La Crosse, Wisconsin - wikipedia La Crosse, Wisconsin `` La Crosse '' redirects here. For other uses, see Lacrosse ( disambiguation ). La Crosse City City of La Crosse Downtown La Crosse Seal Location of La Crosse in La Crosse County, Wisconsin. Coordinates : 43 ° 48 ′ 48 '' N 91 ° 13 ′ 59 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 43.81333 ° N 91.23306 ° W ﻿ / 43.81333 ; - 91.23306 Coordinates : 43 ° 48 ′ 48 '' N 91 ° 13 ′ 59 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 43.81333 ° N 91.23306 ° W ﻿ / 43.81333 ; - 91.23306 Country United States State Wisconsin County La Crosse Government Mayor Tim Kabat ( D ) Area City 22.54 sq mi ( 58.38 km ) Land 20.52 sq mi ( 53.15 km ) Water 2.02 sq mi ( 5.23 km ) Elevation 669 ft ( 204 m ) Population ( 2010 ) City 51,320 Estimate ( 2016 ) 52,109 Rank US : 709th Density 2,501.0 / sq mi ( 965.6 / km ) Urban 100,868 ( US : 298th ) Metro 136,749 ( US : 294th ) Time zone Central ( UTC − 6 ) Summer ( DST ) Central ( UTC − 5 ) Zip Code 54601, 54602, 54603 Area code 608 FIPS code 55 - 40775 GNIS feature ID 1567672 Airports La Crosse Regional Airport Interstate I - 90 Website cityoflacrosse.org La Crosse is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of La Crosse County. Lying alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin 's western border. The city 's estimated population in 2014 was 52,440. The city forms the core of and is the principal city in the La Crosse - Onalaska, WI - MN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of La Crosse County and Houston County, Minnesota, with a combined population of 135,298. La Crosse is home to the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, Viterbo University, and Western Technical College. A regional technology and medical hub, La Crosse has received high rankings from some magazines in health, well - being, quality of life, and education. Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2.1 Climate 2.2 Neighborhoods and districts 3 Demographics 3.1 2010 census 4 Government and politics 4.1 Mayors 5 Economy 5.1 Largest employers 5.2 Shopping 5.3 Convention Center 6 Media 6.1 Print 6.2 Television 6.3 AM radio 6.4 FM radio 7 Education 8 Health care 9 Infrastructure 9.1 Water 9.2 Transportation 10 Culture 10.1 Bars and clubs 10.2 Annual events 11 Riverside Park 12 Gallery of historic places 13 Religion 13.1 Catholic 13.2 Protestant 13.3 Orthodox 13.4 Jewish 13.5 Unitarian Universalist 13.6 Muslim 14 Sports 15 Awards and rankings 16 Notable people 17 Sister cities 18 See also 19 References 20 Further reading 21 External links History Artists representation of La Crosse in 1867. The first Europeans to see the site of La Crosse were French fur traders who traveled the Mississippi River in the late 17th century. There is no written record of any visit to the site until 1805, when Lt. Zebulon Pike mounted an expedition up the Mississippi River for the United States. Pike recorded the location 's name as `` Prairie La Crosse. '' The name originated from the game with sticks that resembled a bishop 's crozier or la crosse in French, which was played by Native Americans there. The first white settlement at La Crosse occurred in 1841 when Nathan Myrick, a New York native, moved to the village at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin to work in the fur trade. Myrick was disappointed to find that because many fur traders were already well - entrenched there, there were no openings for him in the trade. As a result, he decided to establish a trading post upriver at the then still unsettled site of Prairie La Crosse. In 1841, he built a temporary trading post on Barron Island ( now called Pettibone Park ), which lies just west of La Crosse 's present downtown. The following year, Myrick relocated the post to the mainland prairie, partnering with H.J.B. Miller to run the outfit. The spot Myrick chose to build his trading post proved ideal for settlement. It was near the junction of the Black, La Crosse, and Mississippi Rivers. In addition, the post was built at one of the few points along the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River where a broad plain ideal for development existed between the river 's bank and the tall bluffs that line the river valley. Because of these advantages, a small village grew around Myrick 's trading post in the 1840s. A small Mormon community settled at La Crosse in 1844, building several dozen cabins a few miles south of Myrick 's post. Although these settlers relocated away from the Midwest after just a year, the land they occupied near La Crosse continues to bear the name Mormon Coulee. On June 23, 1850, Father James Lloyd Breck of the Episcopal Church said the first Christian liturgy on top of Grandad Bluff. Today a monument to that event stands atop the bluff, near the parking lot at a scenic overlook. More permanent development took place closer to Myrick 's trading post, where stores, a hotel, and a post office were constructed during the 1840s. Under the direction of Timothy Burns, lieutenant governor of Wisconsin, surveyor William Hood platted the village in 1851. This opened it up for further settlement, which was achieved rapidly as a result of promotion of the city in eastern newspapers. By 1855, La Crosse had grown in population to nearly 2,000 residents, leading to its incorporation in 1856. The city grew even more rapidly after 1858 with the completion of the La Crosse & Milwaukee Railroad, the second railroad connecting Milwaukee to the Mississippi River. During the second half of the 19th century, La Crosse grew to become one of the largest cities in Wisconsin. It was a center of the lumber industry, for logs cut in the interior of the state could be rafted down the Black River toward sawmills built in the city. La Crosse also became a center for the brewing industry and other manufacturers that saw advantages in the city 's location adjacent to major transportation arteries, such as the Mississippi River and the railroad between Milwaukee and St. Paul, Minnesota. Around the turn of the 20th century, the city also became a center for education, with three colleges and universities established in the city between 1890 and 1912. La Crosse remains the largest city on Wisconsin 's western border, and the educational institutions in the city have recently led it toward becoming a regional technology and medical hub. La Crosse river front Geography Grandad Bluff in La Crosse La Crosse is located on the western border of the midsection of Wisconsin, on a broad alluvial plain along the east side of the Mississippi River. The Black River empties into the Mississippi north of the city, and the La Crosse River flows into the Mississippi just north of the downtown area. Just upriver from its mouth, this river broadens into a marshland that splits the city into two distinct sections, north and south. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.54 square miles ( 58.38 km ), of which, 20.52 square miles ( 53.15 km ) is land and 2.02 square miles ( 5.23 km ) is water. Surrounding the relatively flat prairie valley where La Crosse lies are towering 500 ft bluffs, one of the most prominent of which is Grandad Bluff ( mentioned in Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain ), which has an overlook of the three states region. This feature typifies the topography of the Driftless Area in which La Crosse sits. This rugged region is composed of high ridges dissected by narrow valleys called coulees, a French term. As a result, the area around La Crosse is frequently referred to as the `` Coulee Region ''. Climate La Crosse 's location in the United States ' upper midwest gives the area a temperate, continental climate. The warmest month of the year is July, when the average high temperature is 84.1 ° F ( 29 ° C ), with overnight low temperatures averaging 63.2 ° F ( 18 ° C ). January is the coldest month, with high temperatures averaging 25.9 ° F ( - 4 ° C ), with the overnight low temperatures around 8.9 ° F ( - 14 ° C ). Climate data for La Crosse, Wisconsin ( La Crosse Regional Airport ) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high ° F ( ° C ) 57 ( 14 ) 65 ( 18 ) 84 ( 29 ) 93 ( 34 ) 107 ( 42 ) 102 ( 39 ) 108 ( 42 ) 105 ( 41 ) 101 ( 38 ) 93 ( 34 ) 80 ( 27 ) 67 ( 19 ) 108 ( 42 ) Average high ° F ( ° C ) 25.9 ( − 3.4 ) 31.4 ( − 0.3 ) 43.9 ( 6.6 ) 59.3 ( 15.2 ) 70.7 ( 21.5 ) 80.0 ( 26.7 ) 84.1 ( 28.9 ) 81.5 ( 27.5 ) 73.2 ( 22.9 ) 59.9 ( 15.5 ) 43.8 ( 6.6 ) 29.1 ( − 1.6 ) 56.9 ( 13.84 ) Average low ° F ( ° C ) 8.9 ( − 12.8 ) 13.6 ( − 10.2 ) 25.2 ( − 3.8 ) 37.9 ( 3.3 ) 48.7 ( 9.3 ) 58.5 ( 14.7 ) 63.2 ( 17.3 ) 61.3 ( 16.3 ) 52.4 ( 11.3 ) 40.4 ( 4.7 ) 28.1 ( − 2.2 ) 14.2 ( − 9.9 ) 37.7 ( 3.17 ) Record low ° F ( ° C ) − 43 ( − 42 ) − 36 ( − 38 ) − 28 ( − 33 ) 7 ( − 14 ) 26 ( − 3 ) 33 ( 1 ) 44 ( 7 ) 35 ( 2 ) 24 ( − 4 ) 6 ( − 14 ) − 21 ( − 29 ) − 37 ( − 38 ) − 43 ( − 42 ) Average precipitation inches ( mm ) ( 28 ) 1.06 ( 26.9 ) 2.05 ( 52.1 ) 3.35 ( 85.1 ) 3.5 ( 89 ) 4.33 ( 110 ) 4.25 ( 108 ) 4.29 ( 109 ) 3.54 ( 89.9 ) 2.17 ( 55.1 ) 2.01 ( 51.1 ) 1.38 ( 35.1 ) 33.03 ( 839 ) Average snowfall inches ( cm ) 11 ( 28 ) 8 ( 20 ) 7 ( 18 ) ( 5 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) ( 10 ) 11 ( 28 ) 43 ( 109 ) Average precipitation days ( ≥ 0.01 in ) 9.5 7.6 9.6 10.8 11.0 11.0 10.8 10.4 9.6 8.3 8.9 9.3 116.8 Average snowy days ( ≥ 0.1 in ) 8.5 6.0 4.4 1.3 0 0 0 0 0. 3 3.2 7.3 31 Source # 1 : NOAA ( normals 1981 -- 2010, extremes 1948 -- 2001 ) Source # 2 : The Weather Channel ( extreme temps ) source 3 = U.S. climate data Neighborhoods and districts Downtown Historic District La Crosse has 13 voting districts ( wards ). Neighborhoods in the city include : Washburn Historic Cass & King Historic downtown Northside ( Upper and Lower ) and Old Towne Hungary Point Mud City College Park ( UW -- La Crosse campus district ) Suburbs include French Island in the Town of Campbell, Holmen, the Town of Medary, City of Onalaska, and the Town of Shelby. Demographics Historical population Census Pop. % ± 1860 3,860 -- 1870 7,785 101.7 % 1880 14,505 86.3 % 1890 25,000 72.4 % 1900 28,895 15.6 % 1910 30,417 5.3 % 1920 30,421 0.0 % 1930 39,614 30.2 % 1940 42,707 7.8 % 1950 47,535 11.3 % 1960 47,258 − 0.6 % 1970 50,286 6.4 % 1980 48,347 − 3.9 % 51,140 5.8 % 2000 51,818 1.3 % 51,320 − 1.0 % Est. 2016 52,109 1.5 % U.S. Decennial Census 2014 Estimate According to 2009 -- 2013 ACS estimates, the median household income was $40,457 and the median family income was $57,744. Males had a median income of $37,305 versus $32,145 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,282. About 10.1 % of families and 23.3 % of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.7 % of those under age 18 and 7.8 % of those age 65 or over. 2010 Census At the 2010 census, there were 51,320 people, 21,428 households and 9,691 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,501.5 per square mile ( 965.6 / km2 ). There were 22,628 housing units at an average density of 1,102.7 per square mile ( 425.8 / km2 ). The racial makeup of the city was 89.8 % White, 2.3 % African American, 0.6 % Native American, 4.9 % Asian, 0.0 % Pacific Islander, 0.4 % from other races, and 2.1 % from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0 % of the population. There were 21,428 households of which 19.5 % had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.6 % were married couples living together, 9.7 % had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.8 % were non-families. 37.7 % of all households were composed of individuals and 11.7 % had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.86. 16.2 % of the population were under the age of 18, 26.5 % from 18 to 24, 23.1 % from 25 to 44, 21.0 % from 45 to 64, and 13.1 % who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males. View of the Mississippi River from Riverside Park Government and politics The city government employs a weak mayor form of the mayor - council system. The mayor is elected at - large, while the 13 members of the Common Council are elected per ward. The mayor is Tim Kabat, a progressive. La Crosse is a Democratic stronghold in local, state and national politics. Both the city and county of La Crosse have voted Democratic in every presidential election since 1988. In the 2012 presidential election, Barack Obama won 65 % of the city of La Crosse and 58 % of La Crosse County. In 2014, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ranked La Crosse as one of Wisconsin 's top performing Democratic cities. In the United States Congress, Democrat Ron Kind has represented La Crosse as part of Wisconsin 's 3rd congressional district since 1997. The city is almost coterminous with the 95th Wisconsin State Assembly District and is represented by Democrat Jill Billings. Additionally, Democrat Steve Doyle currently represents suburban La Crosse County in the 94th Assembly District. La Crosse is part of the State Senate District 32 and is represented by Democrat Jennifer Shilling. Mayors Source : Thomas Benton Stoddard ( 1856 ) E.D. Campbell ( 1857 ) David Taylor ( 1858 ) James I. Lyndes ( D ) ( 1859 ) John M. Levy ( 1860 ) Wilson Colwel ( 1861 ) A.W. Pettibone ( 1862 -- 1864 ) W.J. Lloyd ( 1865 ) John M. Levy ( 1866 -- 1867 ) Theodore Rodolf ( 1868 ) Charles. L. Colman ( 1869 ) Theodore Rodolf ( 1870 ) Alexander McMillan ( 1871 ) James I. Lyndes ( 1872 ) Gysbert Van Steenwyk, Sr. ( 1873 -- 1874 ) Gilbert M. Woodward ( 1874 -- 1875 ) James J. Hogan ( 1875 -- 1876 ) George Edwards ( 1877 ) David Law ( 1878 -- 1879 ) Joseph