As the oldest European settlement on the Upper Mississippi River, Prairie du Chien is bursting with rich history that dates back to the 17th century. Hosts Mariah Haberman and Eric Paulsen explore the historic sites, exciting events and natural beauty that allows Prairie du Chien to blend the past and present with ease. Mariah begins her journey with a tour of the dungeon at the Old Crawford County Jail before heading to the Fort Crawford Museum to check out its wide variety of exhibits. The crew gets in on the fun by dressing up in period costumes and taking an old time photo at The Local Oven in downtown Prairie du Chien.
Eric dives in to Prairie du Chien's fishing industry with an early morning fishing trip along the river with Mike Valley of Valley Fish & Cheese, where they reel in over 200 pounds of fish before Eric samples some of Mike's tasty catches at the shop. Prairie du Chien fully embraces its identity as a fishing community even throughout the winter with fun events like the annual ice fisheree on Gremore Lake and of course, the famous Droppin' of the Carp on New Year's Eve.
Mariah and Eric each check out a few of Prairie du Chien's iconic spots, including Pete's Hamburger's, which has been serving up delicious burgers for over a century, and St. Feriole Island, with its beautiful gardens and picturesque views of the river. Mariah visits Shiahata's orchard, and Eric joins in the action at Villa Louis during its annual War of 1812 reenactment before hopping aboard the Maiden Voyage tour boat for a scenic journey down the Mississippi River. With its incredible beauty, fascinating history and unique events, there are so many reasons to explore Prairie du Chien!