Search Blog

Architectural Styles and Revivals: Romanesque Revival Homes

The Romanesque Revival was all about masses and large-scale forms. Most houses don't have the size to show the style well.
(Written by Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of Art History) This blog is third in a series on the Romanesque Revival. For more background on this revival, see Architectu… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/architectural-styles-and-revivals-romanesque-revival-homes/

Architectural Styles and Revivals: Romanesque Revival Commercial Buildings

Commercial buildings were large enough to make use of the Romanesque Revival style. In La Crosse, the two largest use no decoration, while the smaller one uses relief sculpture to enliven the surface.
(Written by Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of Art History) This blog is second in a series on the Romanesque Revival. For more background on this revival, see Architect… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/architectural-styles-and-revivals-romanesque-revival-commercial-buildings/

Architectural Styles and Revivals: Romanesque Revival Public Buildings

The Romanesque revival was based on church architecture, mostly in France and Spain, from the period of 950-1100 CE. The name means “like that in Rome” or in the Roman Empire.
(Written by Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of Art History) A more detailed discussion of these buildings can be found in my book Places and Spaces available at all publi… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/architectural-styles-and-revivals-romanesque-revival-public-buildings/

Architectural Styles and Revivals: The Colonial Revival

During the 1876 U.S. Centennial celebrations, the old argument that the United States needed an “American” architecture was resurrected, but what at first seemed clear-cut and definable, soon changed into another catch-all style. By 1876, the various revi…
(written by Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of Art History) The Panic of 1873 was a financial crisis that triggered an economic depression in Europe and North America tha… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/architectural-styles-and-revivals-the-colonial-revival/

Architectural Styles and Revivals: The Queen Anne Style

This style, as developed and named by Richard Norman Shaw in England in the late 19th-century, claimed to be based on design elements used in the time of the English monarch Queen Anne. As the style moved to the United States, it lost many of medieval ele…
(written by Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of Art History) The Queen Anne Mess This style was developed and named by Richard Norman Shaw in England and claimed to be b… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/architectural-styles-and-revivals-the-queen-anne-style/

Architectural Styles and Revivals: The Second Empire Style

The Second Empire style features include the mansard roof with dormer windows, decorative brackets, columns, paired columns, half columns, triangular pediments, curved pediments, decorative window crests; the more complex, the better. Even though few exa…
(written by Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of Art History) Based on the grand public buildings in Paris designed for Napoleon III, the Second Empire style worked best o… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/architectural-styles-and-revivals-the-second-empire-style/

Architectural Styles and Revivals: The Italianate Style

Though commonly referred to in architecture conversations, often used for any building with a bracket, the Italianate style is almost entirely a domestic style. There are very few public, religious, or commercial examples of the style in the United States…
(written by Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of Art History) Italianate means ‘like something in Italy.’ Not a very specific definition for a style of building in the Uni… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/architectural-styles-and-revivals-the-italianate-style/

Looking Back (2023)

A look back at the local history stories shared by the La Crosse Public Library Archives in 2023.
Archives staff/volunteers/interns/guest historians put together a lot of great blogs in 2023; please take a moment to check out these local history topics by clicking on the blog … http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/looking-back-2023/

Architectural Styles and Revivals: The Exotic Revival

Exotic Revival architecture is mostly understood to be Romantic era homes with added ornamentation inspired by architecture from regions that, at that time in the United States, would have been considered exotic.
(written by Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of Art History) In the book A Field Guide to American Houses by Virginia & Lee McAlester, the authors group what they call… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/architectural-styles-and-revivals-the-exotic-revival/

Architectural Styles and Revivals: The Gothic Revival

The Gothic Revival began at about the same time as the interest in the classical world did and lasted into the mid-nineteenth century in the United States.
(written by Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of Art History) The Gothic Revival began at about the same time as the interest in the classical world did and lasted into… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/architectural-styles-and-revivals-the-gothic-revival/

