46-559: The Villa Louis is a National Historic Landmark located on St. Feriole Island, in Prairie du Chien , southwestern Wisconsin . The villa and estate are a historical museum operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society . The site has been restored to its appearance during the late 19th century, when it was the estate of the prominent H. Louis Dousman family, descendants of a fur trader and entrepreneur. The site
92-572: A half mile racetrack so Dousman could begin holding an annual carriage race on the property. Because the estate had an artesian well, Louis decided to call his new venture the "Artesian Stock Farm". In 1885, Louis moved back to the Prairie du Chien estate with his family. In the process, the 1871 mansion was substantially remodeled and the house was redecorated in the style of the British Arts and Crafts Movement . This remodel included not only
138-459: A major restoration of the mansion and surrounding buildings. Using the collection of photographs and the estate's original furnishings, many of which were given to the site by the Dousman family heirs, the society was able to authentically restore the home to its appearance from 1893 to 1898. The use of photographs and original furniture to so accurately restore the home brought national attention to
184-724: A museum of the fur trade , while the Brisbois house has remained closed to the public. The site also contains the Rolette House, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places , and numerous outbuildings constructed by the Dousmans as part of the Villa Louis estate. In the 1990s, the discovery of numerous photographs of Villa Louis from the late 19th century allowed the historical society to undertake
230-861: Is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500, or roughly three percent, of over 90,000 places listed on the country's National Register of Historic Places are recognized as National Historic Landmarks. A National Historic Landmark District sometimes called a National Historical Park may include more than one National Historic Landmark and contributing properties that are buildings, structures, sites or objects, and it may include non-contributing properties. Contributing properties may or may not also be separately listed or registered. Prior to 1935, efforts to preserve cultural heritage of national importance were made by piecemeal efforts of
276-461: The Arthurian legends were a staple of Morris & Co. into the twentieth century. The firm's first commissions—stained glass and decorative schemes for St Michael's Church, Brighton , All Saints Church, Selsley , and Jesus Chapel, Cambridge —came from the architect G F Bodley in the early 1860s. Following this, two significant secular commissions helped to establish the firm's reputation in
322-895: The Historic American Buildings Survey amassed information about culturally and architecturally significant properties in a program known as the Historic Sites Survey. Most of the designations made under this legislation became National Historic Sites , although the first designation, made December 20, 1935, was for a National Memorial , the Gateway Arch National Park (then known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial) in St. Louis , Missouri. The first National Historic Site designation
368-531: The Merton Abbey Works , an historic calico-printing works on the River Wandle , after determining the river's water was suitable for dyeing. The complex, on 7 acres (28,000 m ), included several buildings and a dyeworks, and the various buildings were soon adapted for stained-glass, textile printing, and fabric- and carpet-weaving. In 1879, Morris had taught himself tapestry weaving in
414-633: The United States Congress . In 1935, Congress passed the Historic Sites Act , which authorized the interior secretary authority to formally record and organize historic properties, and to designate properties as having "national historical significance", and gave the National Park Service authority to administer historically significant federally owned properties. Over the following decades, surveys such as
460-474: The anilines . Dyeing of wools, silks, and cottons was the necessary preliminary to what he had much at heart, the production of woven and printed fabrics of the highest excellence; and the period of incessant work at the dye-vat (1875–76) was followed by a period during which he was absorbed in the production of textiles (1877–78), and more especially in the revival of carpet-weaving as a fine art. In June 1881, Morris relocated his dyeworks from Queen Square to
506-399: The 1920s: Holy Trinity Church, Elsecar , has several Morris & Co. windows dated 1922. Dearle managed the company's textile works at Merton Abbey until his own death in 1932. The firm was finally dissolved in the early months of World War II . Morris & Co. repeating patterns were occasionally offered as both block-printed wallpapers and fabric during Morris's lifetime; many of
