Louie Ferris praised as city dedicated WWI doughboy statue in Veterans Freedom Park

Two more monuments may be put up next year

Thanks to the persistence of one active La Crosse veteran, the city has a new memorial to the First World War.

City leaders attending Wednesday’s dedication of a doughboy statue were quick to praise Louie Ferris for getting the project completed.

“If it wasn’t for Louie and his persistence and his passion to recognize the veterans of this community, I don’t believe any of this would have occured,” La Crosse parks and rec. director Steve Carlyon said.

The ceremony marked the 100th anniversary of WWI. 

Many older veterans at the dedication ceremony appreciated the recollections of memorial organizer Louie Ferris, who took the audience back to the La Crosse of 1917 with stories.

Ferris said La Crosse’s population was around 30,00 a century ago and German and Norwegian families were dominant in the city.

The doughboy is the second memorial placed at Veterans Freedom Park off Clinton St.

The memorial stands near the first monument erected at Veterans Park, honoring Korean War vets. Two more monuments may be put up next year.