For Immediate Release

Contact: Kara O’Keeffe

608-261-9596
[email protected]

8-14-2018

Taste History for Breakfast at Villa Louis!

Prairie du Chien, Wis. – Bring your appetite for breakfast and history at the Villa Louis’ “Breakfast in a Victorian Kitchen”, a series of events where you’ll get to live life in the Dousman household, preparing a meal using the tools and recipes of the time.

“Our guests will take a culinary tour of the late 19^th century,” said Susan Caya-Slusser, site director at the Southwest Historic Sites.  “Guests will learn (and taste!) history through the preparation and consumption of a Victorian breakfast using the foods, utensils, and technology from the 1800’s.”

The “Breakfast in a Victorian Kitchen” series will be offered on the following dates and times:

• Saturday, September 22, from 8:30 AM – 1 PM
• Saturday, October 6, from 8:30 AM – 1 PM

Following the family style breakfast, participants will receive a tour of the Dousman estate. The Villa Louis mansion is the centerpiece of a Victorian estate built by the family of Hercules Dousman, an entrepreneur who amassed a fortune through the fur trade and other investments.  Villa Louis is now one of the most authentically furnished Victorian historic homes in America. 

Villa Louis will also be hosting a special “Kids in a Victorian Kitchen” on Saturday, November 10 from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM.  Guests can bring their children into a working Victorian kitchen and learn about yesteryear with lots of food and fun!  This hands-on cooking workshop is for children in grades 3-8.

Due to the nature of our historic recipes and cooking methods, we are unable to alter our menus to suit dietary considerations. The cost for Breakfast in a Victorian Kitchen is $48.50 for adults.  The cost for Kids in a Victorian Kitchen is $25 for children in grades 3-8.  Reservations are required.  To make a reservation, call 608-326-2721 or visit villalouis.org.

About Villa Louis

Villa Louis Historic Site is on the of Wisconsin Historical Society’s twelve historic sites and museums.  All Wisconsin Historical Society members receive free admission to the twelve historic sites.  The historic Villa Louis mansion is the centerpiece of a grand Victorian estate built by the family of Hercules Dousman, a frontier entrepreneur who amassed a fortune in the fur trade and other frontier investments.  The mansion has finished a top-to-bottom documentary restoration that has returned the Dousman home to the splendor of its 1890s heyday, using British Arts and Crafts interior designs inspired by famed designer William Morris. Visit www.villalouis.org for a complete list of 2018 Programs & Events or call 608-326-2721 for more information.

About Wisconsin Historical Society

The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit wisconsinhistory.org.

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