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Guide to the La Crosse, Wisconsin Engineering Department Records, 1856-1961 La Crosse Series 056

Guide to the La Crosse, Wisconsin Engineering Department Records, 1856-1961

La Crosse Series 056

Summary Information

Abstract
The City of La Crosse Engineering Department is responsible for cost estimation, drawing up and supervising capital improvement projects city of La Crosse, including plans for buildings, docks, streets, additions and subdivisions, paving, curb and gutter, storm sewers, sanitary sewers, water mains, ornamental street lighting, bridge design and other engineering drawings. The Engineering Dept. works closely with the City of La Crosse’s Office of Public Works. The title of the City Engineer was changed from City Surveyor in approximately 1887. An Administrative series includes mainly contracts (1901-1961) and outgoing correspondence (1887-1937). The Subject Files (1856-1907) series pulls together by subject materials created by the city engineering department for their use, such as grading, plats, sanitary sewer and water mains.
Collection Title
La Crosse, Wisconsin, Engineering Department Records
Date of Materials
1856-1961
Creator
La Crosse (Wis.). Engineering Dept.
Call Number
La Crosse Series 056
Amount
4.0 cubic feet
Physical Description
11 archives boxes
Language of Materials
English
Repository
La Crosse Public Library Archives

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], La Crosse, Wisconsin, Engineering Department Records, La Crosse Series 056, La Crosse Public Library Archives, La Crosse, WI

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Historical Note

The office of the City Surveyor began as early as city incorporation in 1856. In about 1887 this title changed to City Engineer. George Gregory served as the city’s first surveyor in 1856 and Henry I. Bliss served as his deputy. By 1857, Bliss became surveyor and many documents are signed “Bliss & Spear, city surveyors,” for Henry Bliss and W. M. Spear.

The City of La Crosse Engineering Department is responsible for cost estimation, drawing up and supervising capital improvement projects city of La Crosse, including plans for buildings, docks, streets, additions and subdivisions, paving, curb and gutter, storm sewers, sanitary sewers, water mains, ornamental street lighting, bridge design and other engineering drawings. The Engineering Dept. works closely with the City of La Crosse’s Office of Public Works.

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Scope and Contents

The Administrative Records series includes contracts (1901-1961), correspondence (1887-1937), cost estimates, an Engineer’s field book, and some stray files. The Subject Files series pulls together by subject materials created by the city engineering department for their use.

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Arrangement

Arranged in two series:

Series 1: Administrative Records

Series 2: Subject Files

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

La Crosse Public Library Archives 2003 April-May

800 Main St.
La Crosse, Wisconsin, 54601
(608) 789-7136
archives@lacrosselibrary.org

Access to Materials

Materials in this collection are available for patron use.

Acquisitions Information

(Accession nos. 1997.032, 1999.019) Transferred by City of La Crosse Engineering Department via City Engineer Randy Turtenwald, July 1999; reports were separated out and processed in the local history book collection.

Processing Information

Processed by Anita Taylor Doering with help from Janet Lukas, April-May 2003

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Related Materials

Related Materials

(La Crosse Series 016)
 La Crosse, Wisconsin, Office of the Director of Public Works Records
(La Crosse Series 033)
 La Crosse, Wisconsin, Office of the City Clerk, Contracts and Agreements of the City of La Crosse

Separated Materials

Written reports from city planning and outside consultants have been separated out and where appropriate added to the Archives’ book collection. Examples of these are planning documents, sanitary landfill, feasibility reports on the airport, etc.

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Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

  • La Crosse (Wis.). Engineering Dept.

Subject(s)

  • Municipal engineering--Wisconsin--La Crosse
  • Public records--Wisconsin--La Crosse
  • Public utilities--Wisconsin--La Crosse
  • Water utilities--Wisconsin--La Crosse

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Collection Inventory

 (Series 1) Administrative Records 

Scope and Contents

The Administrative Records series includes contracts (1901-1961), correspondence (1887-1937), cost estimates, an Engineer’s field book, and some stray files.

Contracts sometimes include monthly cost estimates and certification by the contractor that the work was completed. Some contracts are copies; some are labeled “original.” In many cases, a signed and notarized copy of the contractor’s bonded status and/or insurance coverage is included. Other correspondence related to the project may also be included. Rarely are plans attached to the contract. A separate index is attached to this inventory of the contracts arranged by subject; therein alphabetically by contract date.

Outgoing correspondence (1881-1937) is arranged alphabetically in bound letter press volumes. Cost estimates for the oldest period, 1887-1928, can be found mixed in the correspondence subseries and are therefore arranged chronologically in the volume. A volume of cost estimates, 1929-1939, is a chronological list and many different types of projects are included.

Contracts, 1901-1906 

Box

Bridges and viaducts 

1
Box Folder

Docks and boat launches 

2 1-4

Dredging and dams 

2 5-8
Box

Lighting 

3
Box Folder

Parks 

4 1

Paving 

4 2

Schools 

4 3-4

Traffic signals 

4 5-24
Box

Correspondence (outgoing), 1887-1937 

5-8

Cost estimates 

Box Folder

Black River Bridge, 1916 

9 1

Estimates, 1929-1939 

9 2
Box Folder

Engineer's field book, circa 1887-1889 

9 3

Job assignments, 1893-1900 

9 4-5

Mississippi River Bridge traffic, 1927 

9 6

Pollution reports regarding La Crosse River Basin, 1965-1966 

9 7

Ramp on Jay Street, 1973-1980 

9 8

Traffic regulations, circa 1953 

9 9

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 (Series 2) Subject Files 

Scope and Contents

The Subject Files series contain materials related to specific types of projects and are arranged by subject, such as grading, plats, parks, paving, sanitary sewer, water main, and the like.

The highlight here is a volume under the subject “Grading” that contains the certification by City Surveyor of work completed, plus a record of street grades, profiles, etc., dating from the city’s beginning in 1856-1860; 1867. This volume is a good record of what the city surveyor’s office was expected to do. Another gem is an “index to plats in vault” which includes profiles of streets, sewer plans, water works plans, bridge plans and river survey, architectural plans and maps & plats of surveys, paving & more. There is no date on this volume, but it is very early (circa 1860s) and probably spanned a good chunk of time.

Grading 

Box Folder

Certification by City Surveyor of work completed, plus record of street grades and profiles, 1856-1967 

10 1

Cost estimates of street and sidewalk grading and macadamizing, 1879-1881 

10 2

Street, sidewalk and some sewer grading, 1888-1890 

10 3

Plats 

Box Folder

Index to plats in vault, undated 

Scope and Contents

Includes profiles of streets, sewer plans, water works plans, bridge plans and river survey; architectural plans and maps and plats of surveys, paving, and other assorted items

11 1

Field books of plats, undated 

11 2
Box Folder

Sanitary sewer connections, 1888-1902 

11 3

Storm sewer manholes and catch basin list, circa 1907 

11 4

Water main hydrants and measurements by street, undated 

11 5

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