Overview

While other portions of the continent were scrubbed by glaciers during the last Ice Age, La Crosse and its environs escaped the frozen onslaught. As a result, this "driftless area" boasts a picturesque landscape rife with natural features � a composition of bluffs, waterways, hills, and valleys. La Crosse itself enjoys an enviable location, set at the confluence of the Mississippi, Black, and La Crosse rivers. In earlier days, the region was the domain of Native Americans, who plied the waters of the Upper Midwest via these liquid roadways. In the 17th century, French traders explored the area and bolstered the town's development into the 18th century. In fact, they provided La Crosse its moniker, naming it for the curved stick used in an Indian game similar to modern-day lacrosse. By the mid-19th century, Nathan Myrick, a young New Yorker, established a trading post on a river island, moving shortly thereafter to the mainland, where he mapped out the future town. As steamboat traffic increased, more folks began to settle, finding merit in the area's fertile soils and in trade opportunities afforded by land, rail, and water. Lumber was also profitable, as was beer-making (La Crosse was surpassed at one time only by Milwaukee in its output). These days, the city is an inviting locale, prized for its natural beauty and comfortable ambiance. Recreation abounds, and the presence of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse showcases culture and education. In addition, La Crosse takes great pride in preserving its historic structures and has revitalized its downtown commercial district with thoughtful renovations and well-considered adaptations that highlight the city's architecture. Local museums, gracious paddlewheeler cruises, views from lofty Grandad Bluff, the pedestrian-friendly river walk at Riverside Park, and the shops of Old Towne North provide a measure of local color and an amiable introduction to La Crosse that can't be beat. County seat, river town, university city � it's all these and more, an admirable feat for a friendly town whose population proper just breaks 50,000.

Recent User Activity in La Crosse