Highlights Archives
Campaign for Villa Louis Restoration Complete
The Wisconsin Historical Society has cleared the final hurdle in its 10-year-long campaign to complete a top-to-bottom restoration of the Villa Louis, the Society's historic Victorian house museum in Prairie du Chien. The important milestone means the decade-long restoration can be completed by summer 2005.
Major funding for this third and final stage of the ambitious restoration came in the form of a $152,000 challenge grant from the Jeffris Family Foundation of Janesville. Terms of the grant specified that the Wisconsin Historical Foundation, the private nonprofit fund-raising arm of the Historical Society, match the Jeffris grant dollar for dollar. In addition to the Jeffris grant, major donors included Ruth Schoenfeld of Brookfield; Peoples State Bank of Prairie du Chien; the city of Prairie du Chien; 3M Co.; the George Family Foundation; William Reinicker of Madison; Friends of Villa Louis; Anchor Bank; and the Wisconsin Preservation Fund.
The final phase of the project will complete restoration of the 1870 mansion's upstairs rooms. The fundamental goal of the restoration, begun in 1995, has been to return the mansion to its William Morris-inspired British Arts-and-Crafts interior decor achieved in an 1885 redecoration overseen by family matriarch Nina Dousman.
"This restoration ranks among the most significant historic preservation initiatives ever undertaken on a Victorian home," said Historical Society Director Ellsworth H. Brown. "The wealth of family documentation from the 1890s made possible one of the most painstakingly faithful restorations in modern American history. The people of Wisconsin have a real treasure in the restored rooms of the Villa Louis, and we have many generous contributors to thank for it," said Brown. "In particular, we owe a debt of gratitude to Tom Jeffris of the Jeffris Family Foundation, who has stood with us the past 10 years to ensure this one-of-a-kind project sees its way to completion."
The results of the restoration will be featured in the Summer 2005 issue of the Wisconsin Magazine of History available in early June from booksellers around the state or by subscription.
The Villa Louis will be open for public tours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from May 7 through Oct. 31.
:: Posted April 19, 2005
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