Kevin McCarthy
, and writer Garry Wills
. Campion was closed in 1975.
. It is the only municipality in Wisconsin other than Green Bay
to have been known as a borough, rather than a city, town, or village. The borough existed for a few years before the government stopped operating in 1825
In 1828, the Prairie du Chien area became a part of the Town of St. Anthony, a town which included all of immense Crawford County. (Crawford County itself included all of the western part of Michigan Territory
.) In 1849, the Town of Prairie du Chien was created, consisting of most of present-day Crawford County. The city of Prairie du Chien was then incorporated in 1872.
, on the south by the Wisconsin River
, and on the east-northeast by a series of tall bluffs. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city of Prairie du Chien has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16.4 km²), of which, 5.6 square miles (14.5 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (1.9 km²) of it (11.83%) is water. While the city's area encompasses most of the plain upon which it sits, portions of the plain extend outside city limits. Just north of the city limits, where the plain forms part of the Town of Prairie du Chien
, there is a small unincorporated settlement known locally as "Frenchtown". The plain also extends outside the city southward into the Town of Bridgeport
. Here the plain ends, becoming the wetlands of the Wisconsin River Delta.
Both inside and outside the city limits, backwaters of the Mississippi River occasionally break across the far west side of the plain to form small islands. While most of these islands are too small and flood prone to have ever been inhabited, one larger island just west of downtown Prairie du Chien formed the city's fourth ward until a 1965 flood prompted a mandatory relocation of the island's residents to higher ground. During the relocation project, most buildings with no special historical significance were removed. Now called "St. Feriole Island", the island serves as a 240 acre (0.9712464 km²) city park.
widely found in western Wisconsin.
of 2000, there were 6,018 people, 2,376 households, and 1,473 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,075.9 people per square mile (415.7/km²). There were 2,564 housing units at an average density of 458.4 per square mile (177.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.06% White, 3.61% Black or African American
, 0.28% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races
, and 0.78% from two or more races. 0.88% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 2,376 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples
living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,038, and the median income for a family was $43,444. Males had a median income of $29,595 versus $20,183 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,680. About 6.4% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
s and nine sites on the National Register of Historic Places
representing its significant history. The five Landmarks were the first designated in the state.
It is close to Wyalusing State Park
in Wisconsin, and Effigy Mounds National Monument
and Pikes Peak State Park
in Iowa
, sites of natural and manmade wonders. Its rich history and location by the Mississippi River, make the city a popular destination for tourists. The Prairie Villa Rendezvous, a gathering to recreate the atmosphere of a 19th-century fur trading camp, has been held annually in the city every Father's Day
weekend since 1975, it attracts tens of thousands of visitors.
In 2001, Prairie du Chien gained brief national attention for its first annual New Year's Eve
celebration, during which a carp
from the Mississippi River was dropped from a crane over BlackHawk Avenue at midnight. The "Droppin' of the Carp" celebration has been held every New Year's Eve since.
Hunting
and fishing
have long been popular in the area. The opening of Cabela's
fourth outlet store in the city in 1998 firmly established the city as a destination for sportsmen.
is the Courier Press, which also publishes a weekly shopping supplement distributed to area households and businesses. Other print media in the area includes the Wisconsin-Iowa Shopping News, which is distributed to 19,297 homes and businesses weekly.
Crawford County is in the La Crosse
/Eau Claire
broadcast media market as monitored by ACNielsen
. The local cable
system also carries some channels from the Madison
market and some residents are also able to receive over the air broadcasts from stations in the Cedar Rapids
/Waterloo
/Dubuque
market.
Prairie du Chien is home to WQPC
, a 36,000-watt radio station broadcasting at 94.3FM. The station is located near the banks of the Mississippi River on St. Feriole Island. It has a sister station, WPRE
980 AM. Other stations with strong reception in Prairie du Chien include WHHI
91.3FM, WGLR
97.7FM and KCTN
100.1FM.
cities of its size. Retail, service, and manufacturing jobs employ most of the city's residents. Major employers include 3M
and Cabela's
. State and local government are also major employers, as the city is the site of the Crawford County courthouse
and offices, as well as a state penitentiary. Prairie du Chien has one of Wisconsin's busiest ports on the Mississippi River. Two railroads and a small two-runway municipal airport make the city a transport and shipping hub for the area.
begins in Eagle River
and ends in Prairie du Chien.