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#1732783339614552-842: The 50 states. New York City alone has more NHLs than all but five states: Virginia , California , Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New York, the latter of which has the most NHLs of all 50 states. There are 74 NHLs in the District of Columbia . Some NHLs are in U.S. commonwealths and territories, associated states, and foreign states . There are 15 in Puerto Rico , the Virgin Islands , and other U.S. commonwealths and territories ; five in U.S.-associated states such as Micronesia ; and one in Morocco . Over 100 ships or shipwrecks have been designated as NHLs. Approximately half of
598-539: The Armoury and the Tapestry Room, and included panels of stylized floral patterns painted on ceilings, cornices , dadoes , windows, and doors. In 1871, Morris & Co. were responsible for the windows at All Saints church in the village of Wilden near to Stourport-on-Severn . They were designed by Burne-Jones for Alfred Baldwin , his wife's brother-in-law. Standen near East Grinstead , West Sussex ,
644-480: The Metals", was jointly created by Morris, Ford Madox Brown , Edward Burne-Jones , Charles Faulkner , Dante Gabriel Rossetti , P. P. Marshall , and Philip Webb in 1861 to create and sell medieval-inspired, handcrafted items for the home. The prospectus set forth that the firm would undertake carving, stained glass , metal-work, paper-hangings, chintzes (printed fabrics), and carpets . The first headquarters of
690-545: The Mississippi River. Later Dousman's son, Louis, established the present estate, at the center of which is an elegant Villa Louis mansion designed by E. Townsend Mix built in 1871 in the Victorian Italianate style . The estate now known as Villa Louis began when Prairie du Chien trader and investor Hercules Dousman purchased land previously occupied by Fort Crawford. Dousman had the remains of
736-519: The Morris name rather than his own in the Arts and Crafts Exhibitions and the major Morris retrospective of 1899, and even today many Dearle designs are popularly offered as "William Morris" patterns. On Morris's death in 1896, Dearle became the art director of the firm, which changed its name again, to Morris & Co. Decorators Ltd., in 1905. The company was still making good-quality stained glass into
782-577: The Mound until his death in 1868. At the time of his death, he was one of the wealthiest men in Wisconsin, and his fortune passed to his wife Jane and his son Louis. Upon coming into his father's estate, Louis decided to demolish the House on the Mound and replace it with a more contemporary Victorian Italianate style house that included modern indoor plumbing and central heating, both considered luxuries at
828-672: The National Historic Landmarks are privately owned . The National Historic Landmarks Program relies on suggestions for new designations from the National Park Service, which also assists in maintaining the landmarks . A friends' group of owners and managers, the National Historic Landmark Stewards Association, works to preserve, protect and promote National Historic Landmarks. If not already listed on
874-829: The National Register of Historic Places, an NHL is automatically added to the Register upon designation; about three percent of Register listings are NHLs. Washington, D.C. is home to three specifically legislated exceptions to this rule: the White House , the United States Capitol , and the United States Supreme Court Building . All are designated as NHLs, but are not on the National Register. Morris %26 Co. Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. (1861–1875)
920-555: The National Register, or as an NHL) often triggered local preservation laws, legislation in 1980 amended the listing procedures to require owner agreement to the designations. On October 9, 1960, 92 places, properties, or districts were announced as eligible to be designated NHLs by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Fred A. Seaton . Agreements of owners or responsible parties were subsequently obtained, but all 92 have since been considered listed on that 1960 date. The origins of
966-529: The State Hermitage museum some years ago. Stanmore Hall was the last major decorating commission executed by Morris & Co. before Morris's death in 1896. It was also the most extensive commission undertaken by the firm, and included a series of tapestries based on the story of the Holy Grail for the dining room, to which Morris devoted his energies, the rest of the work being executed under
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#17327833396141012-548: The United States secretary of the interior because they are: More than 2,500 NHLs have been designated. Most, but not all, are in the United States. There are NHLs in all 50 states and the national capital of Washington, D.C. Three states ( Pennsylvania , Massachusetts , and New York ) account for nearly 25 percent of the nation's NHLs. Three cities within these states, Philadelphia , Boston , and New York City , respectively, all separately have more NHLs than 40 of
1058-463: The ancient technique of hand woodblock printing in preference to the roller printing which had almost completely replaced it for commercial uses. In August 1874, Morris determined to restructure the partnership, generating a dispute with Marshall, Rossetti, and Madox Brown over the return on their shares. The company was dissolved and reorganized under Morris's sole ownership as Morris & Co. on 31 March 1875. During these years, Morris took up
