Living in greater La Crosse 2017–2018 Relocation Guide & Business Directory Shelby • Campbell • Stoddard • Onalaska • Holmen • La Crescent • Bangor • Rockland • West Salem History | Demographics | Location & Transportation | Economy & Employment Education | Housing | Healthcare | Recreation & Activities | Worship | Shopping & Dining BEYOND HVAC. BEYOND LIGHTING. BEYOND AUTOMATION. Every building has a purpose. But beyond the building are people working, learning, healing, living and innovating. Buildings are an important component of our society, and they impact the sustainability of our world. Trane knows that buildings have hidden potential because we speak the language of the building. LET’S GO BEYOND.™ Trane.com/Beyond Trane and the Circle Logo are trademarks of Trane in the United States and other countries. All trademarks referenced in this document are the trademarks of their respective owners. © 2017 Ingersoll Rand. All Rights Reserved. Trane is a brand of Ingersoll Rand, a world leader in creating comfortable, sustainable and effi cient environments. Ingersoll Rand’s family of brands includes Club Car®, Ingersoll Rand®, Thermo King® and Trane®. ork with the #1 Real EstateW Lender in the area. Altra Federal Credit Union can get you into the home you love faster with local experience and loan servicing. Altra can help you with all your financial needs. y first home buying experience Mwith Altra was so great, that when it came time to upgrade to a larger home, I knew exactly who to contact.” Kelsey Gerke|Altra Member It’s where you belong! 608-787-4500660808-7 78787-4 4500500 • 800-755-0055800-775555-0 0055055 La Crosse • Festival Foods - Copeland Ave Onalaska • Holmen • West Salem La Crescent • Winona • Rochester www.altra.org ContactCCon Altra for more information. Equal Housing Lender. Federally insured by NCUA.CUAA. 1 Table of Contents Welcome Welcome Letter (Vicki Markussen) — Page 4 La Crosse Area Map — Page 7 History — Page 8, 9 Live Demographics — Page 10 Education — Page 11 Learn Economy — Page 12, 13 Top Employers — Page 15 Childcare — Page 16 Work Healthcare — Page 17 Government — Page 18 Weather — Page 19 Play Cost of Living — Page 20 Things to Do — Pages 22-25 Transportation — Page 29 Connect Business Directory — Pages 32-64 2 A DREAM HOME DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A DREAM. Moving is stressful enough. Buying a home doesn’t have to be. At Associated Bank, we focus on providing the best customer service experience, so you can move into the home of your dreams. Plus, we offer a full range of financial products and services. Contact your local expert below for more information. Jacob Martin Jacob Burch Kyle Christopherson Onalaska La Crosse Holmen 608-793-3836 608-793-3896 608-793-3824 127 Sand Lake Rd. ext. 3896 450 N. Holmen Dr. NMLS: 523832 205 4th St. N. NMLS: 108866 NMLS: 488699 AssociatedBank.com *The Wisconsin’s #1 Mortgage Lender designation is based on information gathered from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data compiled annually by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council. The results of the data were obtained through RATA Comply, November 2016. Loan products are offered by Associated Bank, N.A., and are subject to credit approval and involve interest and other costs. Please ask about details on fees and terms and conditions of these products. Property insurance and flood insurance, if applicable, will be required on collateral. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. (9/17) 10914 3 Welcometo La Crosse Dear Friend: any call La Crosse their favorite place to come to enjoy the Mississippi River, outdoor recreation, authentic shopping and just plain fun. We call La Crosse home, and hope you do too. MWith more than $467 million in construction in the last year alone and more than $2 billion in collective development over the past six years, the La Crosse area is ready to welcome you, and so are we! The breathtaking beauty of this place known as the “Coulee Region” is our most pronounced attribute, created by a /A895:-@5;:;259<;?5:3.8AŊ?@;@411-?@ @41>;->5:3 5??5??5<<5@;@41C1?@-:[email protected]Ŋ?.1E;:0 !