Layers of Prairie du Chien History, Part I

By Rachel Mergen

“There are so many layers of history,” Mary Antoine, with the Pairie du Chien Historical Society, stated. “There used to be so many structures in Prairie du Chien that represented the various layers of history.

But demolition, sadly, has removed many of these historic structures from the present city. Some, though, still stand and are being protected by the historical societies both locally and nationally.

“Each one has a story. Each one relates to individuals. Each one is a tangible remnant of Prairie du Chien,” she added. “Houses aren’t just buildings, they are the containers of stories, because people lived in them. Every person has a story. The people are gone, but where they lived still remains.”  

Brisbois Store/

Astor Fur Warehouse

The Astor Fur Warehouse can easily confuse people by its name, as it was neither an Astor building nor a warehouse. The better way to describe the building is the Brisbois Store.

In 1851, the stone building was built by B.W. Brisbois. He built the structure as a place to store furs and goods, but the business related to the furs was quickly deteriorating starting in this time.

With the decreased fur trading business, the building became somewhat of a general store. Brisbois accepted furs as trade, but he also filled the store with general merchandise, which the Prairie du Chien residents would often visit to purchase.

Later, following Brisbois’ death, the building was used as a machine shop. It was eventually given to the Wisconsin Historical Society to be cleaned up and preserved. 

In the near future, restoration of the building is in the plans of the Prairie du Chien Historical Society. After the process is complete, exhibits will be opened inside showing history related to the area.

Currently, according to Antoine, “The door is always open [to the public], when the Villa Louis is open.”

Michel Brisbois House

The Brisbois House, built in 1837, had actually nothing to do with the man it was named after, Michel Brisbois. The house was built for Jane Fisher Rollette.

Jane was born and raised in Prairie du Chien, the daughter of Henry Munru Fisher. She married, at a young age the older, previously married Joseph Rollette, who had three young daughters. Together the couple had two children of their own, Joseph and Virginia. When the children grew older, the young Joseph went to Minnesota to learn about the fur trade from Henry’s sibling, while Virginia went east for her education.

The marriage began to suffer and deteriorate. Jane and Joseph had a formal legal separation, not wanting to receive a formal divorce. With the separation agreement, Joseph built Jane her own two-story stone home. Jane’s cousin was B.W. Brisbois, who owned the land that the house was built on. 

Once Joseph died, Jane remarried Hercules L. Dousman, who had built his own brick house on the mound. The couple moved into that home, followed by Jane giving the house Joseph built for her over to B.W. 

The home stayed in the Brisbois family until the 19th century, with the house after being remodeled. The home is now open to the public by appointment.

Rollette House

The large white house, located next to the Dousman Hotel on St. Feriole Island, was built by Joseph Rollette, following his divorce from Jane. The house’s construction started in 1841.

Antoine noted that it is a mystery to her why he built the house, but never finished it.

Over time, the house went through the hands of many people, and additions were put on the building that lowered the quality of it in the eyes of the historical society.

When the society acquired the home, they stripped the building back to its original structure, preserving the beauty of it, but renovations have not been completed inside.

Francois 

Vertefeuille House

On County K, the Francois Vertefeuille House reveals the true beauty of French-Canadian architecture.

According to Antoine’s notes, the house, which was built in the early 19th century, did not originally belong to Vertefeuille. The lot was originally part of Farm Lot No. 15, and had four owners in its first years. Only two of the four had lived in the house, lot owner Marie Souligny and Vertefeuille. 

According to Antoine and the historical society, “The house is an example of French-Canadian pièce sur pièce en coulisse architecture in which hewn logs are set horizontally by sliding one end of the log into a vertical slit in the coulisse.  The logs are notched and secured by dovetailing at the corners. The Vertefeuille house was built in two stages.  The old section is the room to the south in which is set the front door.  The addition is the north section, which includes the back door and the stairway to the second floor.  The addition was built circa 1820-1825, after Francois Vertefeuille acquired the property.”

All families who owned the house, up to its most recent owner, had French-Canadian Heritage. 

The house is the last of the Upper Village of Prairie du Chien and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.