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La
Crosse County Attractions
Amid
the enchantment of majestic bluffs, on the eastern bank of the
mighty Mississippi, La Crosse County offers spectacular scenery
and endless recreational activities for everyone! Ethnic festivals,
national historic sites, contrasting seasons, mouth-watering
cuisine, comfortable and plentiful lodging, lively entertainment,
fresh air, clean water and unspoiled natural wonders all add
to the charm of La Crosse County!
Virtually
untouched by the Ice Age glaciers, the La Crosse area's jagged
bluffs, coulees and river valleys are as they were at the beginning
of time. In 1680, French explorers led by Fr. Louis Hennepin
were the first Europeans to view the remarkable convergence of
the Mississippi, Black and La Crosse Rivers here. In the 1700s
French fur traders named the area La Crosse after they saw the
Winnebago Indians playing a game with long-handled racquets resembling
crosses, similar to the game of lacrosse still in play.
In
May, 1623, the first stern wheel paddle boat passed through this
area taking passengers north to Ft. Snelling, Minnesota. In 1879
more than 1600 steamboat dockings occurred in La Crosse, the
most of any city north of St. Louis at the time. Today steamboats,
paddle-wheelers and excursion yachts still ply the waters of
the Mississippi carrying passengers from the port of La Crosse
for luncheon, dinner or moonlight cruises, three-hour river-viewing
excursions, two and three-day overnights or extended trips downriver
as far as New Orleans and back. Several times each summer crowds
of admirers gather at La Crosse's Riverside Park to welcome and
send off the great riverboats, Delta Queen, American Queen and
Mississippi Queen as they pause on their way up and down the
river.
The
La Crosse County bluffs, parks and shores, the Great River Road
and the Great River State Bike Trail all offer unexcelled views
of the river traffic, paddlewheelers, excursion boats, houseboats,
pleasure craft and barges maneuvering their massive cargoes to
and from distant marketplaces on the mighty Mississippi.
In
the mid-1800's, this bustling port city was the gateway to the
West for commercial goods and travelers. In "Life on the
Mississippi" published in 1896, former river pilot Samuel
Clemens, Mark Twain, wrote of his admiration for the area, "La
Crosse. Here is a town...with electric lighted streets, and blocks
of buildings, which are stately enough and also architecturally
fine enough to command respect in any city. It is a choice town."
Many of the buildings Mark Twain admired still stand in the La
Crosse Commercial Historic District.
In
the 1800s, La Crosse was a thriving lumber and trading center
populated by a colorful assortment of merchants, manufacturers
and adventurers. One of the most colorful figures of the 19th
century, William F. Cody, Buffalo Bill, owned property on Barrons
Island and resided here from time-to-time. His buffalo hunting
and patent medicine business partner, Dr. D. Frank Powell, also
known by the Sioux name, White Beaver, served four terms as Mayor
of La Crosse and practiced medicine at the Powell Institute in
the Healy Block on Main Street. White Beaver's homes and the
building where he treated "diseases of women" are open
to the public.
In
the late 1800s, as the lumber industry dwindled and railroads
replaced river transport, the county became a major brewing center,
with seven breweries transporting their products as far as Milwaukee
and Chicago. National Prohibition closed down the beer brewing
industry in 1920, and only one of the county's breweries survives
today...the G. Heileman Brewery, where the world's largest six-pack
is one of the area's most popular viewing attractions. In Bangor,
the Hussa Brewery complex, built between 1860 and 1904 stands
as a reminder of the industry's significance to the area. Every
year, La Crosse celebrates its German brewing heritage with Oktoberfest,
the largest and most popular German Fall Festival in the Midwest.
From
Onalaska, the "Sunfish Capitol of the World" to the
trout pond at Veterans Memorial Park near West Salem, the waters
of La Crosse county yield-up record catches of sunfish, bluegills,
perch, walleye, sauger, and catfish. The Mississippi River and
its backwaters, the Black River, Lake Onalaska and the La Crosse
River offer 100s of species of fish native to the area. Boat
and canoe rentals, bait and tackle, guides and maps to area "hot
spots" are available at public and private boat landings,
campgrounds and parks along the waters throughout the county.
