Hundreds of people showed up to shovel, 41 years ago

In October of 1978, a crowd of about 500 gathered at a large vacant lot in downtown La Crosse, for a mass ground-breaking ceremony to start construction of the La Crosse Center and Radisson Hotel.  People attending were encouraged to bring their own shovels.  Dozens of old buildings near the riverfront had been torn down to make way for a renewal project called Harborview, but the project stalled for several years until voters okayed plans for the civic center and the hotel in 1977.  Top officials from the Radisson corporation came to La Crosse for the ceremony.  The hotel would cost $6 million to build, and the La Crosse Center’s cost would be close to $8 million.  Current plans to remodel the center are priced at $42 million.  

On that same day in October, a new pope was chosen, the first non-Italian pope in centuries.  Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, the archbishop of Krakow, took the name John Paul II, honoring the previous pope John Paul who died just a month after his election in August of ’78.  John Paul II would serve as pope for 27 years.   

Two popular singers got married at a wedding in Tennessee.  The bride was Bobbie Gentry, best known for the “Ode to Billie Joe.”  The groom was Jim Stafford, whose biggest hit was the novelty song “Spiders and Snakes.”   

Ponderosa Steak House served a ribeye steak for $1.89 on Tuesday nights.  On Mormon Coulee Road, Sirloin Stockade had an even cheaper lunch special, $1.79.  Meal deals in 1978, yesterday in La Crosse.