1961 Map of La Crosse

About this map

The Mississippi River corridor serves as the central artery of this 1961 survey, where the river's braided channels and islands are protected by the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge. The city of La Crosse anchors the river's east bank near the mouth of the La Crosse River, overlooked by the landmark Grandad Bluff. This era shows a landscape deeply defined by rail transport, with the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific and the Chicago and North Western lines threading through the coulees and river valleys to serve agricultural hubs like West Salem, Sparta, and Reedsburg. To the west, the driftless terrain of Northeast Iowa features the culturally significant Effigy Mounds National Monument above the river bluffs, while to the east, the extensive Camp McCoy Military Reservation occupies the sandy plains of Monroe County.