History Behind the Town Sauk Prairie was not always one collective town. Technically, this town is made of up two towns that lie right next to each other along the Wisconsin River. These two close-knit towns are called Sauk City and Prairie du Sac; which together make the town some call home Sauk Prairie. Each of the these two towns had a their own high schools with different groups of students. The bitter rivalry in sports between the Sauk City Cardinals and the Prairie du Sac Indians lasted all the way until 1964 when the two high schools decided to join as one in Prairie du Sac. When the two high schools combined into one, the rivarly continued into the school setting even after students’ time ended at the high school. It wasn’t until about five years ago that the two schools decided to hold their class reunions together. Today Sauk Prairie is known as the Sauk Prairie Eagles and are proud to represent their towns heritage.

Image Courtsey of DVIDSHUB (Flickr member)

How did Sauk Prairie Begin? Agoston Haraszthy, a Hungarian native,

first came over to the land near the Wisconsin River with his business partner Robert Bryant in 1840. They loved the scenery surrounding the land and decided to name it Széptáj, or beautiful place. In 1849, the village was renamed to Westfield, but the name didn’t stay long. In 1884, the village was named to Sauk City and was pronounced the oldest incorporated village in Wisconsin and remains that way today. Prairie du Sac was founded around the same time as Sauk City by French Fur Traders on land held by the Sauk Indians.

Why the Eagles?

The location of this town along the river makes for a unquie view each winter of bald eagles. The winter is a time where these eagles need to gather fish and food in open water, and they also need to perch in large trees for survivial during the nightime. Bald Eagle Watching Days are a town festivity that runs Friday, January 15th and Saturday, January 16th 2016 in the early morning for travelers to come down to Sauk Prairie to catch these birds in the peak of their movement as they search in the water and on the shores for their first meal of the day.

Famous People of Sauk Prairie Chief Black Hawk of the Sauk Indians staked their claim in the town of Sauk City. The Black Hawk war began in 1832 when a group of Sauk, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos Indians crossed the Mississippi River into Iowa and Illinois to try and resettle to land that wasn’t taken by the English. The group was called the British Band and was eventually kicked out of these states and forced to move back to their land. Black Hawk led his weak and small numbered group to a safe zone right outside of Sauk City. The U.S. militia caught up with this group at the safe zone and believed this group was harmful and killed off as many 70 Indians in a lopsided victory for the U.S. Today there is a stone and Indian burial grounds in remembrance of the battle outside of Sauk City.

August Derleth was a famous writer when it came to uncovering history of natural side of Sauk Prairie. He saw the beauty that surrounds Sauk Prairie with its waterway location and Indian treaded battle grounds. Derleth lived from 19091971 in the Sauk City and graduated from the University of Wisconsin and lectured their frequenlty. Derleth spoke up for many citizens in the Sauk City area in preserving the land. Today there is a park down by the river to commemorate Derleth and his accomplishments.

Did you Know?

PP Sauk City is the home of the first Culvers Resturant. Craig and Lea Culver, along with Craig’s parents, opened their doors in 1984 in Sauk City, Wisconsin. Today there is over 435 Culvers locations in the United States from Arizona to Ohio with many in between! PP This small town has a festival every year where 40,000 people come from all around the world to throw cow “chips” (scat) each year. The Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw is held at Marion Park in Prairie du Sac duirng the labor day weekend in early September. The longest cow chip that has ever been thrown is the state record of 248 feet! PP Sauk Prairie is the birthplace of Muller Sports Medicine. In 1960, Curt Muller began looking at different ways to support athletes in preventing injuries. He coined a new term called sports medicine where he developed products for athletes to protect themselves at all ability levels. Today his products are used world-wide and in many different professional sports. This company has recently been recognized by the NFL for supporting the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society.

For More Information on Sauk Prairie:

wwwww.saukprairiehistory.org wwwww.saukcountyhistory.org wwhttp://local.townsquarepublications. com/wisconsin/saukprairie/01/topic. html

Sources:

Black Hawk War. (2015, Nov. 15). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Hawk_War

Culvers. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.culvers. com/inside-culvers/our-story

DVIDSHUB. (2013, Mar. 25). Schriever photographer snares elusive bald eagle. Retrieved from https://goo.gl/ MxCYJt

Sauk Prairie

Wisconsin

Ferry Bluff Eagle Council. (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.ferrybluffeaglecouncil.org/bald-eaglewatching-days.html

Morton, J. (2013, Jul. 3). Last Sauk City High School class is golden. Sauk Prairie Eagle. Retrieved from http://www.wiscnews.com/news/local/article_12699236-e35d-11e2-befc-001a4bcf887a.html Mueller. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.muellersportsmed.com/

Sauk City, Wisconsin. (2015, Oct. 16). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauk_City,_Wisconsin The August Derleth Society. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.newderleth.org/?page_id=61 [Wisconsin State Cartographer’s Office]. Retrieved from http://goo.gl/3P5eaY

Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw. (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.wiscowchip.com/

Cover image courtesy of Wisconsin State Cartographer’s Office

Home of the Eagles