Looking Back

Prairie du Chien proudly showcases heritage and tradition that enriches the lives of visitors and local residents alike. Native American tribes inhabited the fertile riverbanks and surrounding bluffs of the region for centuries. As early as the 1600s, European explorers and trappers traveled the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers with prime access to trading rendezvous.

In 1673, Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet claimed the land in the Prairie du Chien area for France. The name the French gave to the prairie was “la Prairie des Chiens.” It means “Prairie of the dog,” and was named for the dog clan of the Mesquaki (Fox) Indian tribe who inhabited the prairie. To our knowledge, Prairie du Chien is the only community in the world with that name.

The first French settlers came from Canada and developed fur-trading forts beginning in 1685. The French Canadians who settled here often married Native American women and the two cultures coexisted in harmony. In 1763, the Treaty of Paris, which ended the French and Indian War, also brought the first British settlers to the region.

The territory ceded to the United States during the War of 1812. Fort Shelby was built to secure the area, but it was burned in July 1814, during the only War of 1812 battle fought in Wisconsin. Fort Crawford was built in 1816 on an Indian mound, now the site of historic Villa Louis. Fur trader Hercules Dousman developed the estate in 1840, and Fort Crawford was rebuilt on higher ground near the present site of Fort Crawford Museum.

Prairie du Chien became a significant gathering point for fur trapping and trading in the Upper Mississippi Valley. As the western anchor of a waterway that connected Green Bay, Wisconsin and the Great Lakes with the Mississippi River, the settlement was a primary destination for economic and social interaction. Large numbers of Native Americans, traders and trappers encamped on the prairie in the spring and fall to conduct business and to have fun. Games of la crosse, with hundreds of players on each side, were held during the rendezvous events. It was understood by all that during those times, arms were not to be used and that peace would prevail on the prairie.

The railroad arrived in Prairie du Chien in 1857 to spur economic growth and social life for over a century. Railroad excursions became very popular from 1890 to 1910. Countless people arrived in the city by train for events like the Ringling Circus, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and Great Railroad Excursion.

In the mid-19th century, regional trade fueled Prairie du Chien’s continued growth. Historic fur trading has been replaced with industries, which promote modern communication, service, retail, tourism and agriculture.