St. Feriole Island has a long riverfront with a park, connected to a bike path that goes around the island. Shelters can be used for large events. Across from the Villa Louis is a large open field that was once used as a horse racing
track. On the far end of the field are two large soccer fields. Pets are allowed to run in the large fields as well.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Crawford County, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 5,911 at the 2010 census. Its Zip Code is 53821.
Often referred to as Wisconsin's second oldest city, Prairie du Chien was established as a European settlement by French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
voyageurs
Voyageurs
The Voyageurs were the persons who engaged in the transportation of furs by canoe during the fur trade era. Voyageur is a French word which literally translates to "traveler"...
in the late seventeenth century. The city is located near the confluence of the Wisconsin
Wisconsin River
-External links:* * * , Wisconsin Historical Society* * * *...
and Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
s, a strategic point along the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway
Fox-Wisconsin Waterway
The Fox–Wisconsin Waterway is a waterway formed by the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers. First used by European settlers in 1673 during the expedition of Marquette & Joliet, it was one of the principal routes used by travelers between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River until the completion of the...
that connects the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
with the Mississippi.
Early French visitors to the site found it occupied by a group of Fox Indians led by a chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
whose name Alim meant Chien in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
(Dog in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
). The French explorers named the location Prairie du Chien, French for "Dog's Prairie". The American anglicized pronunciation is "prairie doo sheen". Originally this name applied only to the plain upon which the settlement is located, but it was later extended to mean the city as well. The city of Prairie du Chien is located between the Town of Prairie du Chien
Prairie du Chien (town), Wisconsin
Prairie du Chien is a town in Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,076 at the 2000 census. The City of Prairie du Chien is located partially within the town.-Geography:...
and the Town of Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Wisconsin
Bridgeport is a town in Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 946 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 23.3 square miles , of which, 20.3 square miles of it is land and 3.0 square miles of...
.
History
The first EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans to reach Prairie du Chien were the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
explorers Jacques Marquette
Jacques Marquette
Father Jacques Marquette S.J. , sometimes known as Père Marquette, was a French Jesuit missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Ste. Marie, and later founded St. Ignace, Michigan...
and Louis Joliet, who arrived by canoe on June 17, 1673, discovering a route to the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. Later travel between French Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the Mississippi River passed through Prairie du Chien, although routes via the Illinois River
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
were also used. In 1685, the French explorer Nicolas Perrot
Nicolas Perrot
Nicolas Perrot , explorer, diplomat, and fur trader, was one of the first white men in the upper Mississippi Valley. Born in France, he came to New France around 1660 with Jesuits and had the opportunity to visit Indian tribes and learn their languages...
established a trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
in the area as part of the large and lucrative French fur trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
industry. After Americans entered the trade in the nineteenth century, John Jacob Astor
John Jacob Astor
John Jacob Astor , born Johann Jakob Astor, was a German-American business magnate and investor who was the first prominent member of the Astor family and the first multi-millionaire in the United States...
built the Astor Fur Warehouse
Astor Fur Warehouse
Astor Fur Warehouse, built in 1828, in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin is the only known surviving fur trade warehouse in the upper Mississippi valley.Significant for its use by the American Fur Company, it was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960....
, an important building in the regional fur trade whose business was done in Prairie du Chien. The significance of Prairie du Chien as a center of the fur trade did not diminish until the mid-nineteenth century.
In 1763, when Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
defeated France in the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
(part of the Seven Years War), it took "possession" of the French territory in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, including Prairie du Chien. The British expanded the fur trade during their occupation of the area. During the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, the city was used as meeting point for British troops and their Native American allies. After the American victory, the Treaty of Paris (1783)
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain on the one hand and the United States of America and its allies on the other. The other combatant nations, France, Spain and the Dutch Republic had separate agreements; for details of...
granted the area to the new United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but the British and their Loyalists were slow to withdraw. Only after the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
did the city become fully American.
