Great River Road Network of Interpretive Centers Visit Checklist
State Commissioner visits annually or bi-annually by making an appointment with the I.C. Director or appropriate personnel.
The goal is to develop a stronger relationship between the Interpretive Centers (I.C.) and the MRPC.
During the visit, the commissioner will review the checklist and share new or ongoing information about the MRPC. The talking points should include benefits of being an I.C. (e.g., featured on website, printed maps, social media, itineraries and more.)
- Interpretive Center Visited Villa Louis Interpretive Center – Historic Site
- Date of VisitAug 14, 2023
- Visiting Commissioner's NameSherry Quamme
- Name, Title, Email and Telephone Number of I.C. Personnel InterviewedSusan Caya Slusser, Southwest Site Regional Director, Wisconsin Historical Society, 608-516-3915
- What are your regular hours?9:30 to 4:30 Wednesday before Memorial Day weekend to end of October
- What is your admission pricing?Adults $15, Seniors $13.50, Children $8
- How many visitors do you see annually?17,000 annual visitors
- Does I.C. have a website?Yes
- Website URLhttp://villalouis.wisconsinhistory.org/
- Do you have a button on your website with the Great River Road logo and link to the experiencemississipprver.com website?No
- URL to page where button is located
- When will you be adding a logo and link?In process of adding GRR logo & link to site
- Do you have a Facebook page?Yes
- Facebook URLhttps://www.facebook.com/villalouishistoricsite
- Do you carry GRR maps or rack cards for sale, distribution or on display?Yes
- Do you display a GRR banner or other signage?Yes
- Are your frontline personnel knowledgable of the GRR? Do they receive any formal training?Yes
- Do you have photos or video of your I.C. to share for promotional use?No
- What other Interpretive Centers do you communicate with regarding GRR activities?
- How could the state or national MRPC help your interpretive center?Promote! Upper Mississippi River Culture, Outdoor Rec, All Seasons
- What do you need from us?More Publicity, Accurate information, use reliable sources, AAR - Destinations - World Culture - Focus more on the North
- How have you worked with the MRPC in the past?Mostly thru WI MRPC
- How does being affiliated with the Great River Road help your visitation?Immensely - Prestige - Use the maps - follow them
- Do many people visit your IC because they are travelling the Great River Road?No
- Has the status as an All-American Road led to more visitation?No
- Do people know about this designation and why it matters?No
- How does your organization currently connect visitors to the Mississippi River and the Great River Road?Connect personally with every visitor - Receptionist, tour guides conversations - part of dialogue
- Are the descriptions for your listing on the National Great River Road website and, if applicable, on your state’s Great River Road website up to date?No
- Please send updated information as needed, along with a photo (or photos) that you’d like us to use for promotional purposes.
- What are you doing to engage diverse audiences?The site is the Dousman home. Diverse cross-section of people who lived here & what they did. Grounds tour shows what happened here, who was here, how they lived
- Is the contact information on you website up to date?Yes
- Please send updated information as needed, include a phone number and email contact?
- COVID-19 Impacts
- How has Covid affected your staff and visitation at your IC over the past two years?Site shut down 1.5 years. Staff employed - Dept. of Health, other State Departments
- How are you planning to adjust or how have you adjusted in 2022?N/A - Working and open 2023 - opened second half of 2021 and all of 2022
- What do you see as the long-term impacts? Attendance down and then back up - room tax statute - wanted outdoors
- How can MRPC help with regard to the impacts of Covid?
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