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Touch History
December, 2011
Fall on the River

Cruising down the river on a Sunday afternoon, as the old song says. Friends of the
Sculpture Park aboard the Mississippi Explorer. Treats on deck, too. A beautiful
memory of early October, courtesy of Florence Bird's camera, to remember as the
winter winds begin to blow.
Sculptor's Corner

While the MRSP Board is taking the time to concentrate on infrastructure with possible
pathways and shelter for visitors, I continue to reconstruct the clay maquettes lost in the great fire.
Thank goodness I have good photographs so that I can reproduce them.
It is interesting to be redoing these figures. I find that I am more at ease with them and seem
to give them more life and motion the second time around.
I have remodeled seven of the figures so far; the latest being the British Red Coat from the
war of 1812.
This coming year of 2012 will mark the start of the 200
th
anniversary of that war. Each
year at Villa Louis there is a reenactment of the 1812 battle that was fought here in Prairie du
Chien.
I have been fortunate to have Lysle Fahrni, one of the reenactors pose for me in his
uniform. Shown above is the new sculpture maquette of the British Red Coat.
--Florence Bird


Geocaching Update


A while back, a Touch History newsletter article told about geocaching, a GPS assisted
treasure hunt., where visitors are drawn to a spot they might never see otherwise, then prove
they've been successful at finding the booty -- the cache -- by blogging comments.
In mid-November, on a cold but sunny day, a geocacher reported, "Enjoyed seeing the
statues in this park. It's been a long time since we've been down to this part of Prairie DuChien,
we will have to return in the summer to enjoy this more. Quick find as we were the only ones in
the park today."
About the cache in the Mississippi River Sculpture Park, one blogger wrote, "Amazing
how something in plain sight can seem hidden! Liked the statues, the one of Dr. Beaumont & his
son looked so real that from a distance I thought they were muggles! Thanks for bringing us to
this interesting collection of sculptures."
Another geocacher, returning to Prairie du Chien for a class reunion, wrote at the end of
August, "This is a great concept. I enjoyed looking at the stautes of Blackhawk and Beaumont.
Great hide as well. If it wasn't for the cache, I would have never visited the Sculpture Park. Will
need to come back to see more statues as they are erected."
A member of the group that calls itself the TottenFamilyCircus blogged, "Found it, good
thing I have small hands! This whole area is fascinating. We enjoyed walking around looking at all
the statues. The tiles/inlays on the firepit were especially interesting."
And a blogger calling herself Redtail Two recalled, "A very nice park. Better half
wondered how we would get the cache out of its hiding place, but he made quick work of it.
Enjoyed looking at the people, horses and carriages getting ready for the Villa Louis Carriage
Classic nearby."


Hidden Treasures
Crawford County Artists Indoors
If winter has you searching for a Hidden Treasure with
heat, you need to travel less than a mile from the Sculpture
Park to find indoor art work at the Crawford County
Administration Building.
Starting from the MRSP on St. Feriole Island, drive
away from the river (east) on Bolvin St. to the end of the
street. Make a right onto Sixth St., then an almost immediate
left onto Washington Street. Go over the bridge to Beaumont
St., then turn right. About two blocks later, you'll see Hayden
St. on your left, and the entrance to the Crawford County
Administration Building parking lot on your right.
Inside the Administration Building, you'll be introduced
to the variety of artists who live and work in Crawford County.
To your right (north) is the Artists' Gallery, a space
that features one county artist at a time. Currently, there's a retrospective of John Craig's forty
years of work -- "Anybody Out There?" is Craig's magazine illustration shown here . Come
summer, Florence Bird's paintings will occupy the space.
Walk down the hallway to your left and you'll pass the Courting Crane, a kinetic sculpture
by the late Glenn Donovan. A sign invites you to touch it. People who work in the building can't
resist that invitation; everyone has a favorite way to make the statue move.
At the end of the hall is the Permanent Gallery. Works by a variety of county artists --
paintings, photographs, and a mobile -- are displayed here.
The building is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Parking is free.

Editor's Corner


The holidays are almost upon us. That's hardly news.
Some of the people on your gift list are impossible to buy presents for. That might not be
news either.
A donation to the Mississippi River Sculpture Park is a gift for that impossible person and
a gift to the Sculpture Park as well.
I'm a compulsive reader. Take me to a public park that has commemorative plaques and
I'm a goner. Some of my favorites are funny, but some are rectangular reminders of people I
don't know, but wonder about nevertheless.
One way of gift giving while contributing to the MRSP is to buy a brick to add to the
commemorative path at the entrance to our park. Another is to make a donation in the name of
that impossible relative in order to help us add another statue to the park. With Emma Big Bear
installed last summer, we have a long way to go before the next sculpture appears in person.
No need to worry about crowded parking lots or crowded stores. The place to start is
mississippiriversculpturepark.com. Go to the website and click on "Donations" or "Brick
Inscription Form" at the top of the page.
Meanwhile, a happy holiday season to all.
--Marilyn Leys


MSRP
Mississippi River Sculpture Park
608-326-0862
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