Yesterday in La Crosse

D-Day, the 6th of June, in 1944 June 4, 2020
The Allied invasion of France on June 6th, 1944, was a major turning point in World War II, but back home, workers were still needed to help with the war effort. In La Crosse, a representative of Boeing was enlisting men and women to travel to Seattle to help build ‘America’s most needed big bomber,’ […]
Sgt. Pepper was a lot more than 20 years ago today June 1, 2020
On June 1st of 1967, the Beatles released their ground-breaking album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Besides the title track, the “Sgt. Pepper” album also featured “A Day in the Life,” “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” and “When I’m Sixty-Four.” A few famous people who would have turned 64 in June of 1967 […]
Snow in time for Memorial Day, 73 years ago May 29, 2020
School was ending and summer was beginning in the last week of May, 1947 around the Midwest, when an extremely late-season snowstorm developed in the Rockies and made its way as far east as Michigan. Some of the heaviest snow fell on May 29th in western Wisconsin. Only about 3 inches in La Crosse, but […]
Future stars got a chance to shine on summer nights, 50 years ago May 27, 2020
The year 1970 is remembered for anti-war protests, environmental awareness, and the breakup of the Beatles. For people watching TV that summer, there was a wide variety of what they used to call ‘variety shows,’ new programs filling time instead of reruns. Many talented performers got big breaks appearing on those shows. The Smothers Brothers […]
Make way for the new Queen, 55 years ago May 26, 2020
The La Crosse Queen paddlewheeler was being introduced in 1965. Roy Franz of the Big Indian Boat Lines said the new excursion boat could hold as many as 150 passengers. Franz had been offering river trips in La Crosse for three years before the Queen’s first tour. The boat would arrive in La Crosse after […]
Who does fest the beste, La Crosse or Munich? A debate 54 years ago May 19, 2020
In 1966, the police chief of Munich in West Germany visited La Crosse. Chief Manfred Schreiber was on a six-week tour of the U.S. Oktoberfest in Munich dates back to 1810, while La Crosse’s fest began in 1961, and officials here were worried about increased crime and disturbances during the celebration. Schreiber said there was […]
Downtown stores were looking to move to the mall, 43 years ago May 18, 2020
In May of 1977, J-C Penney agreed to open an anchor store at the Valley View Mall being planned along Highway 16, near I-90. At the time, La Crosse’s Penney’s store was on 5th Avenue, next to the Hollywood Theater. Penney executives in New York would have to give final approval for the move. The […]
The closed Genoa reactor was considered safe, 22 years ago May 15, 2020
The Genoa power plant was meeting all federal safety requirements. That’s what Dairyland Power and federal officials told an audience in Viroqua in May of 1998, 11 years after the plant was shut down to save money. Atomic fuel was still being stored at the site near the Genoa lock and dam. Nuclear weapons […]
Smoking and drinking, both bad ideas, 53 years ago May 13, 2020
In May of 1967, Wisconsin lawmakers were talking about raising the drinking age to 21, and banning cigarette ads. At that time, 18-year-olds could drink beer in the Badger State, and local governments could set their own minimum ages for consuming alcohol. As for tobacco, one legislator slammed cigarette commercials for showing people doing healthy things […]
Victory in Europe, 75 years ago May 11, 2020
The 8th of May in 1945 was declared V-E Day, marking the German surrender to the Allies in World War Two. It came five years and eight months after Adolf Hitler and the Nazis invaded Poland to start the war. Harry Truman marked his first birthday as President of the United States on the 8th, […]