Wisconsin Interstate State Park was once the site of a storied mansion and estate that provided respite for Black residents of St. Paul’s Rondo Neighborhood during the struggle to save it from urban renewal initiatives in the 1950s and 1960s.

This program provides a detailed look at the St. Croix Valley Country Club, the owners, Annabelle and James Rideaux, as well as, the property’s construction to its demolition in 1974. Haley Prochnow started researching this virtually unknown part of watershed history in 2021, and the work to preserve this story is still underway today.

“This research project began as an exploration of what I thought might have been a haunted house, local lore, and legend. Search for ‘Silverbrook’”’ and you will find rumors about the mansion as home to gangsters, a brothel, generations of teens trespassing for parties, and ultimately enough notoriety for a lifetime. However, this is not where my research guided me, and the truth is far more fascinating.” – Haley Prochnow

Haley Prochnow is the President of the St. Croix Falls Historical Society and a Member of the St. Croix Falls Parks Arts and Trails Commission. She also writes a monthly column in the Inter-County Leader called “Northern Exposure.” Haley’s research and writing work fosters passion for historic preservation, community engagement, and cultural enhancement of the St. Croix River Valley. Haley is dedicated to providing access to public historical resources and amplifying representation for underrepresented persons in our community.