1104-551: The direction of Dearle. Other Morris & Co. commissions include the ceiling within the dining room of Charleville Forest Castle , Ireland; interiors of Bullers Wood House, now Bullers Wood School in Chislehurst , Kent ; and stained glass windows at Adcote . As Morris pursued other interests, notably socialism and the Kelmscott Press , day-to-day work at the firm was delegated. Morris's daughter May became
1150-466: The director of the embroidery department in 1885, when she was in her early twenties. Dearle, who had begun designing repeating patterns for wallpapers and textiles in the late 1880s, was head designer for the firm by 1890, handling interior design commissions and supervising the tapestry, weaving, and fabric-printing departments at Merton Abbey . Dearle's contributions to textile design were long overshadowed by Morris. Dearle exhibited his designs under
1196-482: The estate "Villa Louis" in memory of her late husband. Later, in 1888, Nina remarried and moved to New York City , leaving the estate vacant. Her new marriage did not last, and in 1893 she returned with the five Dousman children to the Midwest. Villa Louis was then used as the family's summer home into the early 20th century. Louis de Vierville Dousman, the only son of Louis and Nina, was the last family member to occupy
1242-438: The estate, leaving for Billings, Montana in 1913 with his wife Sarah Easton. Although the Dousman family had left the Villa Louis estate by 1913, they continued to own the property. Over the following decades, they rented the mansion for use as a boarding school, among other things. In the 1930s, two of Louis Dousman's children, Violet and Virginia, began to restore the estate to its 19th-century appearance. They then transferred
1288-571: The firm were at 8 Red Lion Square in London . The work shown by the firm at the 1862 International Exhibition attracted much notice, and within a few years it was flourishing. In the autumn of 1864, a severe illness obliged Morris to choose between giving up his home at Red House in Kent and giving up his work in London. With great reluctance he gave up Red House, and in 1865 established himself under
1334-593: The first National Historic Landmark was a simple cedar post, placed by the Lewis and Clark Expedition on their 1804 outbound trek to the Pacific in commemoration of the death from natural causes of Sergeant Charles Floyd . The cedar plank was later replaced by a 100 ft (30 m) marble obelisk. The Sergeant Floyd Monument in Sioux City, Iowa , was officially designated on June 30, 1960. NHLs are designated by
1380-410: The fort cleared away. In 1843, he built a large, brick Greek Revival house atop an Indian mound, which had been the site of the old fort's southeastern blockhouse . Because of this, Hercules Dousman's home has come to be called the "House on the Mound". This name was also used as the title of an August Derleth novel that featured Dousman as a principal character. Hercules Dousman lived in the House on
1426-613: The general depression of the later 1860s, and the firm increasingly turned to secular commissions. On its non-ecclesiastical side, the product line was extended to include, besides painted windows and mural decoration, furniture, metal and glass wares, cloth and paper wall-hangings, embroideries , jewellery , woven and knotted carpets, silk damasks , and tapestries . Morris was producing repeating patterns for wallpaper as early as 1862, and some six years later he designed his first pattern specifically for fabric printing. As in so many other areas that interested him, Morris chose to work with
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1472-547: The house, but also the adjacent office. The remodeling was done by a Chicago designer from the William Morris Company of London. Louis's plans for the estate came to an abrupt halt the following year, on his sudden death in January, 1886. He was 37 years old when he died, leaving behind a widow and five children. After Louis's death, the stock farm was disbanded and the horses sold, and Nina Dousman renamed
1518-415: The land was occupied by Fort Crawford. After white settlers drove Indigenous communities from their homelands, the land was purchased by Hercules L. Dousman , who was a man of many trades: a fur trader, a lumberman, a land sculptor, and a frontier entrepreneur. In the mid-1840s, he began construction on the estate from which Villa Louis would be born. The location he chose was perfect due to its proximity to
1564-692: The late 1860s: a royal project at St. James's Palace and the "green dining room" at the South Kensington Museum (now the Victoria and Albert ) of 1867. The green dining room (preserved as the Morris Room at the V&;A) featured stained glass windows and panel figures by Burne-Jones, panels with branches of fruit and flowers by Morris, and olive branches and a frieze by Philip Webb. The St. James's commission comprised decorative schemes for
1610-699: The medieval style and set up a tapestry workshop with his apprentice John Henry Dearle at Queen Square. Dearle executed Morris and Co.'s first figural tapestry from a design by Walter Crane in 1883. Dearle was soon responsible for the training of all tapestry apprentices in the expanded workshop at Merton Abbey, and partnered with Morris on designing details such as fabric patterns and floral backgrounds for tapestries based on figure drawings or cartoons by Burne-Jones (some of them repurposed from stained glass cartoons). and animal figures by Philip Webb. Suites of tapestries were made as part of whole-house decorating schemes, and tapestries of Burne-Jones angels and scenes from
