Yesterday in La Crosse

Time for a new courthouse, 60 years ago June 29, 2022
In the summer of 1962, the La Crosse County Board okayed plans for a brand new courthouse and jail, to be built a couple of blocks up the street from the existing courthouse built 60 years earlier. The expected cost, just over 2 million dollars. Even at that price, the county was looking for ways […]
No 29th this February, but Leap Day has had memorable music March 1, 2022
It may be an Olympic year, but it’s not a leap year. February 29th in history has been memorable on occasion. On that day in 1940, “Gone With the Wind” won the Oscar for best picture…and a big band hit was number 1 on the charts: On February 29th, 1940, ”In the Mood” […]
Central High at the state basketball tournament was low-scoring, 97 years ago March 1, 2022
In 2017, Central High School won its first state basketball championship since 1925. The final score of that game was 55-53, against Cedarburg — a very high-scoring contest compared to March of 1925, when the La Crosse High School defeated Shawano at Madison in what one newspaper described as a game with ‘cautious playing’ on […]
Where you could find a good restaurant, 32 years ago? How about the airport? January 13, 2022
In early 1990, Amelia’s restaurant opened on the upper level of the new terminal at the La Crosse Municipal Airport. Owner Jerry Kulinski said nothing on the menu was over $5. The name Amelia’s might remind people of pioneering female pilot Amelia Earhart…while some of the sandwiches served there included an “Orville and Wilbur burger” and […]
Remember when Bob Dole marched in the Maple Leaf Parade, 33 years ago? December 7, 2021
The Maple Leaf Parade of 1988 in La Crosse fell just a month before a presidential election, and it drew a frequent presidential contender. Republican Sen. Bob Dole walked with several Wisconsin members of his party in the parade, including Senate candidate Susan Engeleiter, who was running to succeed retiring Democrat William Proxmire. Dole had […]
The president took a lap around the La Crosse County speedway, one year ago October 31, 2021
A week before the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump held a late afternoon campaign rally at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway in West Salem. Then-candidate Trump rode around the track in his limousine before the Oct. 27 speech, where he called challenger Joe Biden “soft” and “weak” and accused the Democrat of wanting to delay […]
Peshtigo goes up in flames, 150 years ago October 8, 2021
You’ve heard of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871…but there was another large fire, in Wisconsin, on the same day, yesterday in La Crosse. October 8th marks 150 years since devastating fires caused death and destruction in Chicago…and in the woods of northern Wisconsin, at Peshtigo. Strong winds have been blamed for causing small […]
Dinner at the Tivoli, then a movie at the Rivoli…still possible, 51 years ago September 30, 2021
In 1970, the Tivoli Restaurant off Highway 35 and the Rivoli Theater downtown were both busy places in La Crosse. The Rivoli was celebrating 50 years in business in 1970. As for the Tivoli Gardens, that’s not around any more. It was on the George Street extension between La Crosse and Onalaska, about where you’d find […]
The future of the city might depend on building a parking ramp, 65 years ago September 30, 2021
During the summer of 1956, a committee planning a ramp on Market Square met at the Hotel Stoddard, and was told that a lack of downtown parking was keeping customers away from city businesses. The panel heard that shoppers from Black River Falls and Whitehall were going to Eau Claire instead of La Crosse, and […]
Making the roads safer in Minnesota, 18 years ago July 30, 2021
In 2003, the Minnesota DOT had a public meeting in the La Crescent area to discuss long-range transportation plans. One project high on the local list was a plan to make the Dresbach interchange safer. Some deadly crashes had occurred over the years at the intersection of Highway 61 and I-90, near the bridge that […]