Clark ( 1880 ) H.F. Smiley ( 1881 ) David Law ( 1882 -- 1883 ) W.A. Roosevelt ( 1884 ) D. Frank Powell ( 1885 -- 1886 ) David Austin ( 1887 -- 1888 ) John Dengler ( 1889 -- 1890 ) F.A. Copeland ( 1892 ) D. Frank Powell ( 1893 -- 1896 ) James McCord ( 1897 -- 1898 ) W.A. Anderson ( 1899 -- 1900 ) Joseph Boschert ( 1901 -- 1902 ) William Torrance ( 1903 -- 1906 ) Ori J. Sorenson ( 1909 -- 1910 ) Arthur A. Bentley ( 1915 -- 1923 ) Henry J. Ahrens ( 1950 -- 1955 ) Milo Knutson ( 1955 -- 1965 ) Warren Loveland ( 1965 -- 1971 ) W. Peter Gilbertson ( 1971 -- 1975 ) Patrick Zielke ( April 20, 1975 -- April 15, 1997 ) John Medinger ( April 15, 1997 -- April 19, 2005 ) Mark Johnsrud ( April 19, 2005 -- April 21, 2009 ) Mathias Harter ( April 21, 2009 -- April 16, 2013 ) Tim Kabat ( April 16, 2013 -- present ) Economy La Crosse is the home and current global headquarters of several corporations and organizations, including : Allergy Associates of La Crosse and Allergychoices, Inc., national allergy clinic and allergy services organization serving patients and providers across the U.S.. Altra Federal Credit Union, La Crosse based credit union servicing eight states across the country Authenticom, Inc., data management SaaS company City Brewing Company, former Heileman Old Style brewery Mayo Clinic Health System -- Franciscan Healthcare, regional health care network with flagship campus in La Crosse Gundersen Health System, nonprofit comprehensive health care network with flagship campus in La Crosse Kwik Trip, regional gas and convenience stores La Crosse Technology, atomic clocks and weather stations Logistics Health Incorporated, customized healthcare solutions S&S Cycle, motorcycle engines, parts and supplies Trane, international air conditioning, acquired by Ingersoll - Rand in 2008 Corporations founded and formerly headquartered in La Crosse include : Cargill, America 's now largest privately held corporation founded in La Crosse LaCrosse Footwear, footwear company founded in 1897 Largest employers As of 2012 the 10 largest employers in La Crosse included : Gundersen Health System Mayo Clinic Health System -- Franciscan Healthcare Trane Kwik Trip La Crosse County School District of La Crosse University of Wisconsin -- La Crosse CenturyLink Logistics Health Incorporated City of La Crosse Shopping La Crosse and the surrounding communities form a regional commercial center and shopping hub. In the northeastern region of the city lies the area 's largest shopping center, Valley View Mall. The surrounding area includes numerous big - box stores, and many restaurants. Other shopping centers in the La Crosse region include Three Rivers Plaza, Marsh View Center, Shelby Mall, Jackson Plaza, Bridgeview Plaza, and the Village Shopping Center. Downtown La Crosse has experienced significant growth in recent years, providing shopping, farmers ' markets, hotels, restaurants, specialty shops, and events at La Crosse Center on the Mississippi River. Convention Center The La Crosse Center is a 10,000 seat multi-purpose indoor arena built in 1980 in downtown La Crosse on the Mississippi River. It is also a convention center offering 21,600 square feet ( 2,010 m ) of exhibit space, a 45 - foot ( 14 m ) ceiling height, a 60 - by - 40 - foot stage, two locker rooms and three dressing rooms. There is also a 14,935 - square - foot ( 1,388 m ) North Hall which can open up to be used in combination with the arena, and a 38,740 - square - foot ( 3,599 m ) South Exhibit Hall. The three venues total 75,275 square feet ( 6,993 m ) of exhibit space. The complex also contains 9,432 square feet ( 876 m ) of meeting room space in five meeting rooms, which can be divided into nine meeting rooms. While both exhibit halls and the arena are used for trade shows, conventions, meetings and banquets, the arena is also used for sporting events, concerts, circuses, ice shows, and other events. Media Print La Crosse 's largest newspaper is the daily La Crosse Tribune which serves the Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa regions. The Second Supper, a free weekly tabloid with material of interest to the under - 30 demographic group, is also published in the area, as are two shoppers, the Foxxy Shopper and the Buyer 's Express. The Racquet is the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse 's free weekly paper. Coulee Parenting Connection is a magazine serving families in the La Crosse area. Television Channel Callsign Affiliation Branding Subchannels Owner ( Virtual ) Channel Programming 8.1 WKBT CBS WKBT 8 8.2 8.3 MyNetworkTV ION Morgan Murphy Media 10.1 KTTC NBC KTTC 10 10.2 10.3 CW+ Heroes & Icons Quincy Newspapers 13.1 WEAU NBC WEAU 13 News 13.2 13.3 13.4 Antenna TV Heroes & Icons Movies ! Gray Television 19.1 WXOW ABC WXOW 19 19.2 19.3 CW Decades Quincy Newspapers 25.1 WLAX FOX FOX 25 / 48 25.2 25.3 25.4 MeTV Laff Grit Nexstar Media Group 31.1 WHLA PBS Wisconsin Public Television 31.2 31.3 31.4 Wisconsin Channel Create PBS Kids Wisconsin Educational Communications Board AM radio FM radio stations Frequency Call sign Name Format Owner 580 AM WKTY Sports Family Radio, Inc. 1410 AM WIZM News talk 1410 News / Talk Family Radio, Inc. 1490 AM WLFN Today 's Talk 1490 Talk Mississippi Valley Broadcasters, LLC 1560 AM WKBH Relevant Radio Catholic Starboard Media Foundation, Inc. FM radio FM radio stations Frequency Call sign Name Format Owner 88.1 FM K201BW ( KZSE Translator ) MPR News NPR Minnesota Public Radio 88.9 FM WLSU Wisconsin Public Radio Classic Wisconsin Public Radio 90.3 FM WHLA Wisconsin Public Radio NPR Wisconsin Public Radio 91.1 FM KXLC Minnesota Public Radio NPR Minnesota Public Radio 91.9 FM K220EP ( KFSI Translator ) KFSI 92.9 Christian Faith Sound Incorporated 92.3 FM K222AG ( WIZM - AM Translator ) News talk 1410 News / Talk Family Radio, Inc. 93.3 FM WIZM Z93. 