Plans for new history museum proceed to next phase in La Crosse

Finding the proper place to display decades of local history may take a few years to accomplish. But a city history museum task force has finished its work, and a steering committee is expected to take over the project soon.

County historical society director Peggy Derrick says organizers want a place where storing and displaying artifacts will be relatively easy.

Right now, many of their items are stored at a former church on West Avenue.

“Ninety per cent of it is in a basement with no elevator,” said Derrick. “Everything down there was carried down by myself and volunteers, and it was not easy. It was also not safe for volunteers, or for artifacts.”

Derrick wants a building which would be easily accessible, preferably with elevators. She also says sites in the downtown area are preferred.

“Looking at the tourist-y area, the downtown La Crosse, in the future Riverside North has a lot of potential,” Derrick says. Specifically, she hopes to have a site near the riverfront, easily available to visitors taking riverboat cruises.

The initial task force for the project, which has been meeting for more than three years, has issued a report and been disbanded, and there’s a developer on board.

Former Mayor Tim Kabat announced the plan for a museum task force during a 2017 news conference at City Hall.