The US was slow to present any authority over Prairie du Chien, but late in the War of 1812 when the government realized the importance of holding the site to prevent British attacks from Canada, it began construction of Fort Shelby
Fort Shelby (Wisconsin)
Fort Shelby was a United States military installation in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, built in 1814. It was named for Isaac Shelby, Revolutionary War soldier and first governor of Kentucky. The fort was captured by the British during the Siege of Prairie du Chien in July 1814...
in 1814. In July, British soldiers captured the fort during the Siege of Prairie du Chien. The British maintained control over the city until the war's end in 1815. Not wanting another invasion through Prairie du Chien, the Americans constructed Fort Crawford
Fort Crawford
Fort Crawford was an outpost of the United States Army located in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, during the 19th Century. The Second Fort Crawford Military Hospital was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1960....
in 1816.
The fort was the site of the negotiations and signing of the Treaty of Prairie du Chien
Treaty of Prairie du Chien
The Treaty of Prairie du Chien may refer to any of several treaties made and signed in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin between the United States, representatives from the Sioux, Sac and Fox, Menominee, Ioway, Winnebago and the Anishinaabeg Native American peoples.-1825:The first treaty of Prairie du...
(1825 and 1829), by which the Fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
and Sauk ceded much of their land to the US. Representing them and the United Nations of the Chippewa, Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
and Pottawatomie in the 1829 negotiations was Billy Caldwell, of Scots-Irish and Mohawk descent. He became involved with the Pottawatomie after moving to the US as a young man from Canada.
In 1829, the army doctor William Beaumont
William Beaumont
William Beaumont was a surgeon in the U.S. Army who became known as the "Father of Gastric Physiology" following his research on human digestion.-Early life:...
carried out many of his famous experiments on digestion
Digestion
Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into smaller components that are more easily absorbed into a blood stream, for instance. Digestion is a form of catabolism: a breakdown of large food molecules to smaller ones....
in the hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
of Fort Crawford. Beaumont's discoveries are still the basis of current knowledge on the human digestive process.
Col. Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
, who later became the 12th U.S. President, was the commanding officer at Fort Crawford during the Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
of 1832. Taylor oversaw the surrender of Black Hawk in Prairie du Chien. Lt. Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
, who later became president of the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
, was stationed at Fort Crawford at the same time. Here Jefferson Davis met Zachary Taylor's daughter, Sarah "Knoxie" Taylor
Sarah Knox Taylor
Sarah Knox Taylor was the daughter of General Zachary Taylor, later President of the United States and Margaret Taylor, and was married to Jefferson Davis before he became President of the Confederate States of America.While living at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin where her father commanded Fort...
, whom he married in 1835.
Outside the walls of the fort, early nineteenth century life in Prairie du Chien was still dominated by the fur trade. Prairie du Chien's most well-known traders during this time were Michel Brisbois
Michel Brisbois
Michel Brisbois was a French-Canadian voyageur who was active in the upper Mississippi River valley as early as 1781. Originally a fur trader for the Hudson's Bay Company, he eventually settled in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin where he became a baker....
, Joseph Rolette, Nathan Myrick
Nathan Myrick
Nathan Myrick founded La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1841. Myrick was in the fur trade in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin before traveling north to establish a fur trading post in what is now La Crosse. In 1849, he moved to St...
, and Hercules L. Dousman
Hercules L. Dousman
Hercules Louis Dousman was a trader and real-estate speculator who played a large role in the economic development of Wisconsin. He is often called Wisconsin's first millionaire.-Early life and trading activities:...
. Dousman built a fortune in the fur trade, which, combined with income from investments in land, steamboats, and railroads, propelled him to become the first millionaire
Millionaire
A millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth is equal to or exceeds one million units of currency. It can also be a person who owns one million units of currency in a bank account or savings account...
in Wisconsin. Dousman died in 1868, and his son, H. Louis Dousman
H. Louis Dousman
Hercules Louis Dousman II , better known as Louis Dousman, was the son of Wisconsin millionaire Hercules Louis Dousman I. After inheriting his father's wealth, Dousman became a prominent Midwestern socialite and art collector.Louis Dousman was born in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, the son of...
