 The hotel was named for fur trader Hercules L. Dousman, who had interests in both the steamboat and railroad industries, as well as lumber and real estate.At the time he was regarded as Prairie du Chien's most prominent resident and became a millionaire before his death, when there were few in the United States.Travelers on both the river and the railroad frequented the hotel, which was considered the most luxurious of the city's hotels at the time.