Tag: Madison Wisconsin

Exploring Prairie Du Chien: Wisconsin’s Historic Gem

by msminnie72, posted in Wisconsin

If you’ve been following along, you’ll know that we left off with crossing the mighty Mississippi and we went to Wisconsin.

The Second Oldest Town in Wisconsin

The city Prairie Du Chien dates back to 1785. Our last stop on this trip in Wisconsin was the historic Villa Louis. We visited the estate of Hercules Louis Dousman who is often called Wisconsin’s first millionaire. This estate is nestled along the banks of the Mississippi River. You feel like you’re walking onto the set of Downton Abby with its elegant Victorian country home. Imagine this without the British accents. The house was opened to the public as a museum in 1935. I am a sucker for anything old, so walking through this old house was definitely on my bucket list.

We began our tour of the office building. It originally started with one floor and later a second floor was added. The first floor was a man cave. It was complete with a billiard table used by both men and women. The second floor was used for guest bedrooms.

The estate has been restored to the 1890 glory days complete with period furniture and heirloom gardens. The beautiful lawns outside that once housed a horse racetrack now looks like it can host a polo match.

The wraparound porch caught my eye immediately. I could imagine sitting here with a cup of tea, reading a good book and enjoying the views outside.

Can you imagine receiving guests in the parlor? You could host a lot of guests in this room although the chairs don’t look very comfortable.

They had indoor plumbing which yells, I have a lot of money. Check out the size of the tub! I would drown in it!
The grand dining room. Everything is original and changed out periodically.
It was not uncommon for girls to share a room together. I think most girls today would be okay with it given the size of the room.
Check out the detail of the carpet design.
So much wall paper everywhere.

Servants

I can imagine Thomas Barrow and crew from Downton Abby spilling the tea here during their dinner time.

Many women felt fortunate to work in such a grand house. As the sign reads “It offered the ability to improve English language skills, learn American housekeeping and general absorb and master American cultural norms.”

Some servants made their home here while others came to work for a day, week or a season. Monthly wages depended on your skill. House maids made $10-$12 a month, and gardeners made $30. Estate management made even more. I can’t imagine making so little, but their room and board were covered as well as their meals. The servant’s quarters were a stark difference from the main house. There were thinner walls and lower ceilings. Multiple doors and locks separated these spaces.

Gardens


This Arteisan Well was completed in 1876. It is the largest of two wells located on site. Both of the wells had been plumbed into the estate buildings at one time. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=284831059236817
This was the only battle of 1812 that was fought on Wisconsin soil. They do still have reenactments here as well.

If you have a couple of hours to spare, step back and tour the mansion. Touring the grounds is also recommended. Admission is only $15 and well worth the money. I wish we could have stayed longer, but we were on a time constraint. So, if you’re like me and like to pretend that you’re stepping back in time to live like royalty you have to visit. I really did feel like I walked onto the set of Downton Abby.

Madison

We love Wisconsin! More specifically, Madison. Why? The history, cheese, the dells, cheese. I’m kidding, but in all seriousness, Wisconsin was full of so many surprises that we left and came back! If it is not on your bucket list by the end of this blog, maybe it should be.

We stayed at Madison Campground in Deforrest, It looks like it is a former KOA. The campground was nice and the staff were great as well.

We didn’t spend a lot of time outside due to the humidity. Each site had a lot of space, so you were not on top of each other.
The art was unique around the park.
Two playgrounds designated for different ages. There was a pool here as well.
This is a nice group picnic area if you have a large group.

Any cow lovers out there? I’m definitely a Holstein cow lover. That’s why we had to stop to take this picture. We did this before going in and getting some cheese at the Ehlenbach’s Cheese Chalet https://ehlenbachscheese.com/ .

Talking about cheese, Madisonians take their cheese seriously. I have never seen so much cheese in one place. I was overwhelmed by what I wanted to buy.

After careful consideration, I ended up buying cheeses that I knew I could be creative with.

  • Smoked Bacon Cheddar Cheese (This was great to make Mac and Cheese)
  • Rosemary Olive Oil Asiago (This was great to use with pasta)
  • Chocolate Cheese Fudge (This was just for fun because I couldn’t believe that cheese tasted like fudge)

Fun Facts about traveling with cheese:

  • Cheese can travel outside of refrigeration. It must be kept at room temperature. It should be kept out of direct sunlight.
  • If traveling by airplane, it is usually best if you can pack your cheese in your checked luggage.

I would definitely come back to buy more cheese. I really envy Wisconsinites who have access to all of these creative cheeses.

It’s Totally Free!

What is the tallest building in the city? If you said the state capital, you would be correct. It is located in the center of Madison. That area is actually on an isthmus. An isthmus is a strip of land between two lakes.

We joined a free guided tour which showed us the Supreme Court chambers and legislative rooms. We also found the governor’s office to see where everything gets signed.

As you can see, the capital was under renovations. The dome is the only state capital with a granite dome. It’s a gorgeous white granite from Vermont. The dome is huge and elegant. It is technically taller than the one in D.C. , standing at a tall 284 feet which is 3 feet taller than the U.S. Capital.

This building is the third capital building for the state and it was completed in 1917 for $7.2 million.

Inside you will find murals, mosaics, stained glass, and enough marble to make Italy jealous.

When you are in the capital, look up into the Rotunda. You’ll see four massive murals. They represent key themes of democracy: Government, Justice, Education, and Liberty.

In the center of the inner dome is the painting of “Resources of Wisconsin.” The painting depicts a female figure representing Wisconsin. She is surrounded by other figures holding symbolic items. These items include lead, copper, tobacco, fruit, and a freshwater pearl. This painting doesn’t look very big, but it is 34 feet in diameter.

Where are the laws upheld? Of course, the Supreme Court.

This mural of one of four and sits behind the bench. This mural should look familiar, since it is the signing of the Declaration Of Independence.

The three paintings in the senate chamber depict a significant event. “The Marriage of the Atlantic and the Pacific” commemorates the opening of the Panama Canal.

The people of Wisconsin are proud of their badgers. This sculpture sits above the door of the second floor chambers.

While in Madison, you will find the quirky as well. This pink elephent was shown on the Google map as a tourist attraction. Sometimes you don’t have to go look for it, it finds you when you least expect it.

Stayed tuned as we head east in Wisconsin and go to the circus.

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