, inherited much of his fortune. In 1870 Louis Dousman used his inheritance to construct a luxurious Victorian mansion over the site of the former Fort Shelby. When Louis died unexpectedly in 1886, his family renamed the home "Villa Louis
Villa Louis
The Villa Louis, also known as Dousman Mansion, is a National Historic Landmark located on St. Feriole island in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Today the site is restored to its appearance during the late 19th Century, when it was the estate of the prominent H. Louis Dousman family. At the center of...
" in his memory. The Dousman family continued to occupy the home until 1913. Nearly 40 years later, in 1952, the mansion became Wisconsin's first state-operated historic site.
After the fur trade declined in the mid-nineteenth century, Prairie du Chien's attention shifted to agriculture and the railroad. Although the city was first connected to the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad , was a Class I railroad that operated in the Midwest and Northwest of the United States from 1847 until its merger into the Soo Line Railroad on January 1, 1986. The company went through several official names...
in 1857, the width of the Mississippi River posed a challenge for further expansion of the railroad into Iowa. This problem was temporarily solved by disassembling the trains at Prairie du Chien and ferrying them across the river to be put back on the tracks on the other side. A better solution was found by Michael Spettel and John Lawler, who designed a permanent pontoon bridge
Pontoon bridge
A pontoon bridge or floating bridge is a bridge that floats on water and in which barge- or boat-like pontoons support the bridge deck and its dynamic loads. While pontoon bridges are usually temporary structures, some are used for long periods of time...
to span the river in 1874. Lawler took most of the credit for this invention, and made a small fortune through its operation. Lawler later donated property to establish two Catholic boarding schools in Prairie du Chien, St. Mary's Institute (now Mount Mary College
Mount Mary College
Mount Mary College is a Catholic women's college based on the liberal arts, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It offers bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, and bachelor of science in nursing in partnership with Columbia College of Nursing degrees in over 60 undergraduate majors, and master of arts,...
of Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
), and Campion High School
Campion High School
Campion Jesuit High School was a Jesuit-run boarding school for boys in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin named for the Jesuit martyr Edmund Campion. The school operated from its founding in 1880 until closing in 1975, and educated several notable figures during its existence. The former school's campus...
in the later part of the century. Campion High School produced several notable alumni including Vicente Fox
Vicente Fox
Vicente Fox Quesada is a Mexican former politician who served as President of Mexico from 1 December 2000 to 30 November 2006 and currently serves as co-President of the Centrist Democrat International, an international organization of Christian democratic political parties.Fox was elected...
, Congressman Leo Ryan
Leo Ryan
Leo Joseph Ryan, Jr. was an American politician of the Democratic Party. He served as a U.S. Representative from California's 11th congressional district from 1973 until he was murdered in Guyana by members of the Peoples Temple shortly before the Jonestown Massacre in 1978.After the Watts Riots...
, Governor Patrick Lucey, actors David Doyle
David Doyle
David Fitzgerald Doyle was an American actor.-Early life:Doyle was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the son of Mary Ruth and Lewis Raymond Doyle, an attorney. His maternal grandfather, John Fitzgerald, was a prominent railroad builder and banker in Nebraska...
, George Wendt
George Wendt
George Robert Wendt III is an American actor, best known for the roles of Norm Peterson and Tug Clarke on the television shows Cheers and Modern Men.-Early life:...
, and Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarthy (actor)
Kevin McCarthy was an American stage, film, and television actor, who appeared in over two hundred television and film roles. For his role in the 1951 film version of Death of a Salesman, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and won a Golden Globe Award for New Star of...
, and writer Garry Wills
Garry Wills
Garry Wills is a Pulitzer Prize-winning and prolific author, journalist, and historian, specializing in American politics, American political history and ideology and the Roman Catholic Church. Classically trained at a Jesuit high school and two universities, he is proficient in Greek and Latin...
. Campion was closed in 1975.
History of municipal government
Prairie du Chien was incorporated as the Borough of Prairie des Chiens on September 17, 1821 by the secretary of the Michigan TerritoryMichigan Territory
The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan...
