Explorer's Guide Wisconsin by Mollie Boutell-Butler

Author:Mollie Boutell-Butler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Countryman Press
Published: 2016-12-09T16:00:00+00:00

LA CROSSE AND ONALASKA

La Crosse, Onalaska, West Salem, Holmen, Westby, and Viroqua

With more than 51,000 residents, La Crosse is the largest city in Southwestern Wisconsin, and it boasts a vibrant arts and entertainment scene. Home to many art galleries and museums, plus a rich performing arts scene, La Crosse is very culturally active. Combine that with its college-town feel—and its bar district—and add the environmentally friendly culture, and you’ve got the makings of a small city with big-city benefits. What’s more, the beautiful Mississippi River provides endless water recreation, and the pedestrian-friendly Riverside Park is great for a relaxing stroll.

Like all of Wisconsin, La Crosse was first home to Native Americans. The name is said to come from explorer Zebulon Pike, who traveled up the Mississippi on an expedition. Upon arriving here, he saw members of the Ho-Chunk tribe playing a game, and called this location Prairie La Crosse. Fur trade helped develop the area through the mid-nineteenth century, and the Industrial Revolution took over from there. A railroad from Milwaukee was constructed, and industry took advantage of the Mississippi River’s power. Today, La Crosse continues to grow and change.

East from La Crosse, into the coulee region as you edge toward the uplands, there are noteworthy towns. Soldier’s Grove is known as America’s First Solar Village; after repeated flooding, the town was moved to higher ground in 1978 with the help of the U.S. government. That help, however, was conditional on all new construction using some solar power. In Vernon County, Viroqua is the hub of the state’s largest organic farming area, and its historic downtown hosts a weekly farmers’ market in summer. Round barns, beautiful scenery, and community spirit make this a worthy side trip.

GUIDANCE La Crosse Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (608-782-2366; explorelacrosse.com), 410 Veterans Memorial Drive. Right downtown along the river, next to the Friendship Gardens at Riverside Park, Veterans Memorial Drive. You’d probably want to stop here anyway. The CVB stocks area menus for browsing as well as information about the entire area. La Crosse is also home to one of Wisconsin’s official welcome centers, on an island in the Mississippi.

Onalaska Tourism Commission (608-781-9570; discoveronalaska.com), 1101 Main Street, Onalaska.

GETTING THERE By Car: Head west on I-90 from most parts of Wisconsin, or travel the Great River Road from Minnesota or Iowa.

MEDICAL EMERGENCY Call 911.

To See and Do

ART GALLERIES Pump House Regional Arts Center (608-785-1434; thepumphouse.org), 119 King Street. Open noon–5 Tuesday through Friday, noon–4 Saturday. Admission to the gallery is free, donation recommended. Originally a pump house providing La Crosse with water to fight fires, the building is on the State and National Historic Registers. Today, the Pump House serves the area with visual and performing arts programming, along with classes.

Two other places to check out art are the colleges; both feature national artists as well as work by university students and faculty. UW-La Crosse Art Gallery (608-785-8230; uwlax.edu/Art/University-Gallery), at the corner of 16th and Vine Streets, is open noon–8 Monday through Thursday, noon–5 Friday and Saturday.

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