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๐ผ๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐ค๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ & ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ ๐๐ค๐ช๐๐จ ๐๐ค๐ข๐๐ฃโ๐จ ๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ค๐ง๐ฎJoin us for a delightful afternoon of tea and conversation as author Mary Elise Antoine discusses her new book, An Elegant Edifice: The Women Who Forged a Legacy at Villa Louis. Enter the Dousman House Hotelโnamed after the prominent Villa Louis owners who shaped the lives of many Prairie du Chien residentsโand learn more about the three generations of Dousman womenโJane, Nina, Virginia, and Violetโwhose lives contributed greatly to the preservation of this grand Gilded Age estate. Enjoy tea and sweet treats as you learn more about the historic estate and its inhabitants.
Tea & Tales will take place at the Dousman Hotel. Guests interested in exploring Villa Louis can purchase a General Admission ticket to tour the site. Books will be available for sale with a chance for Mary Elise to autograph your book after her talk.
Interested in more Villa Louis History? Join us before Tea & Tales for another free experience, Whatโs Under the Villa Louis, where Wisconsin State Archaeologist Amy Rosebrough takes guests on a millennia-spanning journey covering 14,000 years of history beneath one of the Badger Stateโs most treasured sites. Whatโs Under the Villa Louis occurs from 10:30 AMโ12:00 PM on Saturday, May 23.
๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ป ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ
An Elegant Edifice tells the stories of the women of the Dousman residence. Jane, who outlived her husband by fourteen years, oversaw the estate and maintained the familyโs presence in Prairie du Chien. Janeโs daughter-in-law, Nina, managed the property and assumed the role of head of the family following her husbandโs death, ensuring stability for her children during times of tragedy. Finally, Ninaโs daughters Violet and Virginia helped to restore the family home in the 1930s, secure its future as a historic site, and record the Dousmansโ history for posterity.
An Elegant Edifice illustrates the broad strokes of American expansionism through the backgrounds and activities of these influential women, complete with marriages and separations, births and deaths, business disputes, lawsuits, and reconciliations.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐โ๐น๐น ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ
A conversation with Mary Elise Antoine about her new history novel An Elegant Edifice: The Women Who Forged a Legacy at Villa Louis, including an author Q&A
New information about Villa Louis through the eyes of the women of the household
Tea, water and sweet treats will be served
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Free and open to the public
Book tickets: https://wihist.org/4cf4HkN
๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Villa Louis served as a comfortable and stylish country estate for three generations of the Dousman familyโa family that built its fortune from early American frontier opportunities such as land and transportation investments. Hercules L. Dousman began development of the site during the 1840s on the banks of the Mississippi River in Prairie du Chien. The property has since expanded into a 25-acre complex complete with historic structures and archaeological remains that reference the early history of the site. Upon the death of Hercules in 1868, widow Jane Dousman and son H. Louis Dousman contracted Milwaukee architect E. Townsend Mix to build the stately mansion that now rests at the heart of the property. In addition to the new residence, H. Louis expanded the site to include a farm for breeding and racing horses. After Louisโ death, Nina Dousman raised their children at Villa Louis, and the property remained under family ownership until it was given to the City of Prairie du Chien in 1935. In 1950, Villa Louis became property of the Wisconsin Historical Society and opened to the public in 1952.
Prior to Dousman ownership, Indigenous natives lived on the Villa Louis grounds over 2000 years ago. For centuries, Native Nations of the upper Mississippi gathered upon the island to trade among themselves until the fur trade brought French-speaking traders in contact with Indigenous tribesmen and women. The trade also attracted free Black settlers to Prairie du Chien. Additionally, officers and agents of the United States brought enslaved men and women to the prairie, some of whom lived at Fort Crawford and other structures that once stood on land that is now part of Villa Louis State Historic Site. Research and restorations continue to fully expand the story of these early residents and events.
The Dousman House Hotel
230 N Water St
Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
๐๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ
Doors to this free experience open at 1 PM. The event will take place at The Dousman House Hotel (230 N Water St, Prairie du Chien, WI 53821).
Sweet treats, tea and water will be served from 1 PM to 1:30 PM.
The program will begin promptly at 1:30 PM and last 45 minutes with 15 minutes for a Q&A period.
Because of the historic nature of the buildings, not all areas are ADA accessible.
Guests with additional mobility needs are encouraged to contact the site directly at 608-326-2721 or [email protected].
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For more information, please contact the box office at 608-264-4848 or [email protected].
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Event Venue
521 N Villa Louis Rd, Prairie du Chien, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53821
Tickets
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