. It is the only municipality in Wisconsin other than Green Bay
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
to have been known as a borough, rather than a city, town, or village. The borough existed for a few years before the government stopped operating in 1825
In 1828, the Prairie du Chien area became a part of the Town of St. Anthony, a town which included all of immense Crawford County. (Crawford County itself included all of the western part of Michigan Territory
Michigan Territory
The Territory of Michigan was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 30, 1805, until January 26, 1837, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Michigan...
.) In 1849, the Town of Prairie du Chien was created, consisting of most of present-day Crawford County. The city of Prairie du Chien was then incorporated in 1872.
Geography
Prairie du Chien is located within the Mississippi River Valley, upon a long triangular plain that is bounded on the west by the Mississippi RiverMississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, on the south by the Wisconsin River
Wisconsin River
-External links:* * * , Wisconsin Historical Society* * * *...
, and on the east-northeast by a series of tall bluffs. According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city of Prairie du Chien has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16.4 km²), of which, 5.6 square miles (14.5 km²) of it is land and 0.8 square miles (1.9 km²) of it (11.83%) is water. While the city's area encompasses most of the plain upon which it sits, portions of the plain extend outside city limits. Just north of the city limits, where the plain forms part of the Town of Prairie du Chien
Prairie du Chien (town), Wisconsin
Prairie du Chien is a town in Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,076 at the 2000 census. The City of Prairie du Chien is located partially within the town.-Geography:...
, there is a small unincorporated settlement known locally as "Frenchtown". The plain also extends outside the city southward into the Town of Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Wisconsin
Bridgeport is a town in Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 946 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 23.3 square miles , of which, 20.3 square miles of it is land and 3.0 square miles of...
. Here the plain ends, becoming the wetlands of the Wisconsin River Delta.
Both inside and outside the city limits, backwaters of the Mississippi River occasionally break across the far west side of the plain to form small islands. While most of these islands are too small and flood prone to have ever been inhabited, one larger island just west of downtown Prairie du Chien formed the city's fourth ward until a 1965 flood prompted a mandatory relocation of the island's residents to higher ground. During the relocation project, most buildings with no special historical significance were removed. Now called "St. Feriole Island", the island serves as a 240 acre (0.9712464 km²) city park.
Geology
The city gives its name to the Prairie du Chien Dolomite, a layer of dolomiteDolomite
Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
widely found in western Wisconsin.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 6,018 people, 2,376 households, and 1,473 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,075.9 people per square mile (415.7/km²). There were 2,564 housing units at an average density of 458.4 per square mile (177.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.06% White, 3.61% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.28% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.78% from two or more races. 0.88% of the population were Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race.
There were 2,376 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,038, and the median income for a family was $43,444. Males had a median income of $29,595 versus $20,183 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,680. About 6.4% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.7% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
Culture
Prairie du Chien has five National Historic LandmarkNational Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
s and nine sites on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
representing its significant history. The five Landmarks were the first designated in the state.
It is close to Wyalusing State Park
Wyalusing State Park
Wyalusing State Park is a Wisconsin state park at the confluence of the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers in the town of Wyalusing, just south of Prairie du Chien. Wyalusing means "home of the warrior" in the Lenape language spoken by Munsee-Delaware Indians who settled in the area in the 19th...
in Wisconsin, and Effigy Mounds National Monument
Effigy Mounds National Monument
Effigy Mounds National Monument preserves three prehistoric sites in Allamakee County and Clayton County, Iowa in the midwestern United States.-Mounds:...
and Pikes Peak State Park
Pikes Peak State Park
Pikes Peak State Park is a state park of Iowa, USA, featuring a bluff overlooking the Upper Mississippi River opposite the confluence of the Wisconsin River. The park is operated by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. It is nearly a thousand acres in extent. The nearest city is McGregor,...
in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, sites of natural and manmade wonders. Its rich history and location by the Mississippi River, make the city a popular destination for tourists. The Prairie Villa Rendezvous, a gathering to recreate the atmosphere of a 19th-century fur trading camp, has been held annually in the city every Father's Day
Father's Day
Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June but it is also celebrated widely on other days...
weekend since 1975, it attracts tens of thousands of visitors.
