Villa Louis facts for kids
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Villa Louis
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Front facade of Villa Louis.
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | Villa Road and Bolvin Street Prairie du Chien, WI |
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| Area | 17 acres (6.9 ha) |
| Built | (1843) 1871 |
| Architect | E. Townsend Mix |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000123 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | October 9, 1960 |
The Villa Louis is a famous old house and estate in Prairie du Chien, southwestern Wisconsin. It's a special place called a National Historic Landmark. Today, it's a history museum run by the Wisconsin Historical Society. The estate looks just like it did in the late 1800s. It was once the home of the important Dousman family. They were descendants of a fur trader and businessman named H. Louis Dousman.
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A Look Back: Villa Louis History
This area was once home to Native American tribes. The Mound Builders lived here, and you can still see a large mound. Later buildings, like old forts and the Dousman family homes, were built on top of this mound. In 1814, a battle called the Siege of Prairie du Chien happened here. American and British soldiers fought for control of Fort Shelby during the War of 1812. After that, Fort Crawford was built on the land.
Later, a man named Hercules L. Dousman bought the land. He was a fur trader, a lumberman, and a smart businessman. In the mid-1840s, he started building his estate. He chose this spot because it was very close to the Mississippi River.
Hercules Dousman's son, Louis, later built the beautiful Villa Louis mansion. It was designed by E. Townsend Mix in 1871. The house is in the Victorian Italianate style.
The Dousman Family Home
The Villa Louis estate started when Hercules Dousman bought the land where Fort Crawford used to be. He cleared away the old fort. In 1843, he built a large brick house in the Greek Revival style. It was built on top of an old Native American mound. This mound was also where an old fort building had stood. Because of this, Hercules Dousman's home was called the "House on the Mound."
Hercules Dousman lived in this house until he passed away in 1868. He was one of the richest men in Wisconsin. His money and property went to his wife, Jane, and his son, Louis.
When Louis inherited the estate, he decided to tear down the "House on the Mound." He wanted a more modern home. In 1871, a new mansion was finished. It had new features like indoor plumbing and central heating. These were very fancy for the time. The new house was built using some parts of the old one. This two-story house, made of Cream City brick, became the home of Louis's mother, Jane. Louis himself moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota soon after the house was built.
In St. Paul, Louis married Nina Sturgis. They later moved to St. Louis, Missouri and had five children. After his mother Jane passed away in 1882, Louis planned to return to Prairie du Chien. He wanted to turn the family estate into a horse farm. He planned to breed Standardbred horses there.
Stables and paddocks were built on the estate. There was also a half-mile racetrack. Louis planned to hold a yearly carriage race on the property. The estate had a special well called an artesian well. So, Louis named his new farm the "Artesian Stock Farm." In 1885, Louis moved back to the estate with his family. The 1871 mansion was updated and redecorated. It was styled after the British Arts and Crafts Movement. A designer from the William Morris Company in London did the work.
Louis's plans for the estate stopped suddenly. He passed away in January 1886, at 37 years old. He left behind his wife and five children. After Louis's death, the horse farm was closed, and the horses were sold. Nina Dousman renamed the estate "Villa Louis" to remember her husband.
In 1888, Nina remarried and moved to New York City. The estate was left empty. Her new marriage did not last. In 1893, she returned to the Midwest with her five Dousman children. Villa Louis was then used as the family's summer home. This continued into the early 1900s. Louis de Vierville Dousman, Louis and Nina's only son, was the last family member to live there. He moved to Billings, Montana in 1913.
Villa Louis as a Museum
The Dousman family stopped living at Villa Louis by 1913. But they still owned the property. For many years, they rented the mansion out. It was even used as a boarding school. In the 1930s, two of Louis Dousman's daughters, Violet and Virginia, started to restore the estate. They wanted it to look like it did in the 1800s.
They then gave the property to the city of Prairie du Chien. This way, the mansion could become a historic house museum. In 1952, the Wisconsin Historical Society took over the site. It became their first historic site.
Today, the Villa Louis historic site includes two other nearby National Historic Landmarks. These are the Brisbois House and the Astor Fur Warehouse. The warehouse is now a museum about the fur trade. The Brisbois house is not open to the public. The site also has the Rolette House, which is also a historic place. Many other buildings built by the Dousmans are part of the Villa Louis estate.
In the 1990s, many old photographs of Villa Louis were found. These photos helped the historical society restore the mansion and other buildings. They used the photos and the original furniture. Much of the furniture was given to the site by the Dousman family. This allowed them to make the home look exactly as it did from 1893 to 1898.
This careful restoration brought national attention to Villa Louis in 1999. It was even featured in Victorian Decorating & Lifestyle magazine. There was also an exhibit about it at the New York School of Interior Design.
The historical society holds several events at Villa Louis. These include a reenactment of the Battle of Prairie du Chien. They also host the Villa Louis Carriage Classic. This is a big carriage driving competition held every September.
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