Area
parks, ski hills and waterways offer a wide variety of outdoor
activities including camping, hiking, biking, swimming, fishing,
hunting, water-skiing, ice-fishing, snowmobiling, cross country
and downhill skiing, and wildlife observation, as well as group
sports activities including golf, tennis, beach volleyball and
outdoor shuffle board courts.
Two
state bicycle trails, the Great River Trail and La Crosse River
Trail, which join at the trailhead in Onalaska, travel along
converted railbeds through two different types of prairies, four
different types of forests communities, along majestic bluffs
and peaceful streams, where pre-historic burial mounds lie undisturbed
nearby, eagles fly and rare vanilla-scented orchids bloom. Area
parks, reserves and nature centers offer the opportunity to view
hundreds of different native and recent immigrant species of
insects, fish, mollusks, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals
in their natural habitats. Many also offer interpretive aids
and guides to enhance the experience.
La
Crosse area museums and art galleries, theaters and outdoor stages
offer cultural abundance, from prehistoric contemporary art and
sculpture by outstanding local, regional, national and international
artists; and, from critically acclaimed professional classical,
pop, rock and ethnic musical groups to local and touring theatrical
companies.
From
primitive campgrounds to five-star luxury hotels and Victorian-era
Bed and Breakfast Mansions, La Crosse County offers lodging accommodations
to suit every taste, need and occasion. Diners also enjoy a wide
range of atmospheres from simple country, ethnic and even riverboat
dining!
An
area rich in history and boasting the activities and scenery
of the mighty Mississippi River - LaCrosse County is a special
place for both visitors and residents alike!
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Museums
and Historical Sites
Children's Museum of La Crosse
207
Fifth Avenue South, La Crosse
608-784-2652
Enjoy this new, hands-on museum where the young and young-at-heart
can explore, create, discover, learn and exercise their imaginations.
Open 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Tuesday - Saturday and noon - 5:00
p.m. Sundays.
Hixon House
429 North 7th St., La Crosse
608-782-1980
Wander into the life and times of the eccentric lumber baron
who built this Italianate, Victorian style home in 1860. View
the original furnishings, unique Turkish Nook and eclectic decorative
elements from around the world acquired in his travels by the
builder, Gideon Hixon. Open daily, Memorial Day through Labor
Day, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Mississippi Valley Archeological Center
1725 State St., La Crosse
608-784-8463
Experience the historic and prehistoric past of the La Crosse
area in artifacts dating from the ice age to the present day
at this special collection on the University of Wisconsin-La
Crosse campus.
Swarthout Museum
Ninth and Main Streets, La Crosse
608-782-1980
Located in the Public Library building, this museum features
changing exhibits that highlight and interpret the rich history
of La Crosse. Special hands-on exhibits provide exciting opportunities
for young people to learn more about the area's history. Open
year round, Tuesday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., weekends
1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Riverside Museum
410 Veterans Memorial Dr., La Crosse
608-782-1980
Experience the history of La Crosse in exhibits showing the importance
of the Mississippi River through time to this area. Exhibits
also include prehistoric artifacts to a large collection of birds
and fresh water clams. A video of the history of La Crosse and
artifacts of the steamboat "The War Eagle" are on display.
Open Memorial Day - Labor Day 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Onalaska Museum
741 Oak Avenue South, Onalaska
608-783-3525/608-783-2555
View exhibits that cover thousands of years of area history,
from the Ice Age through the logging boom to the present day.
Displays include prehistoric implements, tools of the logging
and lumber industry, a replica of a settler's log cabin, photographs
and paintings of 19th Century Indian life, logging,
river transportation from rafts to paddlewheelers, and early
railroad days. Open Wednesday - Friday 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. year
round; Monday 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. from the third week in October
through the month of March.
Upper Mississippi Environmental Science Center
2630 Fanta Reed Rd., La Crosse
608-781-9570
Enjoy an interactive look at the wildlife and fish of the Upper
Mississippi River. The center's hands-on displays include fur
and feathers of creatures that make their homes in the river
valley along with the shells of native mussels. Live fish common
to the river, such as walleye, crappie, bluegill and perch, along
with not-so-common shovelnose and lake sturgeon are also on display.
