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Fort Shelby/Fort McKay
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British evacuation of their fort at Prairie du Chien after the end of the War of 1812. Fort Shelby, the first fort at Prairie du Chien, was built in 1814 by American troops commanded by William Clark and named in honor of the governor of Kentucky. Later, the Americans surrendered to a larger force of British soldiers and Native Americans who renamed it Fort McKay. When the Treaty of Ghent ended the war, the British commander, Andrew W. Bulger, was instrumental in persuading his Native American allies to abide by the treaty. Before departing in 1815 he burned Fort McKay to the ground. Here Bulger is seen saying farewell to the loyal Indians. Unfortunately, this watercolor by pioneer artist Peter Rindisbacher is pure fantasy, for he did not settle in Wisconsin until 1826. A better depiction is the sketch (at left) from Bulger's papers at the Public Archives of Canada.
1823
Rindisbacher, Peter, 1806-1834
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W014FCW
WHi 42292
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Sketch of Fort Shelby
1814
Fort Shelby, built by the Americans during the War of 1812. In 1814 the fort surrendered to British forces led by Captain Andrew W. Bulger who renamed it Fort MacKay. Before vacating the post at th...
Fort Shelby Diorama
1814
Fort Shelby built in 1814 and named for the Governor of Kentucky, was surrendered to British forces later in 1814 and renamed Fort McKay. Pictured here is a diorama in the museum at Villa Louis, Pr...
Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume XIII
1895
Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, vol. 13, includes the following articles: Events at Prairie du Chien previous to American occupation, by Alfred Edward Bulger; The Bulger p...
Villa Louis
Prairie Du Chien, WI
Step into the lives of a Wisconsin dynasty, the Dousman Family. Situated on the banks of the Mississippi, the stylish country estate and surrounding 25-acre complex was the home and horse racing farm for three generations, features world-class art and rare books, and is now a National Historic Landmark.
Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume XI
1888
Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, vol. 11, includes the following articles: Jean Nicolet, interpreter and voyageur in Canada, 1618-1642, by Henri Jouan; Bibliography of Jean...
Fort Crawford
1864
Fort Crawford was decommissioned in 1856, having outlived its usefulness as a frontier post. During the Civil War, however, it functioned as a military hospital and recruiting depot. This photogra...
