The organizer of the Marquette & Jolliet 350th Expedition Anniversary is the Prairie du Chien Main Street Team.
Prairie du Chien (PDC) Main Street is the organization that has been formed to focus on the historic preservation and economic revitalization of Prairie du Chien’s downtown area. “Main Street” (no matter what the actual street name), is the economic engine, the big stage, the core of the community. Our Main Streets tell us who we are and who we were and how the past has shaped us. Main Streets are the places of shared memory where people still come together to live, work and play.
Prairie du Chien Main Street is run by a Board of Directors who bring a wide diversity of business management, marketing, economics and overall passion for the Prairie du Chien area. This group of individuals meet regularly to help guide the program to bring strength, wisdom and knowledge in a cooperative nature and to lead progress for the main street program.
Our Prairie du Chien Main Street team’s mission is to re-establish the downtown as the social and economic heart of the community. We are doing this by continuing to focus specifically on growing and developing the downtown district. We are creating reasons for consumers to come downtown to eat, shop and play…plus so much more!
Tammie Katzung, Prairie du Chien Main Street Program Manager
The PDC Main Street organization is hyper-focused on the local downtown district. This organization benefits from the resources from the state and national main street programs. Some of the accomplishments of this program include: redevelopment of the gateways to the downtown area, façade improvements, streetscaping and utility upgrade on Blackhawk Ave, neighborhood stabilization program, local farmers markets, flower displays/holiday decorations/street banners and over 500 events held in the downtown area since 2005 to drive consumer interest and growth.
This program is important for the survival and growth of downtown Prairie du Chien. Many of the main street buildings are from the 1800’s and their historic preservation are a testament to preserving our past but allows us to re-energize our community, visitors and businesses for years to come.
Why visit Prairie du Chien Main Street?
From our research, we know that people live in and visit Prairie du Chien Main Street for various reasons:
- Nature & Geography: PDC offers nature’s finest beauty – from rolling hills, majestic bluffs, river vistas and more, the beauty is a key factor people visit the area.
- The River: The Mississippi River is a key attribute and natural feature of the area.
- All Season Recreation with Fun and Entertainment: With its natural beauty and geography, PDC offers a wide range of all seasonal recreational opportunities. From boating, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, biking, camping to snowmobiling, ice fishing, skating and more.
- Heritage and Historical Elements: As the second oldest city in Wisconsin, and a community over 300 years old, the area offers rich history and events that tie back to the historical foundation of the community. There is a great sense of pride and acknowledgment of the history of the area.
- Arts, Music and More: PDC is known for its local music – from organized events, to musicians at local venues and the surrounding area.
- Shopping: PDC has a variety of shopping for all ages including clothing, gifts, art, quilting, metaphysical, flowers, decorations, Amish-made products, restaurants, spirits, homemade chocolates and desserts plus so much more!
For all of the above reasons, people live, work and play in the Prairie du Chien area. Visiting downtown PDC is encouraged for retail shopping, places to eat, and finding great local entertainment at multiple local establishments.
Prairie du Chien Main Street, known as ‘Blackhawk Avenue’, is continuing to attract people to the downtown area to eat, shop and play. Businesses are attracted to our area because we have the right location, have room to grow and we are surrounded by supportive community who wants the city to grow!
Come live, work and play in the great downtown of Prairie du Chien and let PDC Main Street program work for you!