This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Why La Crosse Got Its Name and Early History
La Crosse grew from cross lore and a lacrosse favored by Native tribes. Early records name three naming theories, then describe the first resident Nathan Myrick, the 1841 settlement, and the shift from prairie to lumber town with the rise of steamboats, mills, and rail links shaping its growth into a regional hub.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
la Crosse
Henry B. Coons
Potosi
Samuel S. Tippets
Tippets Landing
Root
Mississippi
Z. M. P. Pike
Prairie de la Crosse
Mississippi River
Martin Scott
St. Peters River
Scott
Lejeu de Crosse
Nathan Myrick
LaCrosse
One-Eyed
Decorah
Major Pike
Stephen H. Long
Main Street
Myrick
H. L. Dousman
Black River
Wisconsin
Scoots Miller
J. M. Levy
Timothy Burns
Colonel Stoddard
F. M. Rublee
Rudolf
Burlington
Northwestern
Green Bay
Southeastern
City
Milwaukee
Chicago
Dubuque
River
Minnesota
Iowa
Milwaukee Road
Chippewa