Yesterday in La Crosse

Medary voted to build a mall, 42 years ago

Published

6 years ago

December 20, 2018

In November of 1976, voters in the town of Medary passed referendums to put in sewer and water lines at a Highway 16 side where the Valley View Mall would be built. The mall would cost about $20 million, with a scheduled opening in 1979. It would have three large anchor stores, and a smaller “local” store in the back, which would turn out to be Herbergers.

Wisconsin Governor Patrick Lucey and his wife took a vacation in Mexico, after attending a national governor’s conference in North Carolina. Within a year, Lucey would get a new job south of the border. Newly elected President Jimmy Carter would appoint Lucey as U.S. ambassador to Mexico.

The La Crosse Community Theatre presented “Arsenic and Old Lace” just before Christmas. Among the cast members was future LCT director Tim McNamara. And Viterbo brought an old-time radio variety show to the Fine Arts Center that fall. A touring production of a public radio show in the Twin Cities that was starting to catch on…”A Prairie Home Companion,” hosted by Garrison Keillor. News from Lake Wobegon in 1976, yesterday in La Crosse.

Brad Williams

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.