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New Deal Photographer Sets His Eye on La Crosse

In the summer of 1939, photographer Arthur Rothstein traveled through La Crosse, capturing poignant moments of a city in the midst of change.
(written by Sarah Ludington, Archives staff) In the summer of 1939, photographer Arthur Rothstein traveled through the Midwest to document rural life. Employed by a special pro… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/new-deal-photographer-sets-his-eye-on-la-crosse/

La Crosse School for the Deaf

In 1886, several citizens of La Crosse successfully petitioned the mayor to establish a school for children with hearing impairments.
(written by Meghan Hoefling, Archives staff) On August 18, 1886, several citizens of La Crosse signed a petition to the mayor requesting the establishment of a school for the d… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/la-crosse-school-for-the-deaf/

Architectural Styles and Revivals: Religious Romanesque

The most obvious feature in the Romanesque style is the round arch, rather than the Gothic pointed arch. Round arches require more massive walls to restrain the load above them, so the Romanesque interiors were often rather dark with a few small windows p…
(Written by Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of Art History) This blog is fourth in a series on the Romanesque Revival. For more background on this revival, see Architect… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/architectural-styles-and-revivals-religious-romanesque/

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… https://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… https://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… https://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… https://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… https://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… https://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… https://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 … https://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… https://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… https://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 … https://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… https://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… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/john-gunds-empire/

The Tillman Bros.: Cabinet Makers, Undertakers, and... Weathermen?

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… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/the-tillman-bros.-cabinet-makers-undertakers-and...-weathermen/

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 … https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/the-la-crosse-housing-authority-1946-1985/

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/

Looking Back (2022)

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 … https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/looking-back-2022/

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