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Guide to the La Crosse, Wisconsin Engineering Department Records, 1856-1961
La Crosse Series 056
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Abstract
- The City of La Crosse Engineering Department is responsible for cost estimation, drawing up and supervising capital improvement projects city of La Crosse, including plans for buildings, docks, streets, additions and subdivisions, paving, curb and gutter, storm sewers, sanitary sewers, water mains, ornamental street lighting, bridge design and other engineering drawings. The Engineering Dept. works closely with the City of La Crosse’s Office of Public Works. The title of the City Engineer was changed from City Surveyor in approximately 1887. An Administrative series includes mainly contracts (1901-1961) and outgoing correspondence (1887-1937). The Subject Files (1856-1907) series pulls together by subject materials created by the city engineering department for their use, such as grading, plats, sanitary sewer and water mains.
- Collection Title
- La Crosse, Wisconsin, Engineering Department Records
- Date of Materials
- 1856-1961
- Creator
- La Crosse (Wis.). Engineering Dept.
- Call Number
- La Crosse Series 056
- Amount
- 4.0 cubic feet
- Physical Description
- 11 archives boxes
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- La Crosse Public Library Archives
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], La Crosse, Wisconsin, Engineering Department Records, La Crosse Series 056, La Crosse Public Library Archives, La Crosse, WI
Historical Note
The office of the City Surveyor began as early as city incorporation in 1856. In about 1887 this title changed to City Engineer. George Gregory served as the city’s first surveyor in 1856 and Henry I. Bliss served as his deputy. By 1857, Bliss became surveyor and many documents are signed “Bliss & Spear, city surveyors,” for Henry Bliss and W. M. Spear.
The City of La Crosse Engineering Department is responsible for cost estimation, drawing up and supervising capital improvement projects city of La Crosse, including plans for buildings, docks, streets, additions and subdivisions, paving, curb and gutter, storm sewers, sanitary sewers, water mains, ornamental street lighting, bridge design and other engineering drawings. The Engineering Dept. works closely with the City of La Crosse’s Office of Public Works.
Scope and Contents
The Administrative Records series includes contracts (1901-1961), correspondence (1887-1937), cost estimates, an Engineer’s field book, and some stray files. The Subject Files series pulls together by subject materials created by the city engineering department for their use.
Arrangement
Arranged in two series:
Series 1: Administrative Records
Administrative Information
Publication Information
La Crosse Public Library Archives 2003 April-May
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
(Accession nos. 1997.032, 1999.019) Transferred by City of La Crosse Engineering Department via City Engineer Randy Turtenwald, July 1999; reports were separated out and processed in the local history book collection.
Processing Information
Processed by Anita Taylor Doering with help from Janet Lukas, April-May 2003
Related Materials
Related Materials
- (La Crosse Series 016)
- La Crosse, Wisconsin, Office of the Director of Public Works Records
- (La Crosse Series 033)
- La Crosse, Wisconsin, Office of the City Clerk, Contracts and Agreements of the City of La Crosse
Separated Materials
Written reports from city planning and outside consultants have been separated out and where appropriate added to the Archives’ book collection. Examples of these are planning documents, sanitary landfill, feasibility reports on the airport, etc.
Controlled Access Headings
Corporate Name(s)
- La Crosse (Wis.). Engineering Dept.
Subject(s)
- Municipal engineering--Wisconsin--La Crosse
- Public records--Wisconsin--La Crosse
- Public utilities--Wisconsin--La Crosse
- Water utilities--Wisconsin--La Crosse
Collection Inventory
(Series 1) Administrative RecordsScope and ContentsThe Administrative Records series includes contracts (1901-1961), correspondence (1887-1937), cost estimates, an Engineer’s field book, and some stray files. Contracts sometimes include monthly cost estimates and certification by the contractor that the work was completed. Some contracts are copies; some are labeled “original.” In many cases, a signed and notarized copy of the contractor’s bonded status and/or insurance coverage is included. Other correspondence related to the project may also be included. Rarely are plans attached to the contract. A separate index is attached to this inventory of the contracts arranged by subject; therein alphabetically by contract date. Outgoing correspondence (1881-1937) is arranged alphabetically in bound letter press volumes. Cost estimates for the oldest period, 1887-1928, can be found mixed in the correspondence subseries and are therefore arranged chronologically in the volume. A volume of cost estimates, 1929-1939, is a chronological list and many different types of projects are included. |
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Contracts, 1901-1906 |
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| Box | ||||
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Bridges and viaducts |
1 | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
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Docks and boat launches |
2 | 1-4 | ||
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Dredging and dams |
2 | 5-8 | ||
| Box | ||||
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Lighting |
3 | |||
| Box | Folder | |||
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Parks |
4 | 1 | ||
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Paving |
4 | 2 | ||
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Schools |
4 | 3-4 | ||
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Traffic signals |
4 | 5-24 | ||
| Box | ||||
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Correspondence (outgoing), 1887-1937 |
5-8 | |||
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Cost estimates |
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| Box | Folder | |||
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Black River Bridge, 1916 |
9 | 1 | ||
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Estimates, 1929-1939 |
9 | 2 | ||
| Box | Folder | |||
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Engineer's field book, circa 1887-1889 |
9 | 3 | ||
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Job assignments, 1893-1900 |
9 | 4-5 | ||
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Mississippi River Bridge traffic, 1927 |
9 | 6 | ||
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Pollution reports regarding La Crosse River Basin, 1965-1966 |
9 | 7 | ||
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Ramp on Jay Street, 1973-1980 |
9 | 8 | ||
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Traffic regulations, circa 1953 |
9 | 9 | ||
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(Series 2) Subject FilesScope and ContentsThe Subject Files series contain materials related to specific types of projects and are arranged by subject, such as grading, plats, parks, paving, sanitary sewer, water main, and the like. The highlight here is a volume under the subject “Grading” that contains the certification by City Surveyor of work completed, plus a record of street grades, profiles, etc., dating from the city’s beginning in 1856-1860; 1867. This volume is a good record of what the city surveyor’s office was expected to do. Another gem is an “index to plats in vault” which includes profiles of streets, sewer plans, water works plans, bridge plans and river survey, architectural plans and maps & plats of surveys, paving & more. There is no date on this volume, but it is very early (circa 1860s) and probably spanned a good chunk of time. |
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Grading |
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| Box | Folder | |||
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Certification by City Surveyor of work completed, plus record of street grades and profiles, 1856-1967 |
10 | 1 | ||
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Cost estimates of street and sidewalk grading and macadamizing, 1879-1881 |
10 | 2 | ||
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Street, sidewalk and some sewer grading, 1888-1890 |
10 | 3 | ||
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Plats |
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| Box | Folder | |||
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Index to plats in vault, undated Scope and ContentsIncludes profiles of streets, sewer plans, water works plans, bridge plans and river survey; architectural plans and maps and plats of surveys, paving, and other assorted items |
11 | 1 | ||
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Field books of plats, undated |
11 | 2 | ||
| Box | Folder | |||
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Sanitary sewer connections, 1888-1902 |
11 | 3 | ||
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Storm sewer manholes and catch basin list, circa 1907 |
11 | 4 | ||
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Water main hydrants and measurements by street, undated |
11 | 5 | ||
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