A city bloomed out of industry, La Crosse was shaped by the various businesses and ventures that set up shop in the Coulee Region of West Wisconsin. Two of the most prominent industries in the area were the logging industry and the pearl button industry; both of these dramatically impacted their customers, the people they employed, and the landscape of the La Crosse region. Our project, “Industrious Us: La Crosse's Ventures into the Mechanized Frontier”, works to put the objects used and created by the pearl button and logging industries into context, both by explaining their use in the area, their production, and the people who made them into what we know today.

This exhibit takes the time to explore notable founding fathers of the respected chosen industries and how they spurred on the modernization and progression of local economies and innovation. The methods and mindsets of the companies’ owners are characteristic of the enterprising American spirit that is known throughout the nation during this period—and one that is still present to this day. However, their success came at the expense of their employees and the environment in La Crosse. We don’t shy away from these dark pasts, and we will let you examine the good and the bad of “progress” and economic growth during this period in La Crosse.

Photo courtesy of the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse