1998 Map of La Crosse

About this map

La Crosse sits at a geographic crossroads where the Mississippi River and La Crosse River meet, characterized by a complex network of sloughs and backwaters like Running Slough and Green Island Slough. The city is defined by its dramatic elevation changes, rising from the riverbanks to the steep bluffs of Hixon Forest Park, including the prominent Granddad Bluff and Miller Bluff. The 1990s landscape shows a mature urban center housing Viterbo College and the Univ of Wisconsin (La Crosse Campus), while the surrounding coulees, such as Ebner Coulee and Smith Valley, reflect the region's unique driftless topography. To the south and east, smaller settlements like Shelby and St Joseph occupy the higher ridges, while the western edge is dominated by the National Wild Life and Fish Refuge along the river's main channel.