1656-536: The practical art of dyeing as a necessary adjunct of his manufacturing business. He spent much of his time at the Staffordshire dye works of Thomas Wardle , mastering the processes of that art and making experiments in the revival of old or discovery of new methods. One result of these experiments was to reinstate indigo dyeing as a practical industry, and generally to renew the use of those vegetable dyes, like madder , which had been driven almost out of use by
1702-569: The property to the city of Prairie du Chien, so that the mansion could be operated as a historic house museum . In 1952, the site was acquired by the Wisconsin Historical Society , and became the organization's first historic site. Since then, the Villa Louis historic site has expanded to encompass two other nearby National Historic Landmarks : the Brisbois House , and the Astor Fur Warehouse . The warehouse now functions as
1748-524: The same roof with his workshops, which by then had relocated to larger premises in Queen Square, Bloomsbury . The decoration of churches was from the first an important part of the business. A great wave of church-building and remodelling by the Church of England in the 1840s and 1850s increased the demand for ecclesiastical decoration of all kinds, especially stained glass. But this market shrank in
1794-722: The site in 1999, including a feature article in Victorian Decorating & Lifestyle magazine and an exhibit at the New York School of Interior Design . The historical society hosts several events at Villa Louis, including a reenactment of the Battle of Prairie du Chien, and the Villa Louis Carriage Classic, a major carriage driving competition held each September. National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark ( NHL )
1840-403: The time. Louis Dousman contracted with Milwaukee architect E. Townsend Mix in 1870 to have the new house designed and built, and construction was finished in 1871. The new mansion was built with some parts of the old demolished one. The two-story Cream City brick house became the residence of Louis's mother, Jane, while Louis himself moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota not long after construction
1886-517: Was a furnishings and decorative arts manufacturer and retailer founded by the artist and designer William Morris with friends from the Pre-Raphaelites . With its successor Morris & Co. (1875–1940) the firm's medieval -inspired aesthetic and respect for hand-craftsmanship and traditional textile arts had a profound influence on the decoration of churches and houses into the early 20th century. Although its most influential period
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1932-605: Was designed between 1892 and 1894 by Philip Webb for a prosperous London solicitor, James Beale, his wife Margaret, and their family. It is decorated with Morris carpets, fabrics and wallpapers. In 1895, Morris & Co made the Garden Tulip wallpapers for the private apartments of Nicholas II in the Imperial Winter Palace in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. This fact was discovered by the curators in
1978-629: Was during the flourishing of the Arts and Crafts Movement in the 1880s and 1890s, Morris & Co. remained in operation in a limited fashion from World War I until its closure in 1940. The firm's designs are still sold today under licences given to Sanderson & Sons , part of the Walker Greenbank wallpaper and fabrics business (which owns the "Morris & Co." brand, ) and to Liberty of London . Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co., "Fine Art Workmen in Painting, Carving, Furniture and
2024-402: Was finished. In St. Paul, Louis married Nina Sturgis, and later the couple moved to St. Louis, Missouri , eventually having five children. However, following the death of his mother Jane Dousman in 1882, Louis made plans to return to Prairie du Chien and transform the family estate into a stock farm to breed Standardbred horses . Stables and paddocks were constructed on the estate, along with
2070-572: Was inhabited by Native American tribes, especially the Mound Builders , as is evidenced by the large mound upon which later structures at the site ( Fort Shelby , Fort Crawford , and the homes of Hercules and of Louis Dousman) have all stood. In 1814, the Siege of Prairie du Chien was fought in the area by American and British troops hoping to control Fort Shelby during the War of 1812 . Later
2116-684: Was made for the Salem Maritime National Historic Site on March 17, 1938. In 1960, the National Park Service took on the administration of the survey data gathered under this legislation, and the National Historic Landmark program began to take more formal shape. When the National Register of Historic Places was established in 1966, the National Historic Landmark program was encompassed within it, and rules and procedures for inclusion and designation were formalized. Because listings (either on
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