PRESCOTT'S ORIGINS AND HISTORY
 

The City of Prescott, Wisconsin, is located where the St. Croix River meets the Mississippi River...

 The C
...on the border of Wisconsin and Minnesota.
It is just 30 minutes southeast of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, and only 25 minutes away from  Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport.  This link will serve a map.
 
Settled in 1840, this area was described as the “mouth of the St. Croix”.  Prescott received its official name in 1851, apparently in honor of Philander Prescott, a fur trapper who built a cabin on the site where the City of Prescott now stands. He held claim to 1,200 acres for soldiers from Fort Snelling, MN, at the confluence of the Mississippi and the St. Croix Rivers. There were  plans to establish the first major community for immigrants migrating up the Mississippi River. Land speculation drove prices upward and the immigrants moved further north to what is now known as St. Paul, MN. The rivers played an important factor in the beginnings of Prescott. River traffic had to go by way of the Mississippi or St. Croix Rivers. This made Prescott a strategic place, becoming a center for river shipping, transportation and milling.  Immigrants arrived via steamboats and settled  in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The huge white pines to the north were harvested and rafted down the St. Croix by logging crews. In 1896, over 209 million board feet of lumber were rafted down river.  Several warehouses stored food and supplies. Hotels accommodated the influx of people, resulting in the development of restaurants, banks and many new homes.Bridge

The railroads lead to the demise of steamboat traffic. Lumbering resources were exhausted and settlers came in smaller numbers.  Prescott became a sleepy river town of only 750 in 1930, down from 1,138 in located outside the city limits.  Prescott is a unique city, offering friendliness and a quiet charm all its own.

 

William Cullen Bryant once praised the beauty of the area and declared: “This area ought to be visited by every poet and painter in the land.”  If you stand in Mercord Mill Park and view the muddy waters of the Mississippi River joined by the blue waters of the St. Croix River, you will begin to understand this statement. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy boating and canoeing on the St. Croix RiverFreedom Park going north to Afton, Hudson and Stillwater. Year-round beauty abounds.  In September, Prescott Daze takes place, offering many fun activities over a 3-day period.  There is a children's fishing contest, a parade, mini-carnival, a variety of food/drink stands, and much more.  Watch for Prescott Daze brochures at area businesses or call City Hall at 262-5544 for more information.  As fall and winter descend, the leaves turning brilliant with color and the apples ripening in area orchards and ready for harvest, and then the soft snows, make Prescott worthy of several visits.
Shopping in the downtown district offers unique stores, and restaurants offer casual and fine dining.  Picnic areas along the river provide relaxing places to enjoy the sights and sounds of trains, boats, barges, many different bird species, including bald eagles, and wildlife.
CLICK HERE to take a VIRTUAL WALKING TOUR of PRESCOTT