Songbirds nesting in the Mississippi River Valley are also can
be seen along with an inter-active CD-ROM program to help visitors
identify songbirds and hear their calls.
Palmer/Gullickson Octagon House
358 North Leonard St., West Salem
Originally built by Dr. Horace Palmer in the village of Neshonoc
in 1856, the house was moved to the new village of West Salem
a few years later. Constructed of oak beams with brick lining
and sawdust insulation, with a barn attached directly to the
house, this unusual building, listed on the National Register
of Historic Places, is now maintained by the West Salem Historical
Society.
Neshonoc Dam and Powerhouse
Hwy. 108, Town of Hamilton
Built in 1895 by the McMillan Mill and Power Company, this four-story
stone building housed the hydroelectric power generators that
initially provided electricity to the village of West Salem from
sunset to sunrise. By 1919 it provided round-the-clock service
to the surrounding rural area and the electric streetlights installed
in the village. The current concrete dam replaced the original
in 1940. The dam and powerhouse are located on the west side
of Highway 108 at the La Crosse River in the town of Hamilton.
Bangor Commercial Historic District
Commercial Street, Bangor
The Bangor Commercial Historic District, which is located on
the 1500 block of Commercial Street in the Village of Bangor
consists of one city block of turn-of-the-20th-Century
commercial buildings. Most of the one and two story vernacular
form commercial buildings on this block were constructed between
1899 and 1905 to replace those destroyed in a fire that swept
the town in 1899.
Hussa Brewery Complex
Commercial Street, Bangor
On the west end of Bangor's Commercial Street stands the Hussa
Brewery Complex, with the original brick brewery building purchased
in 1860 by Joseph Hussa, the Hussa home built of brick in 1881
and the Hussa Office, also constructed of brick in 1904. The
Hussa Brewery was one of the nation's earliest and most productive
regional breweries, shipping its products by rail as far as Chicago
until passage of the 18th (Prohibition) Amendment
to the US Constitution forced its conversion to a canning company
in 1920.
Norskedalen
Heritage Center
County Hwy. PI, 3 miles north of Coon Valley
608-452-3424
Developed as a history and nature preserve, this 350-acre center
commemorates the area's pioneer Norwegian farming heritage in
the Bekkum Pioneer Homestead, a pioneer log farm restored to turn-of-the-twentieth
century condition; and the Skumsrud Heritage Farm which includes
11 historic buildings, including the 1853 Skumsrud Cabin, listed
on the National Register of Historic Places. The log structures
came from a number of farms in the area. Some are displayed to
show their original use and others are adapted to simulate a well-developed
local farmstead of about 1900. The group includes a house, chicken
coop, stable, granary, corn crib, blacksmith shop, storage shed
and barn. Bekkum Homestead tours are given May 1-October 31,
with the last tour departing at 3:30pm; the Skumsrud Heritage
Farm is open Memorial Day through Labor Day, weekends, Sat.10:00am-4:
00pm, Sun. Noon - 4:00pm.
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Parks
& Nature Centers
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife
and Fish Refuge
Mississippi
River, Onalaska
608-783-8405
With more than three million people annually who come to fish,
boat, hike, birdwatch, hunt, sightsee or just relax, the Upper
Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is one of
the country's largest and most visited refuges! Established in
1924, the 200,000-acre, 260-mile-long Upper Mississippi refuge
features more than 265 bird species, 57 species of mammals, 35
species of reptiles and amphibians, and over 100 species of fish.
No wonder this refuge is a nature-lovers wonderland! Special
attractions along the La Crosse county shore of the river include
boat and canoe rentals, the Long Lake and Goose Island canoe
trails, with observation points at major pull-offs denoted by
interpretive refuge signs. Displays of refuge wildlife are found
at the US Fish and Wildlife Service visitors center, located
at 555 Lester Ave. in Onalaska. Open Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m.
- 4:00 p.m.
