Astor Fur Warehouse facts for kids
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Astor Fur Warehouse
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin |
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| Built | 1828 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000800 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | October 9, 1960 |
The Astor Fur Warehouse is a very old building in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. It is located on St. Feriole Island, near the Mississippi River. This warehouse was built in 1828 by Jean Joseph Rolette. He worked for the American Fur Company.
The warehouse was used for trading animal furs until the middle of the 1800s. Today, it is part of the Villa Louis museum. This building is special because it is the only known fur trade warehouse still standing in the upper Mississippi valley. It is now a National Historic Landmark.
Contents
What the Warehouse Looks Like
This warehouse has two stories. It was built using limestone found nearby. The front of the building faces the Mississippi River. It has three sections, or "bays," with windows.
A wooden beam runs across the front of the building. It separates the windows on the first floor from those on the second floor. The corners of the building have special stone blocks called "quoins." These blocks make the corners look strong and decorative.
On the north side of the warehouse, there is a staircase. This staircase leads to an entrance on the second floor. Inside, the building has three rooms, one on each floor. A special hoist system was used to move furs between these floors.
History of the Fur Trade
Prairie du Chien's Fur Trade Beginnings
Prairie du Chien became an important place for trading furs in the 1700s. This was mainly because French and Canadian traders used the Mississippi River. After 1763, British companies started to control the fur trade. Many traders were still of French background. There were also many people of mixed European and Native American heritage.
The North West Company, a British firm, was very important in the city. They built an office and warehouse around 1805.
American Fur Company Takes Over
In 1816, a new U.S. law changed things. It stopped foreign companies from trading furs in the Louisiana Territory. This greatly limited British and Canadian companies. John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company saw this as a chance to grow.
They opened a trading post in Prairie du Chien in 1817. Soon, they became the main fur trading company on the Upper Mississippi River. Jean Joseph Rolette was their first agent in the city. He built the Astor Fur Warehouse around 1828.
Decline of the Fur Trade
During the 1820s and 1830s, the American Fur Company controlled the fur trade. They grew their business across the Louisiana Territory. In 1842, Rolette and two partners started their own fur trading business. It was also called the American Fur Company. This new company rented the warehouse from the original company.
Over the next 20 years, the fur trade in Prairie du Chien started to slow down. Rolette's company eventually closed its warehouse. After that, the building was used for many different things. It was a warehouse, a store, and even a machine shop for about 100 years.
In 1960, the Astor Fur Warehouse was named a National Historic Landmark. It opened as a historical museum in 1976.
See also
