La Crosse in La Crosse County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Pump House of City Waterworks-1880
December 1, 2024
1. Pump House of City Waterworks Marker
City of La Crosse Historic Site Marker:
Pump House of City Water Works
1880
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1880.
Location. 43° 48.607′ N, 91° 15.366′ W. Marker is in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in La Crosse County. It is on King Street east of Front Street South, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 119 King St, La Crosse WI 54601, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Western Wisconsin. It is also in the American Midwest, on the Great Lakes, in the Corn Belt, in the Driftless Area Bluff Country, and in the Great River Road Region. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Confluence by John Pugh (within shouting distance of this marker); Dancers (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Historic River Gauge (approx. 0.2 miles away); George Zeisler Building (approx. 0.2 miles away); Powell Place (approx. Ό mile away); La Crosse Players (approx. Ό mile away); Hanifl Market (approx. Ό mile away); 4th and Main (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in La Crosse.
Also see . . . Wisconsin SP Waterworks Building - National Archives Catalog. From the National Register of Historic Places Inventory -- Nomination Form (1979):
Statement of Significance:(Submitted on January 9, 2025.)
"In 1880, to meet the increasing demands for a public water supply, the city erected a pumphouse on lower King Street. A pump with a guaranteed capacity of 2.5 million gallons every twenty-four hours was installed along with new hydrants and mains. In 1884 a second pump with a capacity of 4 million gallons was added. This arrangement produceda much needed supply of water for many years. The Waterworks Building served as a pumping station until the 1940's. At that time the pumps were removed and the building was altered for use as a city garage and paint shop. In 1977 the building was leased from the city of La Crosse by Western Wisconsin Regional Arts. In its current role as a resource center for the arts the Waterworks Building is a fine example of successful adaptive reuse.December 1, 20242. City of La Crosse Historic Site Marker
The Waterworks Building is a good example of the brick version of the Romanesque Revival, a style widely used throughout the midwest in the latter half of the nineteenth century for important buildings. La Crosse once boasted five public structures built in this popular style; the jail, county courthouse, city hall, post office and waterworks building. Of these five, only the Waterworks Building remains. The plans for the building were done by John A. Cole, civil engineer of Chicago. The structure varies somewhat from the original plans, most notably in the absence of two rounded arched window openings to the east of the tower. In the 1940's, when the pumps were removed, the tower was shortened.The original tower shown in the plans appeared in photographs of the Waterworks Building as late as 1935."December 1, 20243. Pump House of City Waterworks Building & Markers
December 1, 2024
4. Pump House of City Waterworks Building
December 1, 2024
5. Pump House of City Waterworks Building
December 1, 2024
6. Downtown La Crosse Sculpture Project Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on January 10, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 9, 2025. This page has been viewed 248 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on January 9, 2025.
