Animals in space were still a big deal, 56 years ago

In 1961, Russia had sent a man around the earth.  The U.S. didn’t put a man into orbit until the next year, but a monkey named Enos did make two orbits in ’61.  The “chimp-o-naut” was on a diet of 200 banana pellets a day, but also earned oranges and apples as a reward.

Doerflinger’s Department Store was a booming La Crosse business in 1961, and the Tribune put the spotlight on Doerflinger’s in a “business of the week” feature.  The store opened in 1881 on 4th Street as Doerflinger and Bosshard, in the building now occupied by Designing Jewelers.  In ’61, the store had 120 employees and a payroll of half-a-million dollars.

La Crosse’s three AM radio stations all carried live Sunday church services.  Those services were broadcast from Trinity Lutheran Church, First Congregational, and a Presbyterian church…56 years ago, 1961, Yesterday in La Crosse.