Francis Burgess was a photographer for the La Crosse Tribune newspaper from 1935 until his retirement in 1970. This collection includes thousands of black and white photographic negatives from Burgess’ tenure at the Tribune as well as the work of other Tribune photographers including Ed Huebner.
UW-La Crosse
David A. Yates Photograph Collection
During WWII, the US Army’s Fort McCoy, in Monroe County, Wisconsin, served as a location to house German prisoners of war (POWs). David Yates was stationed at Fort McCoy during this time and managed to take photographs that now give insight into daily life for soldiers and POWs alike. This collection consists of over 100 black and white photographs that capture day-to-day activities and military personnel during WWII at a German POW camp located inside the United States.
Fred Lesher Bird Field Notes and Journals
Fred Lesher taught in the English Department at UW-La Crosse from 1965 until his retirement in 1996. Lesher had a life-long interest in ornithology, and from 1958 to 2002, he kept detailed journals of his birding. The journals, in 14 volumes with over 3000 pages, are important documents of birding in the Coulee Region of southwest Wisconsin, northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota.
Freedom Flotilla Photograph Collection
The Freedom Flotilla, also known as the Mariel Boatlift, occurred in 1980 after President Carter opened the doors to the United States for hundreds of thousands of Cuban refugees, of which nearly 15,000 would eventually arrive at the resettlement camp at Fort McCoy in western Wisconsin. This collection contains photographs taken by journalists reporting on the “Cuban Odyssey,” most of whom worked for the La Crosse Tribune, bringing together nearly 250 images of individuals and events directly involved with the Freedom Flotilla.
Great Lakes Maritime History Project
An overview of Wisconsin’s maritime history. Includes records on individual ships as well as photographs, postcards and pamphlets related to commerce and tourism on Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.
History of UW-La Crosse
The History of UW-La Crosse Collection includes resources that document the history and evolution of this campus. The collection includes published material as well as archival materials and may eventually include additional books, manuscripts, sound recordings, photographs, maps and other resources deemed important to the study of our state’s university system and its campuses.
La Crosse City Board of Trade Reports
Annual reports of the Board of Trade of the City of La Crosse from 1879-1905. Each report highlights various statistical data including school information, financial information and manufacturing information for the city.
La Crosse County Historical Sketches
Covering the years 1930-1955, these publications compiled by the La Crosse County Historical Society present histories, stories and biographies of events, locations and individuals from La Crosse’s past.
La Crosse Photograph Collection
Images of businesses, residences and people of La Crosse and the surrounding area from the 1850s through the 1990s.
La Crosse Plow Company Collection
The La Crosse Plow Company Collection contains a variety of visual materials including repair guides, photographs, 3-dimensional objects, letters, and other similar items. The collection’s materials span the various phases of the La Crosse Plow Company including names such as Sta-Rite, Happy Farmer Tractor Company, and the La Crosse Tractor Company. The bulk of this collection was scanned from materials owned by Randy Reysen, and the other items featured are part of the Murphy Library Special Collections. In total, there are over 100 items included in this collection with the prospect of adding more in the future.