3 Top 40 ( CHR ) Family Radio, Inc. 93.7 FM K229BH ( WWIB Translator ) 103.7 WWIB Christian Stewards of Sound, Inc. 94.5 FM WTMB Classic Rock 94.5 Classic rock Magnum Radio, Inc. 94.7 FM KCLH Classic Hits 94.7 Classic Hits Family Radio, Inc. 95.7 FM WRQT 95.7 The Rock Active Rock Family Radio, Inc. 96.1 FM WXYM Mix 96.1 Hot AC Magnum Radio, Inc. 97.1 FM WCOW Cow 97.1 Country Country Sparta - Tomah Broadcasting Co., Inc. 97.9 FM K250AZ ( WTPN Translator ) The Prayz Network Christian The Salvation Poem Foundation, Inc. 98.9 FM WVCX VCY America Christian VCY America 100.1 FM WKBH Classic Rock 100.1 Classic rock Mississippi Valley Broadcasters, LLC 101.1 FM KRIV Soft Rock 101.1 Soft AC Leighton Radio Holdings, Inc. 101.9 FM K270AG ( WFBZ Translator ) 105.5 ESPN Sports Sparta - Tomah Broadcasting Co., Inc 102.7 FM KQEG Eagle 102.7 Oldies Mississippi Valley Broadcasters, LLC 104.9 FM WLXR Magic 105 Adult contemporary Mississippi Valley Broadcasters, LLC 105.5 FM WFBZ 105.5 ESPN Sports Sparta - Tomah Broadcasting Co., Inc. 106.3 FM WQCC Kicks 106.3 Country Mississippi Valley Broadcasters, LLC 107.9 FM W299AC ( KQYB Translator ) KQ98 Country Family Radio, Inc. Education Maurice O. Graff Main Hall on the University of Wisconsin -- La Crosse campus The La Crosse area is served by the School District of La Crosse, with an enrollment of 7,012 students in 2009, making it the 16th largest school district in the state. The district has 19 elementary, middle, high and charter schools. La Crosse Central High School and Logan High School are the two public high schools serving the La Crosse area. The La Crosse School District has 631 teachers. Catholic private schools in La Crosse include La Crosse Aquinas Catholic Schools, a Roman Catholic school district affiliated with the Diocese of La Crosse, which is centered in the city and includes Aquinas High School and Aquinas Middle School. Another Roman Catholic school, the Providence Academy, is independent from the district and has no affiliation with the Diocese. Lutheran private schools in La Crosse include First Lutheran School, Immanuel Lutheran School and Mt. Calvary - Grace Lutheran School, which are part of the La Crosse Area Lutheran Schools organization and affiliated with Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The high school Luther High School ( Wisconsin ), resides in Onalaska, Wisconsin. La Crosse is the home of three regional colleges and universities, the public University of Wisconsin -- La Crosse, Western Technical College, and the Roman Catholic Viterbo University. The Health Science Center is a combined effort of all the La Crosse medical centers, universities and government agencies to advance students in the medical fields. Health care Two major regional health care facilities are located in La Crosse : Gundersen Health System and Franciscan Skemp Medical Center, a Mayo Clinic affiliate. Gundersen Health System is a nationally ranked health care system located in La Crosse that is also an ACS nationally certified Level II Trauma Center. It is the primary hospital associated with the Gundersen Clinic medical group and the location of the Western campus for the University of Wisconsin Medical School. With its main campus located in La Crosse, the system also manages 23 locations throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa with nearly 6,000 employees. In 2014, Gundersen Health received the Healthgrades America 's 50 Best Hospitals TM designation, placing the system among the top 1 percent of hospitals nationwide. Franciscan Skemp Medical Center is an affiliate of the Mayo Clinic. Franciscan Skemp, which was the first western Wisconsin hospital to open its doors in 1883 as St. Francis Hospital, was started by the Catholic Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, who still are associated with the medical center. In 1995, Franciscan Skemp merged with Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Rochester, Minnesota, located only 60 miles away. A new trauma and emergency department, helicopter pad, and surgery wing recently opened in 2007. The Health Science Center, located on the University of Wisconsin -- La Crosse campus, is a combined effort of both medical centers, UW -- La Crosse, Viterbo University, Western College, the School District of La Crosse, and various government educational groups. The purpose was to prepare and train students for advancement in the medical field. Infrastructure Water La Crosse 's tap drinking water, which is raised from a deep underground Artesian aquifer, won the best natural tasting water award in September 2007 in a statewide tasting competition hosted by the Wisconsin Water Association. The city competed against groundwater and surface water utilities from Algoma, Appleton, Green Bay, Madison, Milwaukee, Pell Lake, Shawano, Shawano Lake and Watertown at the annual meeting of the association. La Crosse 's drinking water is pumped from deep ground wells to a distribution center and is treated with chlorine and fluoride ; some wells are also treated with polyphosphate. Transportation View of the Cass St. and Cameron Ave. Bridges, which both cross the Mississippi River, from Riverside Park in Downtown La Crosse. The La Crosse Regional Airport provides direct scheduled passenger service to Minneapolis, Detroit, and Chicago through Delta Air Lines link Endeavor Air, as well as American Airlines link Envoy Air. Sun Country and Xtra Airways provide charter service to Laughlin, Elko, Nevada, and other destinations. The airport also serves general aviation for the La Crosse region. The city is served by several major highways and Interstate, including Interstate 90, U.S. Highway 14, U.S. Highway 53, U.S. Highway 61, Wisconsin State Highway 35, Wisconsin State Highway 16, Wisconsin State Highway 33. The Mississippi River Bridge, also known as the Cass St. bridge and the newer Cameron Street bridge ( photo with blue arch ) both connect downtown La Crosse with La Crescent, Minnesota. These two bridges cross the Mississippi River, as does the Interstate 90 bridge located just northwest of La Crosse, connecting Wisconsin and Minnesota. Amtrak station in La Crosse, Wisconsin In 2012, the City of La Crosse was the first city in Wisconsin to pass a Green Complete Streets ordinance. This ordinance requires that when roads are reconstructed the needs of stormwater management and the safety of bicycles and pedestrians are taken into account in the new design. The City of La Crosse 's MTU bus service with routes reaching out to the suburbs served over one million users in 2007. On the Mississippi River, cargo is transported to and from this area to St Paul and St Louis, using towboats, primarily moving dry bulk cargo barges for coal, grain, and other low - value bulk goods. Railroad tracks owned by Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway ( BNSF ) pass through La Crosse providing freight service. The former Milwaukee and La Crosse Railroad / Milwaukee Road / Soo Line and now Canadian Pacific Railway runs through the city as well. It provides the track on which the La Crosse Amtrak station is located, and is a stop for the Empire Builder providing cross-country passenger rail service. Culture La Crosse has over 30 active arts organizations. The Pump House Regional Arts Center hosts visual arts exhibits throughout the year plus its own series of jazz, folk, and blues performers. The La Crosse Symphony is the city 's regional orchestra and the La Crosse Community Theater has won both regional and national acclaim. The city is home to the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps, a Drum Corps International member corps. Other arts sites include Viterbo University Fine Arts building, UW -- La Crosse Art Gallery and Theater, and the La Crosse Center, which hosts national performers. Local sculptor Elmer Petersen has created sculptures that are exhibited throughout the downtown area, including La Crosse Players and the Eagle in Riverside Park. Bars and clubs La Crosse has many bars and nightclubs in the downtown central business district, as well as many neighborhood bars and grills. Annual events La Crosse Oktoberfest La Crosse Riverfest St. Elias Mediterranean Festival Freedom Fest Midwest Banjo Fest Irish Fest Wienerfest Downtown Mardi Gras Downtown Cameron Park Farmers Market Historic Downtown La Crosse Days Winter Rec Fest New Year 's Eve Celebration with The Skyrockers Hmong New Year Parade Rotary Lights Display La Crosse Labor Day Parade and Celebration La Crosse Storytelling Festival Beer Wine and Cheese Fest Riverside Park A Simpler Time Statue and Riverside Park ( La Crosse ) levee. A Simpler Time Statue in Riverside Park ( La Crosse ) at sunset. Riverside Park is situated on the riverfront of downtown La Crosse near the Blue Bridges and across the river from Pettibone Park. It hosts events such as Riverfest, Fourth of July fireworks, Oktoberfest, and the Rotary Lights. The steamboats American Queen, La Crosse Queen, and Julia Belle Swain make stops along the river in the park. The park has walking / running trails. Gallery of historic places Buildings, sites, structures, districts, and objects in La Crosse listed on the National Register of Historic Places 10th and Cass Streets Neighborhood Historic District Mons Anderson House E.R. Barron Building Bridge No. 1 Bridge No. 2 Bridge No. 3 Bridge No. 4 Bridge No. 6 John L. Callahan House Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul Railway Passenger Depot Christ Church of La Crosse FreightHouse Restaurant Gideon C. Hixon House La Crosse Commercial Historic District Laverty - Martindale House Losey Memorial Arch Main Hall / La Crosse State Normal School Maria Angelorum Chapel Will Ott House Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel Physical Education Building / La Crosse State Normal School Powell Place W.A. Roosevelt Company Smith Valley School U.S. Fish Control Laboratory James Vincent House Waterworks Building Wisconsin Telephone Company Building George Zeisler Building Religion Cathedral of Saint Joseph the Workman Catholic Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe La Crosse is the episcopal see for the Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse. The Cathedral of Saint Joseph the Workman is the mother church of the Diocese. St. Rose of Viterbo Convent, the mother house of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration is in La Crosse. The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is in La Crosse. Commissioned by Cardinal Raymond Burke while he was Bishop of La Crosse, it was designed by architect Duncan Stroik. Protestant Protestant churches include Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Vineyard, Presbyterian, independent and non-denominational. The La Crosse Area ELCA Synod includes 43,600 members from 81 congregations in 10 counties in western Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota. Christ Church of La Crosse is the city 's Episcopal church. Orthodox St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church is the city 's Eastern Orthodox Church. Jewish The Congregation Sons of Abraham is in La Crosse. Unitarian Universalist The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of La Crosse has held services since 1951. Muslim Islamic Society Othman Bin Afaan is the city 's Islamic mosque. Sports The La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League, play at their home field at Copeland Park on the north side of La Crosse in the summer months. In the past, La Crosse has been home to the Catbirds and the Bobcats of the CBA, as well as the River Rats of the IFL, the Spartans of the IFL and the Night Train of the NIFL. La Crosse is also home to the NCAA Division III University of Wisconsin -- La Crosse ( UW -- L ) Eagles. The university 's 10,000 seat Veterans Memorial Field for football ( turf field ) and outdoor timed track opened in 2009. The stadium will continue to host the WIAA Wisconsin high school outdoor track and field state championships in June. In the winter season, the Coulee Region Chill is a team in the North American Hockey League that began playing in September 2010 at the Omni Center in Onalaska. In September 2014, the Chill moved their home games to the Green Island Ice Arena. Additionally, Mt. La Crosse, the areas only ski hill which opened in 1959 provides eighteen slopes and trails in the winter months. The ski hill is home to Damnation !, Mid-America's steepest trail. The La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway, located in nearby West Salem, is the first and only paved NASCAR - sanctioned asphalt stock car racing track in Wisconsin. Hunting and fishing are very popular all seasons of the year, and the Mississippi and other rivers, sloughs, creeks, lakes, the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife Refuge, and hilltops and valleys with public woodlands are available to sportsmen and families. Awards and rankings 2002 -- National Trust for Historic Preservation Great American Main Street Award 2003 - Milken Institute Best Performing Cities of the 96 Smallest Metros ( 20th Overall ) 2005 -- Inc. magazine 's 4th Best Small City for Doing Business 2005 -- Inc. magazine 's 15th Best City in America to Do Business 2005 -- Forbes 25th Best Place 2006 -- 7th Safest Metropolitan Area in the Nation -- Morgan Quitno Press 2006 -- Kiplinger 's Personal Finance ranked La Crosse 16th `` Smartest Place to Live in U.S. 2007 -- Country Home magazine ranked La Crosse 12th Best Green City in America and second among small cities, behind Corvallis, Ore. 2009 -- U.S. News ranked La Crosse one of the 10 best places to live in the country. 2009 -- Farmers Insurance Group ranked La Crosse -- Winona, Minnesota area the 20th most secure place to live in the United States among small towns. 