History of the Villa Louis

Members of the Dousman family
relaxing in front of the Villa Louis

Mindful of their family's important place in Wisconsin history, two granddaughters of pioneer fur trader Hercules Dousman — Virginia Dousman Bigelow and Violet Dousman Young  — undertook a restoration of the Villa Louis in the 1930s and turned the property over to the city of Prairie du Chien for operation as a house museum in 1935. They had first extended an offer to deed the house and grounds to the Wisconsin Historical Society, which initially decided against accepting the property. In the midst of the Great Depression, operation of a museum far afield from the Society's Madison headquarters seemed a risky venture.

A decade later the Dousman heirs renewed the offer — at a time when serious interest in local history was just beginning to emerge. This time the Society expressed enthusiasm. On January 1, 1950, the Society took title to the property, though court proceedings left the matter unresolved until April 1952, when the Villa Louis opened to the public. The date represents a milestone in the history of the Villa Louis as well as that of the Wisconsin Historical Society, for the Dousman family mansion and estate became the first of several important acquisitions of historic properties for operation as house museums and outdoor historic sites. Acquisition of Wade House in Greenbush followed in 1953, and the development of Stonefield began the same year.