Yesterday in La Crosse

The store with a “K” was on its way, 56 years ago August 3, 2020
In the summer of 1964, an Ohio developer predicted that a new K-Mart would be open on Losey Boulevard by the following spring. Some city aldermen were accusing Stephen Baytos of putting economic pressure on them to approve the box store, which he denied. Baytos said a K-Mart wouldn’t work downtown, but it would be […]
It was the greatest mall of ’em all, opening 40 years ago July 31, 2020
July 31st, 1980 was opening day for La Crosse’s largest indoor shopping mall, Valley View Mall. Bigger than the other local shopping centers, the Village, Bridgeview, Center 90, and Shelby Mall. The $23 million Valley View attracted the big department stores which had been downtown for years…J.C. Penney, Sears, and Herbergers, along with Dayton’s out […]
A royal wedding in London, a hotel auction in La Crosse, 1981 July 29, 2020
In July of 1981, Britain’s Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer at a lavish wedding seen on TV around the world. That same day, the Hotel Stoddard in La Crosse was auctioning off its property, including crystal chandeliers. It was less than a year after the Radisson along the riverfront opened its doors. A baseball […]
Sorry, no Bob Barker today. Bill Clinton, come on down! (1992) July 28, 2020
In the summer of 1992, Governor Bill Clinton launched his fall campaign for president after the Democratic convention by taking a bus tour through the Midwest with his wife Hillary, and with running mate Al Gore and his wife Tipper. Clinton’s August 7th speech at Copeland Park in La Crosse was covered live on local TV. A […]
America in crisis, according to Pete Seeger, 48 years ago July 27, 2020
In 1972, folk singer Pete Seeger performed at UW-L, and also spoke with people on campus about his concerns for society. Seeger said the U.S. was in Vietnam ‘deeper than ever,’ and he was worried that Democrats running for president didn’t want to end the war. Seeger warned that war, the environment, and other conditions […]
Two ballerinas found a home downtown, 16 years ago July 24, 2020
In the summer of 2004, a metal sculpture called ‘Dancers’ was installed in the parking lot of the Pump House Arts Center. Local artist Donna Gerke-Cutta designed the artwork showing a metallic pair of ballerinas, painted blue. It was the fourth in a series of works created for the Downtown La Crosse Sculpture Project, following […]
100 years in business for the city, in 1941 July 23, 2020
The city charter for La Crosse was signed in 1856, but La Crosse was considered a settlement as early as 1842. That means a centennial for the city was being planned in 1941. The centennial would be celebrated July 1st through the 4th of ’42. Local businessman Ray Bice was president of the centennial celebration. […]
The South Side learns, you can’t win a mall, 1974 July 22, 2020
In 1974, you could see a big sign along Mormon Coulee Road, promoting a new shopping center to be built soon near the Holy Cross Seminary. Kraus Anderson of Minneapolis hadn’t built anything yet, and Arlen Shopping Centers of Tennessee bought land for a proposed ‘Riverside’ Mall…which would have three nationally-known department stores, plus 60 […]
Don’t let protesters go back to class, 53 years ago July 21, 2020
In the summer of 1967, the president of La Crosse State, Sam Gates, announced plans for punishing students who demonstrated, or protested speakers on campus. Gates said 11 students would be ineligible to return to LCU in the fall, while 92 others would be disciplined in other ways. At the UW in Madison, students were […]
Just another summer night, men walking on the moon: July 20, 1969 July 20, 2020
On July 20th of 1969, the ‘Eagle’ moon lander of Apollo 11 became the first manned spacecraft to arrive on the lunar surface. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon that Sunday night, around 10 p.m. La Crosse time, as a worldwide audience watched in black-and-white on TV. The video camera on […]