1963 Map of La Crosse

About this map

The Mississippi River and its labyrinthine backwaters define the western edge of this 1963 survey, where the cities of La Crosse and Onalaska meet the dramatic bluffs of the Driftless Area. This landscape is characterized by a dense network of coulees — steep-walled valleys like Bostwick Valley and Long Coulee — that carve through the high ridges. These narrow corridors provide the primary routes for both roads and railroads, including the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific line. Significant institutions of the era are well-documented, from Wisconsin State College and Holy Cross Seminary to the County Hospital and County Infirmary. Beyond the urban centers, small rural nodes like Barre Mills and West Salem serve as local anchors, while prominent landforms like Granddad Bluff and Miller Bluff tower over the river valley.