General Info
The first permanent settler in the area was fur trader Nathan Myrick in 1841. He set up a trading post with Eben Weld on what was referred to at the time as Barron’s Island. The lumber industry began over-taking the fur trade business and by 1848 Myrick had noted that there were already eleven sawmills on the Black River. La Crosse became the main site for cargo boats to unload their goods. Local merchants were middlemen, collecting commission for storing and forwarding goods. The growing demand for boats to be built and fixed became an important industry which helped the village grow. La Crosse County was formed from Crawford County in 1851. In 1856 the La Crosse settlement became a city and the first mayoral election took place with Thomas Benton Stoddard as the first mayor of La Crosse. The La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad was completed in October of 1858 and the Southern Minnesota Railroad was built from Wells, Minnesota, connecting La Crosse to the west. Eventually bridges were built across the Mississippi River ending the need for ferries. By 1900 La Crosse County had a population of 42,997. Today, La Crosse County is home to approximately 111,791 residents with the city of La Crosse as the county seat.
