29 Mar a photographic survey of 19th and early 20th century residential and commercial buildings in la crosse, wisc.
the following images were taken during a brief visit to la crosse, wisconsin, a small historic city founded in 1848 on the mississippi river, where several surviving 19th century workers cottages, italianate commercial buildings, and chicago prairie school structures contribute to cityscape rich in heritage, history, and visual character.
i’ve included a small faction of the overall survey, with an emphasis on italianate ornament adorning commercial buildings, brick workers cottages, and ornament and/or structures influenced by the chicago school.
pamperin and wiggenhorn cigar company building (1879) located in la crosse wisc.
the two-story italianate style commercial building retains the original white painted bracketed and dentil-trimmed pressed and folded tin cornice, arch top window hoods with integrated keystones, and largely unaltered copper and cast iron storefront.
a cast bronze company plaque was added in the early 20th century.
i can’t recall the architect offhand.
red slip glaze terra cotta figural panel – la crosse, wisc. post office (1889). william a. freret, architect.
a few terra cotta panels and cast iron sconces were removed from the richardsonian romanesque post office during its demolition in 1977. the artifacts were later mounted on an outdoor wall adjacent to the post office that replaced it.
modeler and/or terra cotta fabricator not known.
salvaged northwestern terra cotta panels from demolished post office:
hand-carved limestone ornament adorning s.s. beman’s richardsonian romanesque style batavian bank building (1888) located in la crosse, wisc.
cast iron commercial building italianate window hoods:
a few examples of vernacular 19th century la crosse workers cottages:
further reading:
PHOTODOCUMENTING ARCHITECTURAL BUILDING ORNAMENT IN WISCONSIN REVISITED