Architectural Styles and Revivals: The Greek and Roman Revivals

Greek and Roman Revival styles themes are highlighted by the use of classical elements, using old buildings as prototypes to exactly copy or treating various elements from classical buildings as independent items and arranging them to suit contemporary ta…
(written by Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of Art History) Classical is a term for something from the Greek or Roman worlds, often a mixture of both cultures. It's not … http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/architectural-styles-and-revivals-the-greek-and-roman-revivals/

Architectural Styles and Revivals

This is the first of a series of blogs on the major architectural styles used in La Crosse during the nineteenth century.
(written by Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of Art History) This is the first of a series of blogs on the major architectural styles used in La Crosse during the ninetee… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/architectural-styles-and-revivals/

John Gund's Empire

In 1853, La Crosse had yet to become incorporated and did not yet have a brewery. John Gund likely saw the opportunity to support his family and use his work experience to his advantage.
(written by Sarah Ludington, Archives staff) 1873 City directory advertisement Johannes Gund arrived in New York City, from Germany in 1848, just eighteen and with a b… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/john-gunds-empire/

The Oldest Extant House in La Crosse

While it's hard to nail down completely, read about the contenders for oldest surviving house in La Crosse.
(written by Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of Art History) This topic is covered in much more detail in my forthcoming book Immigrants All. Contact the Archives Depart… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/the-oldest-extant-house-in-la-crosse/

Neighbors Making History: Simon Markle - The King of Corn

Simon Markle, a farmer in the town of Shelby, made news for his prize-winning corn in the early 1900s. His efforts to educate farmers on scientific farming methods also contributed to the advancement of agriculture in La Crosse County.
(written by Jeff Rand, retired Adult Services Librarian) Corn fields are ubiquitous in the Wisconsin countryside.  During this season of corn pickers and combines making their … http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/neighbors-making-history-simon-markle-the-king-of-corn/

The Candy Kid: La Crosse's Own Ed Konetchy

La Crosse native Edward Konetchy was best known in major league baseball by his moniker as "Koney."
(written by Anita Taylor Doering, Archives Staff)  A postcard of first baseman Edward John Konetchy in his St. Louis Cardinal uniform, 1908 Known by various nicknames,… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/the-candy-kid-la-crosses-own-ed-konetchy/

The La Crosse Housing Authority, 1946-1985

When it formed in 1946, the La Crosse Housing Authority was faced with massive housing shortages. Over the course of the next 40 years, the Authority managed to build 12 public housing developments to help address housing insecurity in La Crosse.
 (written by Jenny DeRocher, Archives staff) In her book about the history of the La Crosse Housing Authority, local historian Susan Hessel explained the national and regional … http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/the-la-crosse-housing-authority-1946-1985/

La Crosse YMCA: The First 140 Years

Celebrate the 140th anniversary of the La Crosse chapter of the YMCA with a look back at their history from the collections of the La Crosse Public Library Archives.
(written by Scott Brouwer, Archives staff) Earlier this year, the LPLA Archives celebrated the 140th anniversary of St. Francis hospital by recounting its history from the late… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/la-crosse-ymca-the-first-140-years/

La Crosse's Snow Bowl, or "The Alps of the Mississippi"

In 1930, La Crosse opened its first official ski hill—the Snow Bowl, which would become one of the most respected ski hills in the Midwest. La Crosse hosted skiers far and wide so they could try out the “Alps of the Mississippi.”
(research for this blog was completed by Carla Swerman, former Archives staff, and Jenny DeRocher, Archives staff; written by Jenny DeRocher) In the 1930s, as the Great Depress… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/la-crosses-snow-bowl-or-the-alps-of-the-mississippi/

Stinkytown and the Flies

Wire screen, while an easily overlooked modern convenience now, was an incredible innovation in the late 1800s that dramatically improved the quality of life of La Crosse citizens.
(written by Dr. Les Crocker and Anita Taylor Doering, Archives staff) Movies and TV productions set in the past always present a sanitized version of how life really was.  With… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/stinkytown-and-the-flies/

« Previous 123456...12 Next »

Archives

2024

Tags