2010 -- Most Secure Places to Live in the US ( Small Towns ) -- Sperling 's Best Places 2014 -- 42nd in the Forbes list of Best Small Places for Business and Careers ; and ranked 11th on Outside magazine 's 16 Best Places to Live in the U.S. 2015 -- 247wallst.com named La Crosse the 15th Coldest City in the Nation 2016 - 247wallst.com named La Crosse the 6th Drunkest City in America Notable people This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( May 2014 ) Notable people George Addes, founder of United Auto Workers John Ake, professional baseball player Wendell Abraham Anderson, Chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin Elmer E. Barlow, Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Charles S. Benton, U.S. Representative from New York Raymond Bice, Sr., businessman, state assemblyman and senator Fred Biermann, U.S. Representative from Iowa Harriet Bossnot, social and civic worker Thea Bowman, Roman Catholic, religious sister and educator Ruth Boynton, physician and educator Orville Buckner, professional boxer Raymond Burke, Cardinal Prefect of the Vatican 's Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura Timothy Burns, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin Chris Bury, Nightline correspondent Ole Amundsen Buslett, author Angus Cameron, U.S. Senator James Cameron, civil rights activist Erasmus D. Campbell, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin William W. Cargill, founder of Cargill Ebenezer Childs, Territorial legislator Russell G. Cleary, president of the G. Heileman Brewing Company Frank P. Coburn, U.S. Representative Elijah Fox Cook, Michigan and Wisconsin State Senators George Dahlgren, NFL player Charles G. Dawes, Vice President of the United States Alexa Demara, model, actress James Devitt, Wisconsin legislator Charles Dierkop, actor Chip Dunham, cartoonist John J. Esch, U.S. Representative Bob Fitzke, NFL player Paul Fitzke, baseball player Connor Franta, YouTuber. George A. Garrett, U.S. diplomat Tony Ghelfi, MLB player Lawrence R. Gibson, Wisconsin state assemblyman Gerald Greider, Wisconsin state assemblyman Adolph Gundersen, physician Tim Gullikson, professional tennis player Tom Gullikson, professional tennis player Tom Hanneman, sports broadcaster Hal Hanson, NFL player and head coach Gottlieb Heileman, founder of G. Heileman Brewing Company Gideon Hixon, businessman, state assemblyman and senator Chuck Hockenbery, MLB player Clark L. Hood, Wisconsin state assemblyman and lawyer Wayne J. Hood, Executive Director of the Republican National Committee Merlin Hull, U.S. Representative William Hull, lawyer and legislator Hugo Jan Huss, orchestra conductor Don Iverson, professional golfer Stephen Jerzak, professional musician Matt Joyce, NFL player John Azor Kellogg, U.S. military leader and state senator Mark Kellogg, reporter ( killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn ) Ron Kind, United States House of Representatives Tom Klawitter, MLB player Charles E. Knoblauch, Iowa state representative Milo Knutson, mayor of La Crosse and state senator Bronson Koenig, basketball player Ed Konetchy, MLB player Edward C. Krause, Wisconsin State Assemblyman Arthur Kreutz, composer Robert E. Kreutz, composer Carl Kurtenecker, Wisconsin State Assemblyman Ty Loomis, volleyball player Joseph Losey, film and theater director Patrick Joseph Lucey, Governor of Wisconsin, U.S. diplomat Paul Lundsten, Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals James T. McCleary, U.S. Representative from Minnesota John H. MacMillan Sr, businessman, President of Cargill Paul Marcotte, businessman and former member of the Kentucky House of Representatives John Medinger, former Mayor of La Crosse and former member of the state assembly John Mengelt, NBA player Curt Michel, NASA astronaut, professor Damian Miller, MLB player Robert Moevs, composer ( 1920 -- 2007 ) Thomas Morris, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin Leland E. Mulder, member of the state assembly John Mulder, state assemblyman Eddie Murphy, Olympic medalist Henry Nein, Wisconsin legislator Tom Newberry, NFL all - pro offensive guard Mike O'Callaghan, Governor of Nevada Paul Offner, member of the state assembly and senate John Oestreicher, lawyer and member of the state assembly Jim Omerberg, member of the West Virginia House of Delegates Charles M. Palmer, organizer of the Associated Press John Joseph Paul. Roman Catholic bishop Oscar S. Paulson, Wisconsin legislator George Wilbur Peck, newspaper publisher, humorist, mayor of Milwaukee, Governor of Wisconsin James D.H. Peterson, member of the state assembly Augustus Herman Pettibone, U.S. Representative from Tennessee George Poage, Olympic medalist, first African American to win an Olympic medal Marcus M. Pomeroy, editor of the La Crosse Democrat newspaper during the Civil War Brandon Ratcliff, actor Nicholas Ray, film and theater director ( 1911 -- 1979, a.k.a. Raymond Nicholas Kienzle ) Edwin W. Rice, President of General Electric Walter Ristow, librarian Scott Servais, MLB player Philip Saunders, NBA coach Rudolph Schlabach, lawyer and legislator John Shuman, Army Distinguished Service Medal recipient Frank Skaff, MLB player and manager Freddie Slack, musician and bandleader Thomas Benton Stoddard, first mayor of La Crosse ; member of the state assembly Ford Sterling, actor William H. Stevenson, U.S. Representative Woodrow Swancutt, U.S. Air Force Major General Jim Temp, NFL player Clark W. Thompson, U.S. Representative from Texas John Toland, Pulitzer Prize - winning author Clarence Tommerson, NFL player James Trane, co-founder of Trane Reuben Trane, co-founder of Trane Danielle Trussoni, author Dave Umhoefer, Pulitzer Prize - winning journalist Dolly Vanderlip, All - American Girls Professional Baseball League player Gysbert Van Steenwyk, Sr., businessman, Mayor of La Crosse, member of the state assembly and senate D. Russell Wartinbee, educator and member of the state assembly Cadwallader C. Washburn, Civil War General, Wisconsin Governor, U.S. House Jarrod Washburn, Major League Baseball Player, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim John Wilce, member of the College Football Hall of Fame George Williams, MLB player Levi Withee, lumberman and Wisconsin state senator Gardner R. Withrow, U.S. Representative Gilbert Motier Woodward, U.S. Representative Sister cities La Crosse has sister city relationships with six foreign towns and cities : Bantry, County Cork, Munster, Ireland Dubna, Russia Épinal, Vosges, Grand Est, France Friedberg, Bavaria, Germany Førde, Norway Luoyang, China See also City Brewing Company G. Heileman Brewing Company La Crosse area radio stations La Crosse area television stations Old Style Beer Pettibone Park ( La Crosse ) La Crosse river front References ^ Jump up to : `` US Gazetteer files 2010 ''. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012 - 01 - 24. Retrieved 2012 - 11 - 18. Jump up ^ `` American FactFinder ''. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013 - 01 - 02. ^ Jump up to : `` Population and Housing Unit Estimates ''. Retrieved June 9, 2017. Jump up ^ `` American FactFinder ''. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008 - 01 - 31. Jump up ^ `` US Board on Geographic Names ''. United States Geological Survey. 2007 - 10 - 25. Retrieved 2008 - 01 - 31. ^ Jump up to : https://www.forbes.com/places/wi/la-crosse/ Jump up ^ http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/dataondemand/population-estimates-for-wisconsin-cities-towns-and-villages-2014-304507351.html#!