Fur Trade Museum restoration priority is building stability
This picture shows the river side of the Fur Trade Museum around 1930.
Placement of 18 cement footings and four, 400-pound steel beams in the basement will ensure the stability of the structure into the future.
The first floor of the building has been vacated while work is being done to stabilize the historic structure.
The riverside and back door entrances are being widened as part of the restoration project at the stone building that houses the Fur Trade Museum. (Submitted photos)
By Correne Martin
The Villa Louis Fur Trade Museum was given a Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) capital project number in 2006. Though, it hasn’t been until this off-season that renovation of the 1851, two-story brick structure has begun. Exhibits dating back to the mid-1970s were removed prior to the 2017 tourism season, in preparation for the work.
“This is a long-awaited project. Its basis is to stabilize the building,” said Susan Caya-Slusser, Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) southwest sites director.
The national landmark, also known as the Brisbois Store, was acquired by the state historical society in 1967. It was built by fur trader and merchant B.W. Brisbois in the declining years of the upper Mississippi Fur Trade, according to Villa Louis Curator Mary Antoine. It sits at the intersection of Water and Bolvin Streets on Prairie du Chien’s St. Feriole Island.
The $400,000 restoration primarily consists of tuck-pointing, heating and cooling upgrades, footing and beam reinforcements, and window and door reconditioning. Work started in mid-September and will continue through the end of June, this year. The contractor is Rock Church Construction, of Livingston, who, according to Caya-Slusser, has been wonderfully meticulous and professional throughout.
With at least four months remaining on the project, exact plans for the presentation of exhibits within the remodeled building are yet unapproved. However, the society and Villa Louis leadership are confident the museum will offer more than just a general Fur Trade experience to its future visitors, Caya-Slusser noted.
“We want to tell the story of what happened in Prairie du Chien and what brought people to Prairie du Chien. We want this to really connect to the rest of the Villa Louis and be truly story-focused,” she stated. “This can also be a space for us to do a better job of interpreting the War of 1812, which is only the focus one weekend a year otherwise.”
She continued, explaining that the renovation affords the building—one of 19 on the historic site grounds—the chance to become more interactive. “We believe we can incorporate more interactive exhibits, where we can be hands-on, which is something we lack in other areas of the collection. We want to have author talks and other interactive activities.”
In recent years, a new school tour experience was accomplished at the site’s block house. That exhibit will be moved to the Fur Trade Museum after restoration.
The unfortunate part of this project, according to Caya-Slusser, is that this portion of the DOA/WHS budget covers solely capital (or building) expenses. Funds do not include exhibit costs. So, the Villa Louis will be looking to fundraisers in order to fulfill the museum’s potential.
“We especially see this as a great opportunity to work with the community to tell our early history,” Caya-Slusser said.
Right now, there is very little inside the Fur Trade Museum, as 18 cement footings and four 400-pound steel beams are being placed in the gravel basement, in an effort to stabilize the first floor. Next, Caya-Slusser said crews will level and lock the floor into place and then load-test the floor. Also, the windows and doors have been removed, and Rock Church is reglazing the glass as well as replacing, treating and painting some of the wood.
“We’ve done a paint analysis with the rest of the building to choose the appropriate color,” she added.
Additionally, the riverside and back door entrances are being widened as part of the project, allowing for doors that swing open for better accommodations, she said.
One interactive element that will need ample installation space is a 23-foot replica canoe that looks like birch bark but is really made of fiberglass, Caya-Slusser boasted. This piece has been ordered and will be constructed by a specialized company in Spokane, Wash., thanks to grant money received from the Prairie du Chien Tourism Council. She further shared, this canoe will have the ability to be used, for example, on the river by young museum tourists.
“We’re excited about the money that has been freed up for us,” Caya-Slusser concluded.
She said more is coming down the pipeline, too. A $250,000 walkway project on deck at the Villa Louis will be up for bids by the end of March, with a preliminary goal of the project starting after the Carriage Classic this fall. This will involve refurbishment of the east walkway and main walkway from Villa Louis Road to the mansion.
