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Guide to the Gordon Feinberg Papers, 1949-1990 (bulk 1954-1981)
MSS 026
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Abstract
- Records, 1949-1990, of a La Crosse County (Wisconsin) Board Supervisor that include subject files of county issues, mainly dating from 1954-1981. The materials include county board resolutions, incomplete committee minutes, and committee actions, organized by subject. The materials emphasize Feinberg's involvement particularly in the social services and administrative committees; law enforcement, financial and property and zoning issues in La Crosse County. He was particularly concerned with aging issues and the County's medical institutions.
The collection does not contain biographical information concerning Feinberg. - Collection Title
- Gordon Feinberg Papers
- Date of Materials [bulk]
- Bulk, 1954-1981
- Date of Materials [inclusive]
- 1949-1990
- Creator
- Feinberg, Gordon, 1915-1990
- Call Number
- MSS 026
- Amount
- 2.0 cubic feet
- Physical Description
- 6 archives boxes
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- La Crosse Public Library Archives
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Gordon Feinberg Papers, MSS 026, La Crosse Public Library Archives, La Crosse, WI
Biographical Note
Gordon Feinberg was born in La Crosse on Sept. 18, 1915, the son of Jewish parents. Feinberg grew up at 1614 Badger St. in the heart of "Goosetown," a neighborhood where the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse now stands. "Gordy," as he was called by close associates, attended Central High School, College of Commerce (in La Crosse), La Crosse Vocational & Adult School, and the La Crosse State Teachers' College. His enthusiasm to be involved in community affairs led him to become a free lance writer, covering county affairs for the Press and Radio Service Agency.
He was elected to the La Crosse County Board of Supervisors in 1949 and remained active for 32 years. To date, Feinberg holds the most consecutive years as a member of the Board. He chaired the administration committee and served as a member of the financial and personnel committee. When he was first elected, Feinberg represented the 16th District. Due to redistricting in the 1980s, Feinberg became the representative of the 2nd District.
Feinberg has been labeled as a "fiscal conservative" who believed government spending could be successfully controlled at the local level only if state and federal government mandates were eliminated. During his tenure, he watched the number of county employees and the county budget grow. In 1949 there were 220 county employees; by 1981 that number had increased to 881. County services also grew dramatically from $1.1 million to $16.7 million during the same period.
Board chairman Charles Pierce said Feinberg's greatest contribution to the Board was his "honesty." He retired from county government in 1982.
Feinberg and his childhood friend Delores Reichelt owned and operated Sanitary Supply Co. and Sansco, located in the forth block of S. Third St. They were partners in business for 33 years, retiring in 1981.
Feinberg was also active in many local civic organizations, such as the La Crosse Businessmen's Club, the Southside Businessmen's Club, the Greater La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce, and the La Crosse County Historical Society.
Feinberg died of lung cancer April 25, 1990, in La Crosse. He was never married and left no children.
Scope and Contents
The Feinberg collection is divided into two series: La Crosse County, and Organizations. The materials date from 1949-1990, but the majority of documents date from the mid 1950s to 1981.
The La Crosse County series includes county board resolutions, incomplete committee minutes, and committee actions. This series is arranged alphabetically by subject. Within each folder, the documents are arranged chronologically, beginning with undated material, then working from the most recent to oldest documents. The materials emphasize Feinberg's involvement particularly in the social services and administrative committees; law enforcement, financial and property and zoning issues in La Crosse County government. The institutions subject file includes information concerning the three county operated nursing home facilities: Lakeview, Oak Forest, and Hillview.
The Organizations series includes scattered materials concerning several local civic organizations, such as the La Crosse Committee on Aging, the La Crosse County Commission on Aging, and the La Crosse County Industrial & Economic Development Council.
There is no biographical information in the collection.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
La Crosse Public Library Archives 1999 January
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
Donated from Gordon Feinberg's estate by his nephew Grant Blum, May and Dec. 1992, and July 1994.
(Accession Nos. 1992.006, 1992.015, 1994.003)
Processing Information
Processed by Dick Otto, UW-L Student Intern, Nov. 1993; additions processed by Jaime Dechant, Jan. 1999.
Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- La Crosse County (Wis.). Board of Supervisors.
Geographic Name(s)
- La Crosse County (Wis.)--Politics and government
Personal Name(s)
- Feinberg, Gordon, 1915-1990
Subject(s)
- County government--Wisconsin--La Crosse County
- Public records--Wisconsin--La Crosse County
- Social service--Wisconsin--La Crosse County
OCLC Number
47227105
Collection Inventory
(Series 1) La Crosse County |
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(Subseries 1.1) County Board of Supervisors |
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| Box | Folder | |||
|
Committee assignments, 1955-1979 |
1 | 1 | ||
|
Miscellaneous, 1951-1989 |
1 | 2-4 | ||
(Subseries 1.2) Subject Files |
||||
|
Administration Committee |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
General materials, 1966-1989 |
1 | 5-6 | ||
|
Administrative study, 1959 |
2 | 1 | ||
|
Ethics code, 1974-1981 |
2 | 2 | ||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
City-County Airport Study, 1975-1976 |
2 | 3 | ||
|
County Executive Position, 1972-1977 |
2 | 4 | ||
|
Educational Issues, 1957-1976 |
2 | 5 | ||
|
Environmental Issues, 1958-1978 |
2 | 6 | ||
|
Farm (Lakeview), 1978 |
2 | 7 | ||
|
Financial Issues, 1960-1989 |
2 | 8-11 | ||
|
Ice Arena, 1978-1981 |
3 | 1 | ||
|
Institutions, 1954-1989 |
3 | 2-5 | ||
|
Law Enforcement, Courts & Jail Issues, 1949-1982 |
4 | 1-3 | ||
|
Management Study (Rost Assoc), 1976-1977 |
4 | 4 | ||
|
Personnel Issues, 1953-1982 |
4 | 5 | ||
|
Planning Committee, 1965-1968 |
4 | 6 | ||
|
Property & Zoning Issues, 1953-1990 |
5 | 1-4 | ||
|
Social Services Committee |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
1954-1971 |
5 | 5-6 | ||
|
1974-1989 |
6 | 1-3 | ||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Solid Waste Management Issues, 1971-1980 |
6 | 4 | ||
|
|
||||
(Series 2) Organizations |
||||
| Box | Folder | |||
|
Greater La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce, 1962-1978 |
6 | 5 | ||
|
La Crosse Committee on Aging & La Crosse County Commission on Aging, 1967-1982 |
6 | 6 | ||
|
La Crosse County Industrial & Economic Development Council, 1954-1981 |
6 | 7 | ||
|
La Crosse Lutheran Hospital Corporation, 1978 |
6 | 8 | ||
|
Occupational Rehabilitation Center, Inc., 1971 |
6 | 9 | ||
|
Miscellaneous, 1954-1982 |
6 | 10 | ||
|
|
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