Ŋ1>5:3 urban, suburban and remote housing opportunities within 20 minutes from our downtown, we remain deeply rooted in our history, rich arts and a unique composition of businesses, creating a vibrant city atmosphere within the La Crosse area. -:E/-88;A>/;99A:5@E-45001:319 )1;Ŋ1> • nationally ranked schools, from elementary to higher education, • health care with achievements in life longevity, cutting edge research, and innovative technology • dining, recreation and entertainment options to suit everyone from the subdued to the social • short work commutes • museums, arts and history that comes alive in the streets and theaters, and • 2;A> ?1-?;:?;Ŋ1>5:3-C501B->51@E;2;A@0;;>>1/>1-@5;:-8;<<;>@A:5@51? that will recharge you! Whether you hike, bike, or ski on our trails, boat on the river, visit our neighborhoods, shop in our stores, enjoy one ;2;A>9-:E21?@5B-8?;>6A?@>18-D-:0.-?75:@41?/1:1>E @41>15??;91@45:32;>-88 &41->1-4-?-8;@@;;Ŋ1>E;A -:0C1->1?A>1E;A4-B1-8;@@;;Ŋ1>@;@41->1- )18/;91@;@413>1-@1>->;??1->1- E;Ap>13;5:3@; love it here! Respectfully, Executive Director La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce 4 5 COVERAGE FROM the Middle of AnywhereTM to the middle of Holmen Now that’s something to get excited about. NEW LOCATION In Village Shopping Center Open in Holmen - Fall 2017 1537 Losey Blvd, La Crosse 129 Hale Drive, Suite 102 608-519-5440 608-399-3100 cell-plus.net PA385446 6 Location of La Crosse County 7 History of Greater La Crosse rench fur trappers and traders exploring the upper WORLD’S LARGEST SIX PACK- Mississippi River arrived at a place where three HEILEMAN HEADQUARTERS: Frivers meet. They witnessed the Native Americans !A>>135;:p?/;:@5:A108;B1;2- playing a game with sticks and a ball that resembled ŋ:18E/>-2@10 /;80.11>.13-:5: the French game “crozier”, or lacrosse. They marked the U\Y\C41:;@@851.15819-:-:0 area as “Prairie La Crosse,” associating it with the sport. John Gund started the City Brewing Company in La Crosse because of @41/5@Ep?C-@1><A>5@E A:0812@@; begin his own brewery, leaving what RIFTLESS REA D A : would become the renowned and colossal The French discovered what is known as G. Heileman Brewing Company. Six large storage tanks would the “driftless area” — bypassed .1<-5:@10C5@4@415>2-9;A?!80%@E818-.18? 9-75:3@419 by the glaciers during the last Ice @41);>80p?->31?@%5D"-/7 ':01>:1C;C:1>?45<@41E:;C Age and unique for its rugged hills display “La Crosse Lager.” and beautiful valleys with large rock out-croppings. The vast forest =A5/78E-@@>-/@10;A>ŋ>?@5:0A?@>E GUND BREWERY LOFTS: John Gund created notoriety by growing his John A:0>1C1>E@;5@?<1-75:U\][ OGGING OWN The abundance of L T : C41:5@;//A<510ŋB1-/>1?;28-:0 white pine sparked a lumber boom that and generated 60,000 barrels of C;A808-?@:1->8Eŋ2@EE1->?IU\YY U\]]J beer in that year alone. The brewery and produce six billion board feet of had a series of rough patches logs. Lumber fueled the economy 5:/8A05:3ŋ>1? @4101-@4;2;4: and provided more than 3,000 jobs A:05:U]TU -:0@41U\@4-91:091:@ every year. The turn of the century that signaled the beginning of prohibition. brought the railroad and with it EU]VTA:0>1C1>E/8;?10 -2@1>C5::5:338;.-8-C->0?2;> manufacturing, breweries, machine its beer. The brewery was converted into apartments recently, shops, followed by thriving retail. ;Ŋ1>5:345?@;>5//4->9@;@45?/;99A:5@E-??1@ HIXON HOUSE: A glimpse of early La NORMAL SCHOOL/UW-L Crosse life is preserved at the Hixon FORMED: After two failed attempts House. The home was originally .E@41-E;>5:@411->8EU]TT?@; .A58@5:U\Y].E501;:;;81E create a “La Crosse Normal School,” Hixon, a lumber baron. His sons the Chamber of Commerce joined kept the Hixon House within the 8;..E5:31Ŋ;>@?@;?A//1??2A88E 2-958EA:@58U]ZVC41:@41E352@10 create what would become the the home to the state, to become a ':5B1>?5@E;2)5?/;:?5: ->;??1 historical monument. Hixon House Throughout the 100+ years, its name ?@5884-?]Tū;2@41;>535:-82A>:5?45:3? would change to La Crosse State Teachers -:0?1@?@41@;:18;:3-3;2;>;A>>135;:p? College, Wisconsin State College at La Crosse, Wisconsin entrepreneurial, philanthropic, and historic-preserving spirit. %@-@1':5B1>?5@E-@->;??1-:0C4-@5@?@-:0?-?:;C ':5B1>?5@E;2)5?/;:?5: ->;??1 \ GRANDAD’S BLUFF AS A MINE: Drive in your car up Bliss Road to reach the top of Grandad 8AŊ Y]T211@-.;B18-:0-:0 U UW\211@-.;B1?1-81B18 &41 iconic, breathtaking views of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa may distract you from recognizing @4-@@418A?4.8AŊE;Ap>1;:C-? BECOMING once a focal point for rockquarrying. :@411->8EU]TT? 41->5:3/;:/1>:?@4-@@4195:5:3C-? MORE DIVERSE: eroding the most “picturesque piece of scenery,” the !A>?@>;:39;:3 Hixon family (of the Hixon House) gained possession of refugee population in the land and fundraised $15,000, including their personal U]\V2;>910-:;:<>;ŋ@@; 2A:0? @;<>1?1>[email protected]Ŋ provide services, resources, programs and a community space to assist in integrating with our society.