/popestimate2014.desc.1/ctyname=La+Crosse+County&change1314%5Bmin%5D=-235&change1314%5Bmax%5D=2479&popestimate2014%5Bmin%5D=40&popestimate2014%5Bmax%5D=599642/ Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 2013 - 03 - 17. Retrieved 2014 - 05 - 29. Jump up ^ http://www.grandrivergreatcity.com/DocumentCenter/View/124 Jump up ^ https://www.forbes.com/lists/2005/5/6152.shtml Jump up ^ http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/248768 Jump up ^ Wisconsin Historical Society. La Crosse ( origin of name ). Retrieved October 31, 2006. Jump up ^ Diary of Zebulon Pike, September 12, 1805, in Elliot Coues, The Expeditions of Zebulon Pike. 1895. Jump up ^ Downtown Mainstreet Inc Jump up ^ Brief History of La Crosse County Jump up ^ Mormons in Wisconsin Jump up ^ The Life of the Reverend James Lloyd Breck, D.D Jump up ^ `` Wisconsin State Climatology Office ''. University of Wisconsin. 2006. Retrieved 2006 - 11 - 05. Jump up ^ `` Monthly Averages for La Crosse, WI ''. The Weather Channel. 2011. Retrieved 2006 - 11 - 04. Jump up ^ https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/normalspdfaccess Jump up ^ `` Monthly Averages for La Crosse, WI ( 54602 ) ''. The Weather Channel. Retrieved October 22, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Climate La Crosse -- Wisconsin ''. U.S. climate data. Retrieved May 25, 2016. External link in publisher = ( help ) Jump up ^ http://cityoflacrosse.org/DocumentView.asp?DID=182 Jump up ^ United States Census Bureau. `` Census of Population and Housing ''. Retrieved November 2, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Population Estimates ''. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 22, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2015. Jump up ^ http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_5YR_DP03&prodType=table Jump up ^ American Fact Finder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011 - 11 - 03. Jump up ^ http://www.cityoflacrosse.org/index.aspx?nid=342 Jump up ^ http://www.wxow.com/story/21874544/2013/04/03/councils-new-gang-of-5-seek-mood-of-cooperation Jump up ^ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. `` Wisconsin presidential election results, 1964 to 2008 ''. Retrieved 2009 - 04 - 07. Jump up ^ http://www.co.la-crosse.wi.us/countyclerk/PastElectResults/12%20Novofficial%20canvass.HTM Jump up ^ Politico Online. `` Politico Wisconsin 2012 Election Results ''. Retrieved 2015 - 01 - 09. Jump up ^ http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/284675921.html Jump up ^ Benjamin F. Bryant ( Ed. ). Memoirs of La Crosse County from Earliest Historical Times Down to the Present. Madison, Wis. : Western Historical Association, 1907, pp. 200 - 201. ^ Jump up to : The Political Graveyard. Mayors of La Crosse, Wisconsin Jump up ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=HZ4UAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1418&lpg=PA1418&dq=ori+sorenson+mayor+la+crosse&source=bl&ots=hSffzm8m0X&sig=_Grjpxkxmxg95o5yPHkuG7aIdHc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=XGsoUbi1BIODqgHCkYG4Cw&ved=0CEgQ6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q=ori%20sorenson%20mayor%20la%20crosse&f=false Jump up ^ http://library.ndsu.edu/exhibits/photographers/biography/bentley.html Jump up ^ ' Milo Knutson, former senator dies, Milwaukee Journal, March 22, 1981, pg. 14 Jump up ^ ' Voters Oust Mayor at La Crosse, ' Milwaukee Journal, April 7, 1971, pg. 13 Jump up ^ http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2009/04/09/4118704.htm Jump up ^ ' Swantz elected Common Council President, ' La Crosse Tribune, April 16, 2013 Jump up ^ https://www.altra.org/about-us/history-mission Jump up ^ http://www.authenticom.com/about.html Jump up ^ http://www.citybrewery.com/Default.aspx Jump up ^ http://www.gundersenhealth.org/our-system/about-us Jump up ^ http://www.kwiktrip.com/AboutUs/TheCompany/Default.aspx Jump up ^ http://www.logisticshealth.com/company/our-company.aspx Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 2012 - 09 - 20. Retrieved 2012 - 09 - 10. Jump up ^ http://www.trane.com/history.aspx Jump up ^ http://www.cargill.com/company/history/1865-1899/ Jump up ^ http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/lacrosse-footwear-still-in-former-workers-hearts/article_038b8b38-eda5-11e1-a477-001a4bcf887a.html Jump up ^ http://lacrossetribune.com/largest-employers-la-crosse-county/article_d312f82c-12bc-11e3-90bf-001a4bcf887a.html Jump up ^ http://lacrossetribune.com/business/year-in-preview-business-leaders-see-more-growth-in/article_1a8b1c45-364e-5ae9-bd72-8c95e7622e8d.html Jump up ^ `` The La Crosse Center ''. 2006. Retrieved 2006 - 11 - 04. ^ Jump up to : School District of La Crosse Profile of Excellence Jump up ^ http://www.aquinascatholicschools.org/inform_missionvisionandhistory.php Jump up ^ http://www.providencelacrosse.org/?q=node/9 Jump up ^ http://www.lalschools.org/site/cpage.asp?cpage_id=180007576&sec_id=180003282 Jump up ^ http://www.ladcoweb.org/LaCrosseArea/HealthCareEducationEmployment.aspx Jump up ^ http://www.gundluth.org/?id=581&sid=1 Jump up ^ http://www.gundluth.org/?id=587&sid=1 Jump up ^ http://www.gundersenhealth.org/news/gundersen-health-system-among-healthgrades-americas-50-best-hospitals Jump up ^ http://www.mayohealthsystem.org/mhs/live/page.cfm?pp=locations/locationhome.cfm&orgid=FSH Jump up ^ http://www.lacrosseconsortium.org/content/health_science_center Jump up ^ http://www.cityoflacrosse.org/index.aspx?nid=7 Jump up ^ http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2008/03/02/news/01bus.txt Jump up ^ http://www.viterbo.edu/fachistory.aspx?id=14380 Jump up ^ http://thepumphouse.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=89&Itemid=58 Jump up ^ http://lacrossecommunitytheatre.org/pages/about-staff.html Jump up ^ Parlin, Geri ( September 6, 2008 ). `` Elmer at 80 : Hand Petersen the welding torch -- there 's more art to create ''. La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved July 26, 2014. Jump up ^ http://www.mainstreetrenaissance.com/100_So_Third.htm Jump up ^ http://www.cityoflacrosse.org/index.aspx?NID=1715 Jump up ^ http://www.lacrosseareasynod.org/index.html Jump up ^ http://www.uulacrosse.org/home-2/about-us/our-history/ Jump up ^ http://www.lacrosseloggers.com Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 2011 - 04 - 30. Retrieved 2011 - 06 - 11. Jump up ^ http://www.uwlathletics.com/index.aspx?tab=football&path=football Jump up ^ http://crchill.pointstreaksites.com/view/crchill Jump up ^ http://nahl.com/news/story.cfm?id=11978 Jump up ^ http://www.mtlacrosse.com/aboutmtlacrosse.php Jump up ^ http://www.lacrossespeedway.com/faq Jump up ^ City of La Crosse website. `` La Crosse wins Great American Main Street Award ! '' Jump up ^ `` La Crosse, WI - MN ''. Milken Institute. Archived from the original on 27 August 2003. Retrieved 5 June 2014. Jump up ^ Inc. `` The Top U.S. Cities for Doing Business : Small Cities '' Jump up ^ Inc. `` The Top U.S. Cities for Doing Business : Overall Best Cities '' Jump up ^ Forbes. Forbes.com : Best Places List Jump up ^ Morgan Quitno Awards : City Crime Rankings by Population Group Archived 2012 - 12 - 08 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Cahalan, Steve. `` La Crosse 16th on ' Smart Places to Live ' list, '' La Crosse Tribune, May 9, 2006. Jump up ^ Cahalan, Steve. `` Exit 3 area to be city 's focus, '' La Crosse Tribune, March 26, 2008. Jump up ^ Mullins, Luke ( June 8, 2009 ). `` Best Places to Live 2009 ''. U.S. News. Retrieved 2009 - 06 - 11. Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Jump up ^ http://www.bestplaces.net/docs/studies/secure.aspx Jump up ^ http://www.outsideonline.com/1928016/16-best-places-live-us-2014 Jump up ^ http://247wallst.com/special-report/2015/02/25/americas-50-coldest-cities/5/ Jump up ^ https://homes.yahoo.com/news/the-coldest-cities-in-the-nation-010830358.html Jump up ^ http://247wallst.com/special-report/2016/05/14/the-drunkest-and-driest-cities-in-america/4/ Jump up ^ ' Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, ' volume 9, Lyman Copeland Draper, Wisconsin Historical Society : 1909, Wisconsin Necrology - 1881, pg. 461 - 462 Jump up ^ ' Wisconsin Blue Book 1919, ' Biographical Sketch of Carl Kurtenecker, pg. 487 Jump up ^ Wayne G. Broehl ( 1992 ). Cargill : Trading the World 's Grain. UPNE. pp. 69 -- 72. ISBN 978 - 0 - 87451 - 572 - 5. Jump up ^ Legislative Reference Bureau ( 1909 ). The Wisconsin Blue Book. Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 1105. Jump up ^ Aftenposten Newspaper : US to copy waterfall Further reading Crocker, Leslie F. Places and Spaces : A Century of Public Buildings, Bridges and Parks in La Crosse, Wisconsin. La Crosse, Wis. 2012. Marcou, David J. ( ed. ) Spirit of La Crosse : A Grassroots History. La Crosse, Wis. : Western Wisconsin Technical College, 2000. Morser, Eric J. Hinterland Dreams : The Political Economy of a Midwestern City. Philadelphia : University of Pennsylvania Press, 2011. External links Find more aboutLa Crosse, Wisconsinat Wikipedia 's sister projects Media from Commons Travel guide from Wikivoyage City of La Crosse La Crosse Chamber of Commerce La Crosse Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Articles Relating to La Crosse and La Crosse County La Crosse -- Onalaska ( WI -- MN ) Core cities La Crosse ° Onalaska ° Surrounding communities ( over 5,000 ) Holmen La Crescent, MN ° Onalaska * ( under 5,000 ) Brice Prairie French Island Holland * Medary * Midway New Amsterdam Shelby * Shelby West La Crosse Counties Houston La Crosse * town village ° city CDP unincorporated community Municipalities and communities of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States County seat : La Crosse Cities La Crosse Onalaska Villages Bangor Holmen Rockland West Salem Towns Bangor Barre Burns Campbell Farmington Greenfield Hamilton Holland Medary Onalaska Shelby Washington CDPs Brice Prairie French Island St. Joseph Unincorporated communities Barre Mills Burns Burns Corners Burr Oak Council Bay Medary Middle Ridge Midway Mindoro New Amsterdam Newberg Corners Shelby Stevenstown West La Crosse State of Wisconsin Madison ( capital ) Topics History Governors Delegations Sports People Geography Tourist attractions Society Culture Crime Demographics Economy Education Politics Regions Apostle Islands Central Plain Central Wisconsin Chippewa Valley Door Peninsula Driftless Area Eastern Ridges and Lowlands Fox River Valley Great River Road Lake Superior Lowland Northern Highland Western Upland Major metropolitan areas ( pop. over 500,000 ) Chicago metropolitan area Madison metropolitan area Milwaukee metropolitan area Twin Cities metropolitan area Largest cities ( pop. over 50,000 ) Appleton Eau Claire Green Bay Janesville Kenosha La Crosse Madison Milwaukee Oshkosh Racine Waukesha West Allis Smaller cities ( pop. 15,000 to 50,000 ) Beaver Dam Beloit Brookfield Cudahy De Pere Fitchburg Fond du Lac Franklin Greenfield Hudson Kaukauna Manitowoc Marshfield Menasha Menomonie Mequon Middleton Muskego Neenah New Berlin Oak Creek Oconomowoc Onalaska River Falls Sheboygan South Milwaukee Stevens Point Sun Prairie Superior Watertown Wausau Wauwatosa West Bend Wisconsin Rapids Largest villages ( pop. over 15,000 ) Ashwaubenon Caledonia Germantown Howard Menomonee Falls Mount Pleasant Pleasant Prairie Counties Adams Ashland Barron Bayfield Brown Buffalo Burnett Calumet Chippewa Clark Columbia Crawford Dane Dodge Door Douglas Dunn Eau Claire Florence Fond du Lac Forest Grant Green Green Lake Iowa Iron Jackson Jefferson Juneau Kenosha Kewaunee La Crosse Lafayette Langlade Lincoln Manitowoc Marathon Marinette Marquette Menominee Milwaukee Monroe Oconto Oneida Outagamie Ozaukee Pepin Pierce Polk Portage Price Racine Richland Rock Rusk Sauk Sawyer Shawano Sheboygan St. Croix Taylor Trempealeau Vernon Vilas Walworth Washburn Washington Waukesha Waupaca Waushara Winnebago Wood VIAF : 133683378 LCCN : n79145547 ISNI : 0000 0004 0430 1169 GND : 4207232 - 3 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=La_Crosse,_Wisconsin&oldid=804069679 '' Categories : Cities in Wisconsin Cities in La Crosse County, Wisconsin Wisconsin populated places on the Mississippi River La Crosse, Wisconsin County seats in Wisconsin Populated places established in 1841 1841 establishments in Wisconsin Territory University towns in the United States Hidden categories : CS1 errors : external links Webarchive template wayback links Coordinates on Wikidata All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from December 2015 Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2012 All articles containing potentially dated statements Articles with unsourced statements from February 2013 Articles needing additional references from May 2014 All articles needing additional references Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikivoyage تۆرکجه Bân - lâm - gú Български Català Cebuano Cymraeg Deutsch Español فارسی Français Bahasa Indonesia Italiano ქართული Kreyòl ayisyen Malagasy Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча Piemontèis Polski Português Română Русский Simple English Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Svenska Türkçe Українська اردو Tiếng Việt Volapük Winaray 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 6 October 2017, at 14 : 52. 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Question: what is the population of la crosse wisconsin
Answer: 52,440