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Saturday 10am - 2pm Sunday 10am - 2pm

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Prescott Area Historical Society

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Prescott, WI
Prescott Area Historical Society

All Photos on this site are copyrighted
Our River Speaker series kicks off May 8th at 7PM

History Center in downtown Prescott, Wisconsin
OPEN Sat. & Sun. 11 to 3
Steamboats, Towboats & River History Exhibit
Showing until fall of 2026
Volunteer Driven!

11/01/2026

Here is the other photo of our 1886 RR Bridge but several years after the previous photo. The RR tracks are now on dirt. It has to be after 1895 as the Wing Dams are in place. Again I have shown the original and the AI modified image. The AI version again leaves out many facts. Many of you are better at this than I. Click on the photo and you can zoom for a detailed look.

Remember our Costume ball this coming Saturday November 7th from 6 to 9 at the History Center.

11/01/2026

My mentor always said look into the back of the photo. A great lesson. I have located a couple of old Prescott photos from pre 1900. The first shows our 1886 Railroad bridge shortly after construction, a bit cloudy, and cluttered and not very sharp but still interesting in its blemishes. It is still up on trestles for quite a distance. I ran it through an AI photo editor to declutter and sharpen it. It looks great but if you compare them the AI version is somewhat of an Escher print, but it does bring out some items. I really prefer the original as the edited one leaves out many facts. Enjoy looking them both

10/29/2026

Changes are underway as we prepare for our Costume Ball on Saturday November 7th from 6 to 9PM at the history center. We hope to bring back a local tradition from our past where the Costume Ball was the big event of the year and we need you to help by stopping by.

Entry is free and any costume works or come as you are. Live music, food, and beverages will be on the ticket. Stop in to visit friends and maybe meet some new ones.

Preparations for our continuing exhibits are underway as we transition half our facility to the history of Broad Street. Decorations of various types are going up. We have changed, consolidated, and moved many of our photo displays. A great look at our town's river history.

10/25/2026

Captain William "Bill" Bowell was the founder of the St. Paul Paddleford Packet Company in 1969, still in business today. The Jonathan Paddleford, Anson Northrup, and Betsy Northrup were in his fleet. Over 5 million passengers over the years. Many of the St. Paul Harbor pilots worked for him over the years. Captain Glen Carlson brought a commemorative coin designed by Bowell to help remember the 1965 floods, still the highest in local river history, in for us to share.

10/24/2026

From the boom days of the old Steamboat Inn in Prescott. Owner Russ Swanson wrote out a Christmas card and mailed them to all of his employees in 1975. How many businesses do anything like that now. The card was brought to us by Tom Voelker.

10/24/2026

The Mississippi Belle from Hastings past. A great restaurant and event site. How many went for weddings, dates, graduations, Prom, and other occasions. Gone but not forgotten. Bob's music next door and Al Holzemer's shoe store with the great benches.

10/24/2026

A gorgeous day in Prescott. This morning we had a collection of River Rats stop in. Old pilots, deckhands, their wives, and friends. A couple hundred years of river history holding court and telling stories, most of which are true. We shall be hearing more from these folks in the future. The photo is of the MV Itasca, the hardest working harbor boat in the Twin Cities. A beautiful night shot. The photo comes from Captain Steve Plan.

10/21/2026

This coming Saturday, October 24th, Al and his staff at Scab's are hosting a meat rafflle with the proceeds donated to PAHS. Stop down to visit and help keep PAHS going. Start time is 3 PM.

The two photos are of the building under two different owners. One is Stingee and Rose Starks establishment, with Stingee behind the bar. The other is unknown but earlier.

10/19/2026

A Costume Party? Yes, in Prescott November 7th from 6 to 9PM. Costume balls during Prescott's past were often the most anticipated event of the year. There were many dance halls and presentation rooms during our history.

The building that houses the Twisted Oak and Corner Italian had a third floor ball room until fire destroyed the top floor. What used to be the International Order of Odd Fellows Hall on the old Steamboat Inn lot was an opera house. The Dudley building that burned in 1982 had two large rooms on the upper floor for events. Where the No Name Saloon is now had a large room on the top floor for dances and a Roller Rink. Several buildings on our river front had event halls.

Our event is free for all. It is a donation based fund raiser for the Prescott Area Historical Society. Keeping our buildings open, repaired, and current takes a lot of work, and money. All our members are volunteers helping to preserve Prescott's fascinating history. Snacks and appetizers will be provided, along with various drinks. There will be live music from 6:30 to 7:15 by local musicians.

Any costume will do or come as you are. Come out to meet your friends, meet new ones, and enjoy their company.

So again November 7th at 6 PM will be our modern Costume Ball. We hope you will join us.

10/19/2026

Last Friday night, October 16th, we packed the house again. Nancy Earhart Burt did a wonderful job of presenting her cousin, Amelia Earhart. Her life, her education, her goals, and achievements were fascinating. Thanks to those of you who have supported our speaker series for this year. We are working on next year's schedule.

Address

235 Broad Street
Prescott, WI
54021

Opening Hours

Saturday	10am - 2pm
Sunday	10am - 2pm

Website

facebook.com

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