Touch History

April, 2013
Twilight of the Living Sculptures Almost Here
On a sunny Saturday, high school students get ready for the dress rehearsal of Twilight
of the Living Sculptures, borrowing the back of the donors' wall for a clothes rack.


The Sculpture Park is where fine art brings history to life near the confluence of the Wisconsin and
Mississippi Rivers. Life-sized bronze figures from the pages of history and prehistory gather
together near the central fire circle as if meeting for a present day rendezvous. Already installed
are: Blackhawk, Dr. Beaumont and son Israel, Victorian Lady, The Voyageur, and Emma Big
Bear. As guests visit and revisit they will learn of the stories and lives of the men and women who
shaped the Upper Mississippi River Valley on the land now called Prairie du Chien.

Each year 4th graders at Bluffview Elementary do a unit on Prairie du Chien history and are
required to do a report on historical figures. This culminates into a May field trip to tour the Villa
Louis, and thanks to several industrious teachers the field trip is expanded to include a tour of the
Mississippi River Sculpture Park. Cindy Hertrampf -- a retired school teacher from the area who
also serves on the Sculpture Park event committee -- and teacher Mary Gassner and her other
three 4th grade team members worked together on this. Each 4th grader will choose a figure from
the park's 26 planned statues and will then be required to do their report for class work.

Teaming up with the event committee are local high school teachers -- lead by Luana Stiemke --
who have put together a team of students and other local talent to create vignettes that tie in
historical facts about the people behind the park's statues. Costumed local high school students
and costumed area actors will portray these figures by telling stories about their historical impact on
southwest Wisconsin and northeast Iowa, with tales told about the discovery and development of
this critical rendezvous area, St. Feriole Island, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

This is the first event of its kind in this area, and it is a fundraiser to "bring to life" Marianne
Labuche, Wisconsin's first doctor. Labuche was a local healer known as "Aunt Mary Ann" by her
faithful followers in the early 1800s. Labuche's living statue will be roaming around during the event
telling tales about her life and work on this prairie. Visitors' generous donations will be gladly
accepted to give Labuche's bronze life-sized statue a permanent home in the park.

Free and open to all families and general public on both sides of the Mississippi, "Twilight of the
Living Statues" will be held on Sunday, May 5, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Mississippi River
Sculpture Park. Bluffview 4th grade children are strongly encouraged and invited to bring their
families down to the Sculpture Park to get additional information for their reports, participate in the
living history, and receive a token for attending. On the Monday after the event in their classes,
students with tokens will be asked to fill out a three-question survey which will be published in the
Courier Press to share with everyone the 4th graders' "Twilight" experiences.

Visitors are invited to bring their own snacks or beverages so they can picnic in the Sculpture Park
while listening to live music and enjoying the vignettes. A fire will be constantly burning in the
central Fire Circle, which is outlined with bronze symbols of the ancient peoples who occupied this
rendezvous area over the past 10,000 years. In addition to costumed actors, board members and
volunteers will be dressed in historic-style clothing. Visitors are encouraged to get into the "spirit"
and come dressed as their favorite historical figure or persona.

Should May 5 prove to be too rainy for this outdoor event, the rain date will be Saturday, May
11 (the day before Mother's Day). For more information, contact Sculpture Park board
president Rogeta Halvorson at RAHalvorson@alpinecom.net or 563-880-9190.





To send donations ahead of time, or if you can't make it to TOLS,
make out your check to
Mississippi River Scupture Park
and mail it to
Mississippi River Sculpture Park
PO Box 395
Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
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Mississippi River Sculpture Park | 1702 E. Parrish St. | Prairie du Chien | WI | 53821