Midway Railroad Prairie State Natural Area
Between County Highways OT and Z, Onalaska
608-781-9570
One of La Crosse County's natural treasures, the Midway Prairie
offers visitors the chance to see the native plants and grasses
of the great prairies that once swept from horizon to horizon
across the entire Midwest. The prairie blooms for much of the
summer with large daisies such as compass-plant, cup-plant, prairie
sunflower and gray-headed coneflower. On or about the Labor Day
weekend, the vanilla-scented orchid called Great Plain's Lady's-tresses
bloom. Rare species such as the poppy mallow are also found on
this prairie. Bicyclists will find the prairie just north of
where the Great River Trail crosses Highway Z.
Goose Island Park and Campground
Hwy. 35, South of La Crosse
608-788-7018
Five miles south of La Crosse just off Hwy. 35, on a wooded island
in the Mississippi River, La Crosse County has developed a park
and campground that is unsurpassed in Wisconsin. The island offers
camping, fishing, nature trails, swimming, canoeing, bird watching
and waterfowl hunting. The size and abundance of fish in the
backwaters around Goose Island are unequaled in the Midwest and
the waterfowl season draws hunters from a three-state area.
This 710 acre park features five park shelters, more than 400
campsites, a 200-acre picnic area, excellent restrooms with ceramic
tile showers, electrical hookups, sanitary stations, group camping,
swimming beach, store, boat and canoe rentals, bait sales, and
boat ramps. A spectacular treat for Goose Island visitors is
the view of the sun setting over the Mississippi River with the
impressive Minnesota Bluffs rising as a backdrop on the western
shore.
Veterans Memorial Park
Route 1, West Salem
608-786-4011
Bordered on one side by the La Crosse River and on the other
by the Sparta-La Crosse Trail, this park offers scenic beauty,
tranquillity and recreational opportunities ranging from canoeing
and fishing to biking and hiking. For those interested in group
sports activities, there are three ball diamonds, a beach volleyball
court and the only outdoor shuffleboard courts in the area. Picnickers
will find four shelter houses, and an abundance of grills and
tables. The campground features more than 100 campsites, excellent
bathroom facilities, electricity, sanitary station, concession
stand and...free firewood! Veterans Memorial Park is located
where the La Crosse River crosses Hwy. 16, approximately nine
miles east of La Crosse and one mile west of West Salem.
Hixon Forest Nature Center
2707 Quarry Rd., La Crosse
608-784-0303
Enjoy meandering the trails through this 720-acre forest preserve
and view the interpretive exhibits at the Nature Center. Open
Monday - Friday 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., weekends, 1:00 - 4:00
p.m. Back
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Special
Things To Do
Great
River & La Crosse River Bike Trails
Onalaska
and La Crosse
800-658-9424
Encounter wildlife, archeological wonders, northern forests,
eastern forests, western prairies, rare and endangered plants,
birds, mammals and reptiles, river barges, locks and dams on
the easy-riding railroad grade bicycle trails of La Crosse County.
The 24-mile Great River State Trail travels north along the Mississippi
from Onalaska to Perrot State Park and the Trempealeau National
Wildlife Refuge; and, the 26-mile La Crosse River State Trail
travels east along the La Crosse River to Sparta, where it connects
with the Elroy-Sparta Trail. Now joined by a bridge to the Onalaska
trailhead, both trails are readily accessible to bicycle-friendly
lodging accommodations. For more information, call 608-534-6409
(Great River Trail) or 608-337-4775 (La Crosse River Trail).
Farmers Markets
La Crosse
800-658-9424
Bridgeview Plaza, Wednesday 8:00 a.m. until sold, June - October
County Parking Lot, Saturday 6:00 a.m. until sold, June - October
Enjoy farm fresh produce, jams,
jellies, preserves, syrups, and more. In season, gardeners will
find a variety of bedding plants, annuals and perennials. Non-gardeners
will find fresh cut flowers and vegetables. Amidst the food,
fun and flowers, market-goers may also find unusual art and craft
items, music and entertaining street performers.
Commercial Historic District Walking Tour
State, Main & Pearl Streets, La Crosse
608-784-0440
Stroll through the development of commercial American architecture
in the downtown La Crosse Commercial Historic District; six blocks
of buildings in styles ranging from the simple, two-story brick
structures of the 1860s, the Italianate and Romanesque styles
popular from the 1880s to the early 1900s, the turn-of-the-20th-century
Chicago Commercial style and the Art Deco and Art Moderne styles
of the "Roaring twenties", 30's and 40's. Included
in the tour is the building where "White Beaver" Dr.
