141 



The first visit of white men to the country within our original limits, appears 

 to have been made by Marquette and Joliet, who descended the Wisconsin River' 

 in 1673; but they do not appear to have made any stop, not even to have 

 aseended the Mississippi four miles from the mouth of the Wisconsin, so as to 

 see this beautiful Prairie — if, indeed, it was then occupied by any one. 



In 1680, Hennepin ascended the Mississippi from the mouth of the Illinois to 

 above the Falls of St. Anthony, and must, of coiu'se, have passed this place, 

 (Prairie du Chien,) and he could hardly have passed it without stopping. But as 

 there is no mention made by him of any settlement, or even of an Indian village, 

 at that time it is probable that there was none. Hennepin says he was released 

 from being a prisoner to the Sioux at Itasti, on the St. Francis River, by a 

 trader, but does not tell where the trader resided. But as, on being released, he 

 returned to Quebec by ascending the Wisconsin, it seems most probable that this 

 trader lived at or near Prairie du Chien. And if so, he being here in 1680, was 

 probably the first trader here. 



When Carver visited this place in 1766, he found an Indian village of about 

 thirty years standing, and a ti-ading post of great commercial importance. One 

 of the traders who accompanied him from Mackana, wintered at Yellow River, 

 on the west side of the Mississippi, about three miles above our upper landing. 

 But the site of the Aallage of which Carver speaks, must have been the same as 

 that of our " lower town" at this time. Here we have the tradition of the 

 French, that their fathers first settled and built then" fort ; and, in attempting to 

 dig a well, they left a cotton-wood stick in the shape of a handspike remaining 

 in it, which, taking root, grew, and is now (the well being filled up) a tree of 

 more than a foot in diameter. 



The first regular settlers at this place, were those who came here in the employ 

 of the traders, and leaving that trade settled to farm, fish, hunt or voyar/e, as 

 opportunity occurred. These regular settlers must have been here previous to 

 the Revolutionary War, at least some of them. For the whole Prairie, including 

 forty-four farm lots, and twenty-six village and other lots, was divided off, and 

 claimed by as many claimants in 1793.* 



These claims, except two farm lots, lie on this prairie, which is seven miles in 

 extent from north to south ; and in width, one and three-fourths of a mile on the 

 south end, from whence it runs to a point on the north. The original claimants 

 occupied by common consent of the Indians ; it being a kind of common trading 

 and neutral ground, on which all the neighboring tribes frequently, if not annually, 

 met for trade or other interceurse. In 1818, Congress confirmed these claims to 

 the settlers who were in possession in 1793. The proofs of ownership were taken 

 in 1823; and the farm and village lots surveyed by order of Congress, in 1828. 



" American State Papers, Vol. 4. ' 