In 2001, Prairie du Chien gained brief national attention for its first annual New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
celebration, during which a carp
Carp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
from the Mississippi River was dropped from a crane over BlackHawk Avenue at midnight. The "Droppin' of the Carp" celebration has been held every New Year's Eve since.
Hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
have long been popular in the area. The opening of Cabela's
Cabela's
Cabela's is a direct marketer and specialty retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor recreation merchandise, based in Sidney, Nebraska. It also has "Trophy Properties LLC , "Outdoor Adventures" , and the "Gun Library"...
fourth outlet store in the city in 1998 firmly established the city as a destination for sportsmen.
Media
Prairie du Chien's twice weekly newspaperNewspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
is the Courier Press, which also publishes a weekly shopping supplement distributed to area households and businesses. Other print media in the area includes the Wisconsin-Iowa Shopping News, which is distributed to 19,297 homes and businesses weekly.
Crawford County is in the La Crosse
La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
/Eau Claire
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire is a city located in the west-central part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 65,883 as of the 2010 census, making it the largest municipality in the northwestern portion of the state, and the 9th largest in the state overall. It is the county seat of Eau Claire County,...
broadcast media market as monitored by ACNielsen
ACNielsen
ACNielsen is a global marketing research firm, with worldwide headquarters in New York City. Regional headquarters for North America are located in Schaumburg, Illinois. As of May 2010, it is part of The Nielsen Company.-History:...
. The local cable
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
system also carries some channels from the Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
market and some residents are also able to receive over the air broadcasts from stations in the Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
/Waterloo
Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
/Dubuque
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
market.
Prairie du Chien is home to WQPC
WQPC
WQPC is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin, USA, the station is currently owned by Robinson Corporation and features programing from CNN Radio....
, a 36,000-watt radio station broadcasting at 94.3FM. The station is located near the banks of the Mississippi River on St. Feriole Island. It has a sister station, WPRE
WPRE
WPRE is a radio station broadcasting an Oldies format to the Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, USA area. WPRE began as a daytime only station, but now broadcasts at night with reduced power. The station is licensed to Robinson Corporation which is owned by David and Jane Robinson. WPRE has an FM...
980 AM. Other stations with strong reception in Prairie du Chien include WHHI
WHHI
WHHI is a radio station licensed to Highland, Wisconsin, and serving the Dodgeville area. The station is part of Wisconsin Public Radio , and airs WPR's "Ideas Network", consisting of news and talk programming....
91.3FM, WGLR
WGLR-FM
WGLR-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Lancaster, Wisconsin, USA. The station is currently owned by Morgan Murphy Media and features programing from ABC Radio .-History:...
97.7FM and KCTN
KCTN
KCTN is a commercial radio station that serves the Elkader, Iowa area. The station primarily broadcasts a country music format. KCTN is licensed to Design Homes, Inc....
100.1FM.
Economy
Aside from its somewhat larger than average tourist trade, Prairie du Chien's economy is similar to most other MidwesternMidwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
cities of its size. Retail, service, and manufacturing jobs employ most of the city's residents. Major employers include 3M
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
and Cabela's
Cabela's
Cabela's is a direct marketer and specialty retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor recreation merchandise, based in Sidney, Nebraska. It also has "Trophy Properties LLC , "Outdoor Adventures" , and the "Gun Library"...
. State and local government are also major employers, as the city is the site of the Crawford County courthouse
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
and offices, as well as a state penitentiary. Prairie du Chien has one of Wisconsin's busiest ports on the Mississippi River. Two railroads and a small two-runway municipal airport make the city a transport and shipping hub for the area.
Education
- The Prairie du Chien Area School DistrictPrairie du Chien Area School DistrictThe Prairie du Chien School District is a public school district headquartered in Prairie du Chien, in Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States. It serves the city of Prairie du Chien as well as the nearby town of Bridgeport and the village of Eastman. The district comprises three schools, all...
serves the area. - Maurice Oehler, a high school chemistry teacher from Prairie du Chien, founded the National Mole DayMole DayMole Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated among chemists on October 23, between 6:02 AM and 6:02 PM, making the date 6:02 10/23 in the American style of writing dates...
