Near La Crosse in La Crosse County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Coulee Region
Photographed by Keith L, July 19, 2010
1. The Coulee Region Marker
Inscription.
The Coulee Region. . Coulee is a term derived from the French verb "couler," meaning to flow. The area before you and in the entire coulee region of west central Wisconsin has been dissected by water erosion into a series of narrow ridges separated by steep-sided valleys called coulees. Fertile soils are farmed on the bottom and sides of coulees. The narrow ridges, often protected with woodlands, are capped by erosion resistant dolomite bedrock which commonly overlies sandstone. During formation of the coulees, erosion cut through the dolomite and removed the underlying weaker sandstone thereby creating the valleys. To the north and south of this marker you can view several coulees and intervening ridges and note that State Highway 33 is situated on one of the dolomite-capped ridges. The Wisconsin novelist, Hamlin Garland, was a native of this area and wrote about pioneer life in the coulee region.
Coulee is a term derived from the French verb "couler," meaning to flow. The area before you and in the entire coulee region of west central Wisconsin has been dissected by water erosion into a series of narrow ridges separated by steep-sided valleys called coulees. Fertile soils are farmed on the bottom and sides of coulees. The narrow ridges, often protected with woodlands, are capped by erosion resistant dolomite bedrock which commonly overlies sandstone. During formation of the coulees, erosion cut through the dolomite and removed the underlying weaker sandstone thereby creating the valleys. To the north and south of this marker you can view several coulees and intervening ridges and note that State Highway 33 is situated on one of the dolomite-capped ridges. The Wisconsin novelist, Hamlin Garland, was a native of this area and wrote about pioneer life in the coulee region.
Erected 1975 by the Wisconsin Historical Society. (Marker Number 209.)
series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1975.
Location. 43° 47.442′ N, 91° 6.957′ W. Marker is near La Crosse, Wisconsin, in La Crosse County. It is at the intersection of State Highway 33 and Lost Ridge Road/Strittmater Road on State Highway 33. Marker is located at a scenic overlook 0.2 miles west of County Highway OA. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: W4210 State Highway 33, 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, 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 once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Also see . . . Driftless Area. Wikipedia entry. (Submitted on July 22, 2010.)
Photographed by Keith L, July 19, 2010
3. Bishop's View Overlook
Located on St. Joseph Ridge
Credits. This page was last revised on February 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 22, 2010, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 5,556 times since then and 254 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on July 22, 2010, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.
