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/
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/
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/
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/
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/
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/
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/
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/
In its 130 years of existence, the five-story building at 116 4th St S has only had two owners: Leithold Music, and the Tillman Bros. Furniture Store. Founded by William and Friedrich Tillman in 1859, the Tillman Bros company served La Crosse for over a c…
(written by Meghan Hoefling, archives staff)
The building occupying 116 4th Street S in La Crosse has been known as Leithold Music for over 60 years. In its 130 years of exist… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/the-tillman-bros.-cabinet-makers-undertakers-and...-weathermen/
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/
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/
Throughout the 20th century, the Franciscan Sisters running St. Francis Hospital partnered with like-minded physicians before ultimately joining one of the world’s most renowned medical systems.
(written by Meghan Hoefling, Archives staff)
Last week, we dove into the trials of opening and operating St. Francis Hospital in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. World … http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/the-legacy-of-st.-francis-hospital/
Mayo Clinic Health System - Franciscan Healthcare recently broke ground on a new hospital building, expanding an already substantial campus, but none of it would have been possible were it not for the vision and devotion of an order of Franciscan Sisters …
(written by Sarah Ludington, Archives staff)
In 2022, Mayo Clinic Health System – Franciscan Healthcare broke ground into the block bounded by West Avenue and Mississippi Stree… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/the-founding-sisters-of-st.-francis-hospital/
A look back at the local history stories shared by the La Crosse Public Library Archives in 2022.
Archives staff/volunteers/interns/guest historians put together a lot of great blog posts in 2022; please take a moment to check out these local history topics by clicking on the … http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/looking-back-2022/
In 1888 a local contractor talked to a newspaper reporter about local building costs, "LA CROSSE IS THE PLACE TO BUILD CHEAP HOUSES"
(written by Dr. Les Crocker, Emeritus Professor of Art History)
People are always curious as to what something cost in the “good old days.” In an earlier blog I talked about s… http://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/houses-for-a-hundred-dollars/