48th BEST FISHING-RETIREMENT LOCATION, PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, WI

http://www.e50plus.com

Ivan Gillis

200 Best Fishing in Retirement Locations

Location Number 48:

Prairie du Chien is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 6,018 at the 2000 census.

Often called Wisconsin's second oldest city, Prairie du Chien was established by French voyageurs in the late 17th century. The city is located near the confluence of the Wisconsin River and the Mississippi River, a strategic point along the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway that connects the Great Lakes with the Mississippi.

Early French visitors to the site found it occupied by a group of Fox Indians led by a chief whose name, Alim, meant "Chien" in French, or "Dog" in English. As a result, the French explorers named the location "Prairie du Chien", which is French for "Prairie of the Dog". Originally this name applied only to the plain upon which the settlement is located, but it was later extended to mean the city as well. The city of Prairie du Chien is located between the Town of Prairie du Chien and the Town of Bridgeport.

The first European visitors to reach Prairie du Chien were the French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet, who reached the city by canoe on June 17, 1673, and discovered a route to the Mississippi River. Much further travel between French Canada and the Mississippi River passed through Prairie du Chien, although routes via the Illinois River were also used. In 1685, the French explorer Nicolas Perrot established a trading post in the area as part of the massive French fur trade industry. The significance of Prairie du Chien as a center of the fur trade did not diminish until the mid 19th century. The Astor Fur Warehouse was the building for the fur trading in Prairie du Chien.

The U.S. was slow to present any authority over Prairie du Chien, but late in the War of 1812 the U.S. realized the importance of holding Prairie du Chien to prevent British attacks from Canada, and began construction of Fort Shelby in 1814. In July, the fort was captured by British soldiers during the Battle of Prairie du Chien. The British maintained control over the city until the war's end in 1815. Not wanting another invasion through Prairie du Chien, the Americans constructed Fort Crawford in 1816. The fort was the site of the Treaty of Prairie du Chien (1825 and 1829).

Today Prairie du Chien is noted because of its five National Historic Landmarks and its nine sites on the National Register of Historic Places. The five National Historic Landmark's were the first such Landmarks designated in the State. Its close proximity to Effigy Mounds National Monument and Pike's Peak State Park in Iowa and Wyalusing State Park in Wisconsin, along with its rich history and location alongside the Mississippi River make Prairie du Chien a popular destination for tourists. The Prairie Villa Rendezvous, which attempts to recreate the atmosphere of a 19th century fur trading camp, has been held in the city every Father's Day weekend since 1975 and attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year. In 2001, Prairie du Chien gained brief national attention for its first annual New Year's Eve celebration, during which a carp from the Mississippi River was dropped from a crane over BlackHawk Avenue at midnight. The "Droppin' of the Carp" celebration has been held every New Year's Eve since.

In addition to these popular attractions, hunting and fishing have long been popular in and around Prairie du Chien, and the opening of Cabela's fourth outlet store in the city during 1998 firmly established the city as a destination for sportsmen.

State Fish:

Muskellunge Click this link for pictures and more information.

Types of Fish:

http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/species/

State Fish & Game Website: (Licensing requirements & Etc)

http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/

Fishing Information Links:

http://www.prairieduchien.org/visitors/attractions.htm

http://www.fishingworks.com/lakes/wisconsin/crawford/eastman/pool-nine-66600/

http://www.aa-fishing.com/wi/wisconsin-fishing.html

Income & Housing Costs Numbers:

Estimated median household income in 2005: $34,600 (it was $34,038 in 2000)