Authentic Wisconsin.  Sauk Prairie, Wisconsin


Eagle Days in Sauk Prairie, Wisconsin.

Above: Each year, dozens of bald eagles winter in the Sauk Prairie area to fish the open waters of the Wisconsin River. In January, Sauk Praire celebrate Bald Eagle Watching Days.


Sauk Prairie, Wisconsin - The "Cow Chip Throwing Capital"

Sauk Prairie is the nickname for the adjacent villages of Sauk City and Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. The twin communities are located on the west bank of the Wisconsin River in southeastern Sauk County, where U.S. Highway 12 crosses the Wisconsin River.

Although the communities share many commonalities and are often seen as parallel versions of each other, their relationship has sometimes been called a "rivalry" and even a "feud". The consolidation of the two municipalities has been discussed a number of times over several decades but has never received approval.

Sauk Prairie is immortalized in the Sac Prairie Saga, a series of novels, short stories, journals, poems, and other works about the area and its residents written by local author, August Derleth.

Prairie du Sac

Prairie du Sac was so named because it was in the large Wisconsin River Valley where the Sauk Indians had a large settlement. Although the name of the village dates from the early days of French fur traders, Prairie du Sac was established as a village by D.B. Crocker in 1840, largely as a Yankee-English village, in contrast to its neighbor, Sauk City, which was settled largely by Germans.

Downtown Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin.

Above: Downtown Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. Photo by Edit6212 [CC BY-SA 4.0 ], from Wikimedia Commons.


Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin circa 1870.

Above: Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin circa 1870.



Downtown Sauk City, Wisconsin.

Above: Downtown Sauk City. Photo by Royalbroil [CC BY-SA 3.0 ], from Wikimedia Commons.


Sauk City is the Oldest Incorporated Village in the State

Sauk City, Wisconsin circa 1870.

Above: Sauk City, Wisconsin circa 1870.


The Oldest Incorporated Village in Wisconsin

Sauk City was incorporated as a village in 1854, making Sauk City the oldest incorporated village in the state.

Impressed by the beautiful scenery, "Count" Agoston Haraszthy, purchased a small plot of land along the Wisconsin River in 1840. Later, with his English-born business partner, Robert Bryant, Haraszthy bought additional land and founded the town of Haraszthy (originally called Széptáj, Hungarian for "beautiful place"). The name of the town was changed to Westfield in 1849 and to Sauk City in 1852. The community was incorporated as a village in 1854, making Sauk City the oldest incorporated village in Wisconsin.

Eagle Watching Days

Winter eagle watching usually begins in Mid-Decemeber and the Sauk Prarie area celebrates Bald Eagle Watching Days in Mid January. Eagles perch of Eagle Island in the Wisconsin River and fly overhead insearch of food.

The eagles gather in the Sauk Prairie each winter area due to the open water for fishing, undeveloped shorelineand large trees for perching. The area also provides sheltered valleys for night-time roosting.

For more information on Eagle Watching Days, visit the Ferry Bluff Eagle Council website ferrybluffeaglecouncil.org

Wisconsin State Cow Chip Trowing Championship

Downtown Sauk City, Wisconsin.
On the Friday and Saturday of Labor Day weekend, the Annual Wisconsin State Cow Chip Trow includes much ore that just "feces flinging," "fecal Frisbees" or "Cow Pie slinging." There are two stages of free entertainment, arts & crafts fair, 5K Run/Walk & 10K Run & much more! About 40,000 people attend the Cow Chip Throw each year. The current state record is 248 feet established by Greg Neumaier of Sauk Prairie in 1991.

For more information on the Sauk Prairie Wisconsin Cow Chip Throw & Festival, visit www.wiscowchip.com.


For more information on Sauk Prairie, Wisconsin, visit Wikipedia.

For more information on Sauk City, Wisconsin, visit Wikipedia.

For more information on Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, visit Wikipedia.

Or, visit the Sauk Prairie Chamber of Commerce website at www.saukprairie.com.

Or, visit the Sauk Prairie Historical Society website at hwww.saukprairiehistory.org.


Buy books on eagles at Amazon (Click on image below).


     

     

     


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Sauk Prairie, Wisconsin
Sauk County


Sauk Prairie, Wisconsin.


Above: Sauk Prairie, Wisconsin.
Coordinates Sauk City: 43°16′27″N 89°43′42″W
Coordinates Prairie du Sac: 43°16′44″N 89°47′16″W


The "Cow Chip Throwing Capital"


Sauk Prairie Cow Chip Throwing championship.


Above: Each September, approximately 40,000 people attend the Wisconsin State Cow Chip throw each year in Sauk Prairie. The current Wisconsin Cow Chip Throw state record is 248 feet. A cow chip is a large piece of flattened manure. Some refer to it as a "fecal Frisbee."


Sauk City historical marker for the oldest incorporated village in Wisconsin.

Above: Historical marker for Sauk City being the oldest incorporated village in Wisconsin. Photo by By Allen C. [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons.




Above: Sauk Prairie 2012 Bald Eagle Watching Days. Marge Gibson (Raptor Education Group, Inc.) releases an immature female eagle on January 14, 2012 in Sauk Prairie, Wisconsin.




Above: Road Trippin' with Amy. Suak Prairie Cow Chip Throw (2015).




Above: The State Trunk Tour watches the Wisconsin Cow Chip Throw in Sauk Prairie.


Bridge over Wisconsin River in Sauk City looking south.

Above: Bridge over Wisconsin River in Sauk City looking south.



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