History
At the center of the estate is the elegant Villa Louis mansion, designed by E. Townsend Mix in the Victorian Italianate style, and built in 1871. Earlier the estate had been home to Louis's father Hercules L. Dousman, and before that the land was occupied by Fort Crawford. Prior to this, in 1814, the Siege of Prairie du Chien was fought at the site by American and British troops hoping to control Fort Shelby during the War of 1812. Still farther back, the site was of importance to American Indian tribes, especially the Mound Builders, as is evidenced by the large mound upon which Fort Shelby, Fort Crawford, and the homes of Hercules and of Louis Dousman have all stood.
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