Foundation.
Recreation
The annual 7-day, 500-mile supported bike tour of Wisconsin known as GRABAAWRGrabaawr
The Great Annual Bicycle Adventure Along the Wisconsin River is a 500-mile, 7-day supported bicycle tour of Wisconsin from Eagle River to Prairie du Chien. It has been run in the last week of June, for 21 consecutive years by the Bike Wisconsin organization.The 2006 tour had 900 registrants from...
begins in Eagle River
Eagle River
-Streams:In the United States:*Eagle River , any one of three rivers*Eagle River , a tributary of the Colorado River*Eagle River , a river flowing into Lake Superior*Eagle River , a tributary of the Wisconsin River...
and ends in Prairie du Chien.
St. Feriole Island has a long riverfront with a park, connected to a bike path that goes around the island. Shelters can be used for large events. Across from the Villa Louis is a large open field that was once used as a horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
track. On the far end of the field are two large soccer fields. Pets are allowed to run in the large fields as well.
Notable people
- Barbara BedfordBarbara Bedford (actor)Barbara Bedford was born in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin and was educated in Chicago, where she graduated from Lake View High School....
(1908–1981), silent film and Western actress - Nicholas BoilvinNicholas BoilvinNicholas Boilvin was a 19th-century American frontiersman, fur trader and U.S. Indian Agent. He was the first appointed agent to the Winnebagos, as well as the Sauk and Fox, and one of the earliest pioneers to settle in present-day Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. His sons Nicholas Boilvin, Jr. and...
(1761–1827), 19th century American frontiersman - Pat BowlenPat BowlenPatrick Dennis Bowlen is the Majority Owner, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Denver Broncos. The Bowlen Family, including his two brothers and sister, purchased the team from Edgar Kaiser in 1984 and saved the team from possible bankruptcy.-Biography:Pat's father, Paul D...
(b. 1944), owner of the Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Michel BrisboisMichel BrisboisMichel Brisbois was a French-Canadian voyageur who was active in the upper Mississippi River valley as early as 1781. Originally a fur trader for the Hudson's Bay Company, he eventually settled in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin where he became a baker....
(1759–1837), voyageur - Walter Bradford CannonWalter Bradford CannonWalter Bradford Cannon, M.D. was an American physiologist, professor and chairman of the Department of Physiology at Harvard Medical School. He coined the term fight or flight response, and he expanded on Claude Bernard's concept of homeostasis...
(1871–1945), physiologist who first developed the concepts of fight or flightFight or FlightFight or Flight may refer to:* Fight-or-flight response, the biological response of animals to acute stress* "Fight or Flight!" , a song off the album Aneurythm by the American hard rock band Living Syndication...
and homeostasisHomeostasisHomeostasis is the property of a system that regulates its internal environment and tends to maintain a stable, constant condition of properties like temperature or pH... - Hercules Louis Dousman (1800–1868), real estate speculator and Wisconsin's first millionaire
- Wiram KnowltonWiram KnowltonWiram Knowlton was an American politician and jurist from Wisconsin.Born in Canandaigua, New York, Knowlton moved to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, where he practiced. During the Mexican-American War, he raised a company of men, but they were stationed in Prairie du Chien during the war for frontier...
(1816–1863), Wisconsin Supreme Court - Daniel W. LawlerDaniel W. Lawler-Biography:Lawler was born Daniel William Lawler on March 28, 1859 in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. He would become a lawyer. Lawler passed away on September 15, 1926. He was Roman Catholic.-Political career:...
, Mayor of Saint Paul, MinnesotaSaint Paul, MinnesotaSaint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city... - Henry LeavenworthHenry LeavenworthHenry Leavenworth was an American soldier active in the War of 1812 and early military expeditions against the Plains Indians...
