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Touch History
June, 2011
Welcome to our newsletter list


Since you're new to our newsletter, we thought you'd like to see
some of the articles that ran before Saturday's dedication.

The newsletter will always include a message from Florence Bird,
information about a place you might not know about otherwise --
Hidden Treasures -- and other updates on the Sculpture Park.

A newsletter with stories about Emma Big Bear that were shared at the dedication ceremony
will be coming soon.

SCULPTOR'S CORNER


I was asked to write about my experience of
getting to know Emma Big Bear as I was working
on her portrait. That experience is nearly impossible
to put into words, because it was an intuitive sense
that I felt while I was modeling her face.
The deepset eyes and wrinkles that come
with a long life seemed to express her life struggles
and triumphs and tragedies. Her expression
suggests to me concentration, and patience overlying
deep life experiences.
I also have learned about some of her
history. She was married twice, lost a child, and still
chose her own life of independence and survival,
making baskets and beaded jewelry by her beloved
big river.
I can only imagine her feelings and
perceptions about the world-changing events that
happened during her long life. She lived to be 99
years old (1869 - 1968) during the time of transition
from a tribal existence through the European contact
period and into our modern-day community life.
There is much to learn about this remarkable iconic
woman.
Florence Bird
Hidden Treasures . . . .
Historic Island Trees
Florence Bird wondered who had walked on the land at the confluence of the Mississippi and
Wisconsin Rivers and she developed the idea of sculptures in a park to tell their stories. On St. Feriole Island
in Prairie du Chien, a new project with a similar theme, Trees with a History, uses the entire island to recall
visitors to the area.
Prairie du Chien has always had famous people visit, live and work in the area. Trees with a
History matches each one with a tree that is his favorite, that he has written about or that he has become
involved with somewhere.
The first tree planted was a Canadian Hemlock for Joyce Kilmer, the poet who wrote, "I think that I
shall never see a poem lovely as a tree". Mr. Kilmer was a friend to a priest at Campion Boys School in the
early 1900's. He came to Prairie du Chien many times to visit the school and his friend.
In May of 2011, a Sugar Maple tree from Ben Logan's Seldom Seen Farm was dug up, then planted
at the front of St. Feriole Island Gardens. Mr. Logan wrote The Land Remembers, a book about growing up
in the early 1900's on a rural farm.
A Red Cedar tree will be planted for John Muir. He loved the tree so much that he requested its
boughs be buried with him. Mr. Muir lived in Prairie du Chien for a few years before heading westward and
establishing Yosemite National Park in California.
Pine trees dug at Aldo Leopold's "Shack" in Baraboo, Wisconsin, will make a small forest on the
island. Leopold visited Prairie du Chien often to work on conserving area prairies.
Jack Foley Horkheimer, who had family in Prairie du Chien, was a Campion graduate. He was on
PBS for over 35 years as creator, writer, and star of "Star Hustler/Star Gazer," seen every Saturday Night.
He will be getting a Star Magnolia.
Henry David Thoreau came to Prairie du Chien in 1861 by boat and stayed overnight. After a
month, he made the return trip, again spending a night in town. In an earlier journal entry, he had written,
"May I ever be in as good spirits as a willow! How tenacious of life! How soon it gets over its hurts!" A
willow will be planted to recall his visit.
Two male Ginkgo Trees growing in the sculpture park are noteworthy. They are referred to as
"living fossils," because they also show up in prehistoric fossils.
The Common Red Cedar Tree shades The Voyageur asleep in the park. The cedar tree seemed an
obvious choice when our major donor asked to have the statue located under a tree. After the statue was in
place, research indicated that the cedar tree was valuable to voyageurs: the cones were used for medicine
and the wood became staves in the canoes.
Stroll around St. Feriole Island after you visit the sculpture park, and see how many of these trees
you can find.
for more information, contact Cathie Nelson at pdcnellie@centurytel.net

Emma Big Bear's Last House

























Early in the 21st
century, the winery at Marquette, IA was being developed.
The yellow building to the right of the flagpole is the former home of Emma Big Bear.

Emma Big Bear lived most of her adult life in and around her ancient ancestral home in McGregor
and Marquette and northeast Iowa.
Departed almost 43 years, but not forgotten, she lives on in our hearts and minds and at a tiny
museum at her former home that honors her heritage and contributions to the river towns up and down the
Some of the bricks already
below the donor wall
Mississippi River in northeast Iowa.
Visitors to the winery often come with stories about meeting her, or about how relatives met her.
Sometimes they bring baskets to show to the winery's owners.
Come and sit a spell on the front porch where Emma Big Bear last sat and wove her Ho-Chunk
baskets and made beaded jewelry for tourists.
Rogeta Halverson

Editor's corner . . . .
Commemorating Emmas
May 24 was my granddaughter Emma's nineteenth birthday. Since she
considers herself somebody who has everything, she's very hard to buy presents
for. But with the dedication for Emma Big Bear's statue looming, an obvious
choice presented itself. So I went online to mississippiriversculpturepark.com,
clicked on "Brick Inscription Form" near the top of the home page, printed out
the form, wrote out a check, and bought her gift.
I'd consulted her father/my son before I did it, and he suggested the
inscription that I went with: "One Emma to another."
I've read that Emma continues to be one of the most popular names in
this country. If you're related to an Emma. whether or not she stumps you when
it comes to gifts, think about buying a brick to add to the park. Feel free to copy
my message, but don't add May 24, 2011 the way I did, unless that's your Emma's birthday too.
Even without an Emma in the family, buying a brick, or simply making a donation, will help build the
park.
Marilyn Leys

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Mississippi River Sculpture Park | 5410 Dahlia Court | Middleton | WI | 53562