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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/

Almost Untouched: A Survivor from the Past

This little Greek Revival house at 422 N. 8th Street has a wonderful story.
(written by Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of Art History)   The Greek Revival style house now sits behind the Hixon House at 426 6th Street North, La Crosse. Ph… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/almost-untouched-a-survivor-from-the-past/

Footsteps of La Crosse Website Launch

Footsteps of La Crosse is a project that makes historic & architectural walking tours accessible for folks looking to learn more about the history of La Crosse’s built environment and the people who shaped it. In May 2024, a new Footsteps website was laun…
(written by Jenny DeRocher, Archives Staff) Footsteps of La Crosse is a project that makes historic and architectural walking tours accessible for folks looking to learn m… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/footsteps-website-launch/

Keeping Up Appearances: A Story of Blended Styles

Doubt loomed great over a caption on an old photograph written long ago with an ink pen that said, “Dwelling erected by the Rev. John C. Sherwin on NW corner of Cameron Ave. & 10th St.” Was the caption written with a shaky hand correct?
(written by Anita Taylor Doering and Sarah Ludington of the La Crosse Public Library Archives Staff with substantial contributions from Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of … https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/keeping-up-appearances-a-story-of-blended-styles/

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/

The Oldest Extant House in La Crosse

While it's hard to nail down completely, read about the contenders for oldest surviving house in La Crosse.
(written by Dr. Les Crocker, UWL Emeritus Professor of Art History) This topic is covered in much more detail in my forthcoming book Immigrants All. Contact the Archives Depart… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/the-oldest-extant-house-in-la-crosse/

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/

La Crosse YMCA: The First 140 Years

Celebrate the 140th anniversary of the La Crosse chapter of the YMCA with a look back at their history from the collections of the La Crosse Public Library Archives.
(written by Scott Brouwer, Archives staff) Earlier this year, the LPLA Archives celebrated the 140th anniversary of St. Francis hospital by recounting its history from the late… https://archives.lacrosselibrary.org/blog/la-crosse-ymca-the-first-140-years/

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