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La Crosse's Struggle for Safe Water

The city’s first waterworks was designed mainly for fire protection.
(written by Anita Taylor Doering, Archives Staff) The city’s first waterworks was designed mainly for fire protection. Fifteen cisterns were built under downtown city sidewalks… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/la-crosses-struggle-for-safe-water/

Historic La Crosse Fire Stations

Take a photo journey through past and present fire stations.
(written by Scott Brouwer, Archives staff) Organized fire-fighting in La Crosse is almost as old as the city itself. Prior to and shortly after the city of La Crosse was offic… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/historic-la-crosse-fire-stations/

1947 Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Against Hotel Stoddard

In 1946, Black delegates traveled to La Crosse from all over the Midwest to attend a labor union conference. They stayed at the Stoddard Hotel, where they experienced racial discrimination. In a 1947 court case, one of these Black delegates, James Tate, w…
(written by Jenny DeRocher, Archives staff) In 1946, the United Automobile, Aircraft, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America Local Union 395 (UAW-CIO Union #395) held th… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/1947-racial-discrimination-lawsuit-against-hotel-stoddard/

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/

An Early Automobile Saleswoman

In 1925, Dorothy Hofweber was touted in the local newspaper was being “one of the few women automobile merchants of the country.”
(written by Anita Taylor Doering, Archives Staff) Dorothy Hofweber grew up in downtown La Crosse in the early part of the twentieth century. She was the youngest of 12 childre… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/an-early-automobile-saleswoman/

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/

Vigilantes in La Crosse

One night in 1857, La Crosse was "overrun with scoundrels," as the local Committee on Vigilance took over the city, inciting a mob and setting fires.
(written by Jenny DeRocher, Archives Staff) In 1856, most of the U.S. population was clustered on the east coast. Minnesota was not yet a state, so pioneer Wisconsin towns al… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/vigilantes-in-la-crosse/

An Unappreciated Italianate Delight

James Vincent built a family home in 1884-85, but a family home with delightful details at 1024 Cass Street..
(written by Dr. Les Crocker, Emeritus Professor of Art History) Beginning in the 1870s, Cass Street and West Avenue became the most exclusive neighborhood in La Crosse. The Car… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/an-unappreciated-italianate-delight/

Digging into the Past - The LPL Archives Celebrates 40 Years of Service

Almost 100 years after the La Crosse Public Library opened its doors in November 1888, the Archives and Local History program began to serve the public in December of 1980.
(written by Anita Taylor Doering, Archives Staff) The original Archives reading room, 1988 Almost 100 years after the La Crosse Public Library opened its doors i… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/digging-into-the-past-the-lpl-archives-celebrates-40-years-of-service/

Looking Back (2020)

A look back at the local history stories and resources shared by the La Crosse Public Library Archives in 2020.
Archives staff/volunteers/guest historians put together a lot of great blog posts in 2020; please take a moment to check out these local history topics and digital resources avail… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/looking-back-at-2020/

Is it Odd or Even: The Alternate-Side Parking Issue

Approaching winter weather in La Crosse means…alternate-side overnight street parking! But what precipitated this contentious parking ordinance in La Crosse?
(written by Carla Swerman, former Archives Staff; edited by Anita Taylor Doering) Approaching winter weather in La Crosse means…alternate-side overnight street parking! Before … https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/is-it-odd-or-even-the-alternate-side-parking-issue/

Presidential Visits: Truman, Ford, Bush 41, Clinton, Bush 43, and Obama

9 different U.S. Presidents have made a total of 11 official visits to La Crosse.
(written by Scott Brouwer, Archives staff) Exactly a week before the 2020 presidential election, President Donald Trump campaigned in West Salem at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Sp… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/presidential-visits-truman-ford-bush-41-clinton-bush-43-and-obama/

The Cannon in Riverside Park

Today, the cannon serves as a multi-war memorial, but where did it come from and why is it in Riverside Park?
Written by Sam Ott and Jenny DeRocher, edited by Anita Taylor Doering. The cannon in Riverside Park has been an attraction since it was placed there over 100 years ago. It had a … https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/the-cannon-in-riverside-park/

Sawmills, Nails and Immigrants

In 1852 the first steam powered sawmill opened in La Crosse. To understand why that was so important to La Crosse we need to connect it to several other facts.
(written by Dr. Les Crocker, retired art history professor and architectural historian) In 1852 the first steam-powered sawmill opened in La Crosse. That's one of those fact… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/sawmills-nails-and-immigrants/

Explore the Layered History of La Crosse

This September, LPLA is launching a History Club. Functioning similar to a book club, each month the club facilitators will announce two small activities that will explore our city's layered history.
(written by Jenny DeRocher, Archives Staff) The La Crosse Public Library Archives has launched a new program series: a History Club! Functioning like a book club, the Histo… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/explore-the-layered-history-of-la-crosse/

The Green Bay & Western Railroad Legacy

Behind the scenes deals were already in place between the Green Bay railroad and the Chicago and Northwestern, arch rival of the CM&StP, to form a partnership as a way for both lines to get into La Crosse and cross over the existing railroad tracks.
(written by Anita Taylor Doering, Archives staff) As early as 1873, La Crosse city officials approached the Green Bay line, then known as the Green Bay and Lake Pepin Railroad,… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/the-green-bay-and-western-railroad-legacy/

LPL Archives' Hidden Treasures: Using La Crosse History Unbound

In collaboration with the UWL Murphy Library Special Collections & Area Research Center, the La Crosse Public Library Archives has launched an upgraded version of the La Crosse History Unbound site, which has new resources and features to help researchers…
(written by Jenny DeRocher, Archives staff) La Crosse History Unbound (Unbound) strives to provide universal access to digital resources and primary sources about the La Crosse … https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/unbound/

Presidential Visits: William Howard Taft in 1909

President William Howard Taft’s visit on September 17, 1909 had a local connection and a specific purpose – his Yale classmate and La Crosse civic leader George W. Burton invited him here to dedicate the city’s new YMCA building at Seventh and Main Street…
(written by Scott Brouwer, Archives staff) Unlike President Cleveland’s visit in 1887 and President Roosevelt’s visit in 1903, President William Howard Taft’s visit on Septembe… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/presidential-visits-william-howard-taft-in-1909/

Concrete Block Houses

A look at a local DIY building boom, or at least a "boomlet", using home-made concrete blocks.
(written by Dr. Les Crocker, retired art history professor and architectural historian) Need any Concrete Blocks? There is a long history of DIY (Do It Yourself) in the Unit… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/concrete-block-houses/

Unconditional Gifts of Time, Talents & Treasures

Since its beginning in 1980, the La Crosse Public Library Archives (LPLA) has relied on the generous donation of time, talents and treasures from the public and other cultural resource institutions to become the local history resource that it is today.
(written by Anita Taylor Doering, Archives Staff) Heroes come in all shapes, sizes and colors, and often appear from unlikely places. Since its beginning in 1980, the La Cro… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/unconditional-gifts-of-time-talents-and-treasures/

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