Hundreds attend PdC Main Street’s ‘Journey’
Judy Wall gives a tour of Wyalusing Academy/St. Mary's Academy to Journey Through Time visitors.
Rachel Standorf, PdC Main Street volunteer guide, took Journey Through Time visitors through the old Crawford County Jail, aka the dungeon.
At the Dousman House, Mark Twain impersonator Jim Post drew a nice crowd to culminate the downtown open house. (Photos by Marlene Dyer)
By Correne Martin
For a first-time event, it’s often hard to know what to expect. PdC Main Street, Prairie du Chien’s refortified downtown group, understood that in the planning stages of the recent Journey Through Time downtown open house. But the organization was pleasantly surprised by the number of people who came out with interest in the community’s fascinating history.
“It was a much better turnout that we expected,” said Marlene Dyer, PdC Main Street president. “The former Wyalusing Academy property was probably the biggest draw. We’ve estimated about 500 people went through there Saturday.”
Costumed PdC Main Street guides led event-goers through the storied building, which was St. Mary’s Academy before it was Wyalusing Academy. Former students also shared their experiences from classes at St. Mary’s in the late 1960s.
Other Prairie du Chien venues open for free guided tours included The Knowlton House, the old Crawford County Jail (aka dungeon), Crawford Hotel, city hall, the old firehouse (now The Local Oven), Fort Crawford Museum and military cemetery, the former Zion Evangelical United Brethren church (now Tricor and Upper Iowa University), Holy Trinity church and St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church. The Villa Louis offered discounted admission Saturday.
In addition, Peoples State Bank sponsored horse-drawn carriage rides, Check’s Antiques served root beer mugs, The Pickett Fence offered tulip lollipop children’s crafts, the Fort Crawford Museum fired its cannon every half-hour, Driftless Edibles celebrated its second anniversary with street music, the local Irish band Wind in the Barley performed downtown, Nelson True Value hosted a Salsa Saturday demo, The Local Oven hosted souvenir period photos and Mark Twain interpreter Jim Post put on a show at The Dousman House.
These collaborative activities were part of the first-ever statewide Downtown Open House, in which Prairie du Chien was one of 16 communities participating in a Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation promotion. The purpose was to bring tourists and locals to the city to shop, dine, stay and learn, at their own pace. PdC Main Street chose to name its event Journey Through Time.
“It took a lot of volunteers and these sites opening up their doors to the public to put on this event,” Dyer said.
She noted said the PdC Main Street Facebook page’s post prior to the event reached over 8,300 people, and over 5,400 interacted with that same post. While at least 600 people signed in at The Knowlton House, which served as the central hub of information, the exact number of attendees is not known. Those who did sign in came from mostly Wisconsin but also Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, Chicago and Minnesota.
“There were about 130 who attended the Mark Twain show that evening, the restaurants seemed busy and the carriage rides were going all day. I was very pleased with how things went and I think most of the merchants were too,” Dyer added. “The tourists and residents who attend these kind of historical events like to see the guides dressed up and they appreciate that.”
Dyer shared that PdC Main Street’s Facebook page was full of positive comments, including one rave that said, “It was nice to see downtown Prairie du Chien come alive again.”
Those who missed Saturday’s Journey Through Time, Dyer said PdC Main Street’s display of historic photos, by Gordon Peckham, will again be available for viewing Friday, May 20, from 5 to 8:30 p.m., for the PdC Uncorked wine tasting event, hosted by the chamber.
For more details about PdC Main Street happenings, like the organization on Facebook, email mainstreetpdc@gmail.com or call (608) 412-1995.