Frank Powell, buffalo hunter, patent medicine man and four-time
Mayor of the City of La Crosse practiced "women's medicine".
Contact Downtown Mainstreet, Inc. 608-784-0440 for an interpretive
guide and tour map.
Oktoberfest, La Crosse
608-784-FEST
For the two weeks of October, the City of La Crosse hosts one of the
Midwest's largest and most popular German Fall Festivals -- Oktoberfest.
Where there were once six breweries producing beer brewed according
to old-world German purity standards, the city celebrates October
in traditional German fashion with authentic German entertainment,
a "Maple Leaf" parade, national, regional and local
country, pop, rock and children's entertainment, carnival, dancing,
crafts, sporting events, food and fun. Activities center at Oktoberfest
Grounds both North and South side, ending with a beautifully
illuminated Torchlight Parade.
Riverfest
Riverside Park, La Crosse
608-782-6000
For five days, beginning on the last day of June, La Crosse's
Riverside Park becomes the fun and entertainment center of the
nearby three-state Mississippi River area. The annual Riverfest
celebration offers continuous entertainment, children's activities,
great food and fireworks the entire family will enjoy.
Mississippi River Cruises
Riverside Docks, La Crosse
Great River Steamboat Company 608-784-4882
La Crosse Queen Paddlewheeler 608-784-8523
Island Girl Cruiseliner 608-784-0556
Cruise the Mississippi on one of the excursion
vessels docked at the historic port of La Crosse. Float back
in time on the Julia Belle Swain, one of only six steam-powered
paddlewheelers still operating on the Mississippi. A faithful
replica of the riverboats that traveled these waters one hundred
years ago, with a bright red paddlewheel, brassy calliope and
three-tiered "wedding cake" structure, the Julia Belle
Swain offers lunch and dinner tours, one and two-day excursions
with on-board entertainment, sightseeing and shore-lodging overnights.
Take one of the daily three-hour sightseeing cruises, a Sunday
Brunch or weekend dinner cruise on the La Crosse Queen; an authentic
replica of a 19th century stern-wheeler. Enjoy a sightseeing,
lunch, cocktail and dinner, or moonlight cruise in the air-conditioned
luxury of the Island Girl, a modern 150-passenger luxury yacht.
The river is waiting.
North
American Squirrel Association (nasa)
La Crosse
608-781-3100 (ask for Tony)
Formed in 2003, nasa
is a non-profit organization that grew out of a desire to
provide physically challenged and elderly members of our
community with outdoor opportunities such as hunting and
fishing. nasa has purchased a pontoon boat
that is freely available for the elderly and physically
challenged. Along with the pontoon boat, nasa
holds several fishing events and a fall hunting event each
year. nasa has also helped support a program
with Mt. La Crosse that will allow more children with
special needs learn how to ski.
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Points
of Interest
Saint Rose Convent
715
South Ninth Street, La Crosse
608-784-2288
Saint Rose Convent is the Mother House of the Franciscan Sisters
of Perpetual Adoration. Since August 1, 1878 at least two Franciscan
Sisters have maintained a 24-hour prayer vigil for the Church,
community and the world. The Chapel of Angels is recognized as
one of the most beautiful in the United States.
Hiawatha Statue
Riverside Park, La Crosse
Standing guard over the junction of the Mississippi, Black and
La Crosse Rivers, this impressive 25-foot, 25-ton sculpture by
artist Anthony Zimmerhakl reflects on the majestic marriage of
these waters. Legend has it that where three rivers join, no
natural disaster will befall. Here, to date, this legend has
remained true.
Grandad Bluff
Main Street, La Crosse
800-658-9424
Enjoy an eagle's-eye view of the Mississippi River Valley and
three states bordering the great river - Wisconsin, Minnesota
and Iowa - from the 570-ft. summit of Grandad Bluff. Located
at the eastern end of Main Street, the bluff offers coin-operated
binoculars, a shelter house, picnic areas, and an unexcelled
panoramic view of the rivers and cities below. Be sure to bring
your camera to film the vista voted "the most scenic view
in the state" by Wisconsin Trails readers.
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