Step into the Lives of a
Wisconsin Dynasty
When you walk through the doors of Villa Louis, you step into the life of one of Wisconsin’s most historic families – The Dousmans. Located on the beautiful banks of the mighty Mississippi River, this National Historic Landmark offers a panorama of Wisconsin history, from the advent of the first fur traders, to the War of 1812, through the splendor of the Victorian era.
The National Historic Landmark home of the H. Louis Dousman family.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Historic Prairie du Chien Riverfront Walking Tour
Select Fridays | 10:30 AM – NOON
Visit historic buildings and landmarks and hear captivating stories of the people who helped shape the city’s history, including that of the Ho-Chunk Nation, whose ancestral land the city was founded on.
Make Your Next Event Historic
Villa Louis’s picturesque settings for an elegant Wisconsin wedding or a unique private event offer plentiful opportunities for a historic event. Make your day historic and create a story that will be remembered for generations.
Members Get Free Admission!
Become a Wisconsin Historical Society member and visit all 12 of our historic sites for free! Membership pays for itself in as little as two visits and includes other great benefits like discounts and reciprocal benefits to more than 1,200 organizations.
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Villa Louis Historic Site
Villa Louis is a Wisconsin State Historic Site. We are an immaculately restored Victorian house muse
We opened today for the 2023 season and we look forward to seeing you soon! We are open Wednesday to Sunday from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. through October 29th. ... See MoreSee Less
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Wow! I saw photos maybe a month or so ago that showed so much flooding...looks great! Haven't been in a few years...time to revisit!
I was just wondering when you opened for the public. Thanks for posting.
Gorgeous place to visit.
Amazing!
Another busy day getting the site put back together! We even had a visit from one of our favorite archaeologists who used ground-penetrating radar to survey different locations onsite. The GPR work by Dan Joyce is part of his ongoing research on Fort Shelby and 1st Fort Crawford.
📷 Archaeologist Dan Joyce & researcher Dave Sedgwick surveying south of the Villa Louis residence. The construction site is part of Phase 2 of the Villa Louis Walkway Project.
📷 Facilities staff putting collections items back on the first floor of the 1837 Brisbois House.
📷 Contractors resuming gas service and reinstalling a/c units at Brisbois House.
📷 Recovery team cleaning the Fernette Building. ... See MoreSee Less
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Awesome work all!
Yesterday was a very busy day! We met with a team from our insurance company, flood recovery specialists, Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) Risk Management, WHS Facilities, WHS Historic Preservation Compliance and members of our management team for a walk through all of our buildings and our grounds. With news that St. Feriole Island is opening back up, we kindly remind you that Villa Louis is closed to the general public. The recovery team will be extremely busy working with us to prepare for opening and this work includes many people, work trucks and equipment. While total recovery from the flood of 2023 will take months if not years, we are prioritizing our buildings as we are working hard to prepare for our May 24th opening. This work includes consulting with structural engineers, architects, electrical engineers and even archaeologists. Even with all of this upcoming work, the collection is safe and sound and the Dousman residence is set for our first school group that will arrive late next week! ... See MoreSee Less
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As a structural engineer, who has enjoyed the Villa Louis for many years, I was wondering how you folks were faring there. I had hoped you were on high enough ground… but then there’s always the basement ☹️
I hope all goes well and look forward to seeing on June 1st for a school field trip!
I’m glad we visited last May. Such a beautiful place.
Huge challenge. Hope it goes well for your staff and extra workers 🙏