With it's strategic location along the Mississippi River, La Crosse has been an important city for centuries. Though the first written mention of the city is from 1805, the fur trade along this part of the river assures us that this area had activity long before that.
The city of La Crosse is particularly wonderful at learning, preserving and sharing their history. One great way to get a lesson in all that wen into building La Crosse is to take the trolley tour offered by the Visitor's Bureau.
The restored trolley takes you back in time before you ever even start the tour.
Tour guests ride in style on a 90 minute tour that covers a ton of ground in and around downtown La Crosse.
The historical society provides the tour guides, so you now they're well versed in the information they're sharing with you.
The tour begins and ends in Riverside Park and passes 22 different landmarks along its 90-minute ride.
From historical buildings and lavish landmarks to working class neighborhoods, the tour is a trip through history that covers lumber barons and the river's steamboats but doesn't forget about the working folks that made all those folks successful.
The La Crosse Preservation Alliance has done a spectacular job around the city to keep and refurbish the gorgeous architecture of the city.
There is also a Dark La Crosse tour that takes you through the city's former red light district and talks about life during Prohibition and as a young, lawless river town.
The trolley runs from June through the end of September on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, though does take days off for Riverfest and Oktoberfest, so make sure to check the schedule.
Prices last season were $9 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children.
The tour is recommended for anyone visiting La Crosse to help get a feel not just for the layout, but the history that built the city. But it's also a must-do for anyone living in the area. Locals have praised the tour for teaching them new things about their city and helping them to appreciate it more.
Want to learn even more about this awesome city? Check out why we said La Crosse is The One Wisconsin Town That’s So Perfectly Midwestern
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