The different badges for each group who served their communities, courtesy of Penn State University Digital collections.

During World War II, weapon technology advancements made people realize how easy it was for the home front to be attacked. The government answered by starting the civil defense as a way to protect the home front if the war breached our shores. This map from 1962, courtesy of the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections, shows the growth of civil defense across the state that started during the war.

In order to prepare for an emergency that could occur, the Civil Defense began the "La Crosse Community Shelter Plan." The plan encompassed all of the municipalities in La Crosse County. Primarily used to prepare for nuclear war, the plan distributed 140 buildings to be used as shelters. These shelters were predominately public facilities including schools, government buildings, and churches. The Rivoli Theater, located in Downtown La Crosse, was amongst the 140 fallout shelters. During the June 28th, 1943 Blackout, the Rivoli served also served as a secure place for community members to seek shelter throughout the event. Also amongst the numerous shelters included in the community plan were the 23 shelters located on the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse campus.