Long Coulee

Located one and a half miles north of Holmen on Hwy. V, the Long Coulee Cemetery site started out with ties to the Lutheran Society of Halfway Creek.

A quit claim deed [La Crosse County Register of Deeds volume 47 page 201] records the July 9, 1860, transfer of land between John & Martha Kjosse to the Lutheran Society at Halfway Creek, equaling one acre "more or less." Another land transaction [La Crosse County Register of Deeds volume 46 page 496] in Jan. 27, 1872, from Christian & Martha Christianson to trustees of the Lutheran Society of Halfway Creek includes a small drawing of the cemetery surveyed by O. D. Brown in 1876.

On Jan. 29, 1876, the Norwegian citizens of the Town of Holland met at the residence of C. C. Bolstad with the intent of passing laws and regulations regarding a cemetery to be called Long Coulee. Money was raised to remove trees, clear the land and add a five-wire fence. Over the years, assessments were levied to improve the cemetery and pay for operations and upkeep. The old portion of the cemetery sold to the original farm settlers at $75 for plots, 10 by 75 feet.

The records before 1930 were accidently burned by a previous caretaker who used them to start a fire in the wood stove. That same year a tornado swept through, felling trees which in turn broke a number of frail limestone gravestones.

After many years, a headstone for Svenom Olson was found in the old Holmen feed mill where it had been left and was used as a stepping stone. Cemetery Association member Ray Ustby speculates that it was sent by train and delivered to the mill where it was stored and forgotten. It has since been tucked in a small open space in the family burial plot with a Civil War marker.

Additional land for the cemetery was purchased in 1911 from William Dougherty. Perpetual care began in 1922. Officers over the years have included surnames such as Simonson, Johnson, Bolstad, Olstad, Houg, Bratberg, Olson, Casberg, Sjuggerud, Berg, Anderson and Hanson. The cemetery today is very active and well cared for.

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