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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… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/stinkytown-and-the-flies/

Pamperin Cigar Company

The Pamperin Cigar Company, recognized regionally and nationally for its excellent tobacco products, operated in downtown La Crosse for over 120 years.
(written by Scott Brouwer, Archives staff) Cigar manufacturing was a thriving industry in La Crosse shortly after the turn of the 20th century that employed hundreds. The Pamp… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/pamperin-cigar-company/

Trane Company and the Nuclear Age

During World War II, the Trane Company switched from the manufacture of U. S. residential, commercial and industrial heating and cooling systems to wartime production thanks to local women joining the workforce and filling the jobs left open when men left…
(written by Anita Taylor Doering, Archives Staff) A full-page ad in the local newspaper encouraging housewives and others left on the homefront to come to work for the Trane… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/trane-company-and-the-nuclear-age/

The Segelke & Kohlhaus Manufacturing Company

The Segelke & Kohlhaus Manufacturing Company was a major manufacturing concern in downtown La Crosse for over 100 years.
(written by Scott Brouwer, Archives staff) The Segelke & Kohlhaus Manufacturing Company was a major manufacturing concern in downtown La Crosse for over 100 years. The compa… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/the-segelke-and-kohlhaus-manufacturing-company/

"Billie Button" and the Wisconsin Pearl Button Company

The Wisconsin Pearl Button Company first opened in 1900 and quickly became one of the largest employers in La Crosse, employing nearly 225 people in 1902.
(written by Johnathon Jaeger, Archives intern) The logo for “The Story of My Life by ‘Billie Button.’” Scan is courtesy of the UWL Murphy Library Special Collections & Are… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/billie-button-and-the-wisconsin-pearl-button-company/

Happy Farmer Tractors

About 100 years ago, La Crosse was a major source of happy farmers – Happy Farmer tractors, that is.
(written by David Kranz, Archives staff) About 100 years ago, La Crosse was a major source of happy farmers – Happy Farmer tractors, that is. A series of three-wheeled an… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/happy-farmer-tractors/