(1783–1834), U.S. army officer in the War of 1812War of 1812The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
and against the Plains IndiansPlains IndiansThe Plains Indians are the Indigenous peoples who live on the plains and rolling hills of the Great Plains of North America. Their colorful equestrian culture and resistance to White domination have made the Plains Indians an archetype in literature and art for American Indians everywhere.Plains... - Patrick Joseph LuceyPatrick Joseph LuceyPatrick Joseph Lucey is a member of the United States Democratic Party who served as the 38th Governor of the US state of Wisconsin from 1971 to 1977. In 1977, he was appointed ambassador to Mexico by President Jimmy Carter, a post he held until 1979...
(b. 1918), U.S. diplomat; 38th Governor of Wisconsin (1971–1977) - Thomas Mower McDougallThomas Mower McDougallThomas Mower McDougall was an officer in the United States Army who took part in the Battle of Little Bighorn.-Biography:McDougall was born on May 21, 1845 in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. His father was Charles McDougall. McDougall would marry a woman named Alice, who died in 1920. He would pass...
(1845–1909), U.S. Army officer - John MuirJohn MuirJohn Muir was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, have been read by millions...
(1838–1914), conservationistConservationistConservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
and founder of the Sierra ClubSierra ClubThe Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president... - Leo J. Ryan (1925–1978), U.S. Representative from CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
- Joseph M. StreetJoseph M. StreetGeneral Joseph Montfort Street was a 19th-century American pioneer, trader and US Army officer. During the 1820s and 1830s, he was also a U.S. Indian Agent to the Winnebago and later to the Sauk and Fox tribes after the Black Hawk War. His eldest son was Joseph H.D...
(1782–1840), U.S. Army officer and U.S. Indian agent to the WinnebagoHo-ChunkThe Ho-Chunk, also known as Winnebago, are a tribe of Native Americans, native to what is now Wisconsin and Illinois. There are two federally recognized Ho-Chunk tribes, the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska....
, Sauk, and Fox tribes after the Black Hawk WarBlack Hawk WarThe Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S.... - Jeremiah Burnham TainterJeremiah Burnham TainterJeremiah Burnham Tainter was an inventor and engineer known for having designed the Tainter gate in 1886. He began his work in hydrology in 1862, with the modification of pre-existing mill pond dams in Menomonie.-References:*...
(1836–1920), engineerEngineerAn engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
who invented the Tainter gateTainter gateThe Tainter gate is a type of radial arm floodgate used in dams and canal locks to control water flow. It is named for Wisconsin structural engineer Jeremiah Burnham Tainter.... - Ormsby B. ThomasOrmsby B. ThomasOrmsby Brunson Thomas was a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin.-Early life:Thomas was born in Sandgate, Vermont, and he moved with his parents to Wisconsin in 1836. He attended the common schools and Burr Seminary, Manchester, Vermont. He was graduated from the State and National Law School in...
, U.S. Representative - William Miller WallaceWilliam Miller WallaceWilliam Miller Wallace was a Brigadier General in the United States Army.-Biography:Wallace was born on January 9, 1844 in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. He would marry Alice Knight on January 18, 1871. Wallace died on November 24, 1924 and is buried with Alice at Arlington National...
(1844–1924), U.S. Army general - WapelloWapello (chief)Wapello was a Native American chief of the Meskwaki tribe.-Early life:Wapello was born in 1787 at Prairie du Chien, in what is now the state of Wisconsin...
(1787–1842), Native American chief of the Fox tribe - Brad Williams (mnemonist) (b. 1956) Super Long Memory
- Jefferson DavisJefferson DavisJefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
President of the Confederate States of America, was stationed at Fort Crawford in the 1830's - Zachary TaylorZachary TaylorZachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
12th President of the United States, was the commanding officer of Fort Crawford during the Black Hawk War of 1832. Taylor oversaw the surrender of Chief Black Hawk. - William BeaumontWilliam BeaumontWilliam Beaumont was a surgeon in the U.S. Army who became known as the "Father of Gastric Physiology" following his research on human digestion.-Early life:...
, Army Doctor in the 1820's, Carried out experiments on the human digestion system at the Fort Crawford hospital. Beaumont's work is still the foundation of knowledge on the Human digestive stem