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's located on St. Feriole Island, right by the Mississippi River. This building was once a busy place where animal furs were stored. It was built in 1828 by Jean Joseph Rolette, who worked for the American Fur Company.
The warehouse was used until the mid-1800s. Today, it is part of the Villa Louis museum. It's special because it's the only fur trade warehouse left from that time in the upper Mississippi valley. It's even called a National Historic Landmark, which means it's a very important historical site.
What the Warehouse Looks Like
The Astor Fur Warehouse has two floors. It was built using limestone found right in the area. The front of the building has three sections, or "bays," and it faces the Mississippi River.
A wooden beam runs across the front, separating the windows on the first and second floors. This beam might have been inspired by a style called Greek Revival architecture. The corners of the building have special stone blocks called "quoins." On the north side, there's a staircase that goes up to an entrance on the second floor. Inside, each floor is one big room. A hoist system was used to move furs between the floors.
A History of Fur Trading
Prairie du Chien became a major center for fur trading in the 1700s. This was mostly because of the French and Canadian fur trade along the Mississippi River. After 1763, British companies took control of this trade. Many of the traders were of French background, and some were people of mixed European and Native American heritage.
The North West Company was very important in the city. They built an office and warehouse there around 1805. But in 1816, a new U.S. law changed things. It stopped foreign companies from trading furs in the Louisiana Territory. This greatly limited the role of British and Canadian companies in the Mississippi River trade.
John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company saw this as an opportunity. They opened a trading post in Prairie du Chien in 1817. Soon, they became the most powerful fur trading company on the Upper Mississippi. Jean Joseph Rolette was their first agent in the city. He built the Astor Fur Warehouse around 1828.
In the 1820s and 1830s, the American Fur Company continued to lead the fur trade. They grew their influence 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 firm.
Over the next 20 years, the fur trade in Prairie du Chien began to slow down. Rolette's company eventually closed its warehouse. For the next century, the building was used for different things, like a general warehouse, a store, and a machine shop.
The Astor Fur Warehouse was named a National Historic Landmark in 1960. It then opened as a historical museum in 1976, helping people learn about its important past.
See also
