Sun Prairie Historical Library & Museum
The Sun Prairie Historical Library & Museum collects, preserves, and shares the history of Sun Prairie’s settlement, growth, and citizens. Built on the site of Charles H. Bird’s home, the red brick building at 115 E. Main St. was constructed in 1924 as the community’s first standalone public library. Library operations relocated in 1967 and the building has served as the City’s Historical Museum since 1969. In 2019, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Sun Prairie Downtown Historic District.
The Museum is open year-round, with extended hours April through November. Admission is free, and all are welcome to visit and learn more about the people, places, and events of Sun Prairie history. Free parking is available in the rear and there is an accessibility lift on the west side of the building.
The Historical Museum also offers services like historic tours, research assistance, and youth programming.
Crosse House
The Dr. Charles G. Crosse House at 133 W. Main Street is a historic home built in the Gothic Revival style and is one of the oldest surviving residences in Sun Prairie. Dr. Crosse moved to Sun Prairie in 1860, setting up a practice and establishing a drug store, and he built the home following his return from service in the Civil War. The home, designated as a National Historic Landmark, is used for community events, private rentals and tours upon request. The Crosse House is home to the Sun Prairie Historical Society.
Georgia O’Keeffe
Georgia O’Keeffe, known as the mother of American Modernism, was born on a farm in Sun Prairie on November 15, 1887, and lived here with her family for 15 years. As a child, O’Keeffe received her first art lessons from local artist Sarah Mann. The O’Keeffe family eventually moved to the East Coast and O’Keeffe attended art schools in Chicago and New York before becoming one of the world’s most famous painters in the 1920s. Today, visitors to Sun Prairie can find tributes and historic sites related to this iconic artist.
• A historical marker highlighting O’Keeffe’s time in Sun Prairie, located in the 300 block of East Main Street next to the Sun Prairie Police Department.
• The Georgia O’Keeffe Room at the Sun Prairie Historical Library & Museum, which features exhibits about O’Keeffe’s life in Sun Prairie and her relationships with her family, art, and the city.
• O’Keeffe Avenue on the south side of Sun Prairie, which is named after the artist.
• Exhibits about O’Keeffe and events at the Crosse House, a historical site and gathering place that is one of Sun Prairie’s oldest homes.
• Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Catholic Church, which O’Keeffe’s family helped found in the 1860s.
Georgia O'Keeffe's Formative World
Experience the beauty of Georgia O'Keeffe's childhood in Sun Prairie, WI. Explore the historic downtown and walk in her steps.
Sun Prairie Historical Museum Teams With Clio
The Sun Prairie Historical Museum has produced a series of information guides describing the history of some key sites around Sun Prairie using an application built by scholars for public benefit known as Clio. Clio is an educational website and mobile application that guides the public to thousands of historical and cultural sites throughout the United States.