La Crosse County

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attractions category logo attractions resources logo
1
"Sunny" the World's Largest Sunfish
location:   Onalaska
roadside oddity / record holder

"Sunny" is the official mascot of (the now defunct) Sunfish Days in Onalaska. The 12-foot-high, 20-foot-long panfish is located at the wayside overlooking Lake Onalaska.
black_arrow   From Highway 1-90, head north on Highway 35 for about 1½ miles. You'll find Sunny located at the Clarence Stellner Wayside.
Roadside Architecture
www.agilitynut.com
Roadside America
www.roadsideamerica.com
New Low
www.newlow.org
Roadside Wonders
roadsidewonders.net
Wisconsin Travel Best Bets
www.witravelbestbets.com
La Crosse Tribune
1. article "Sunny the Sunfish gets his scales polished" or archived (here)
2. article "Onalaska Sunfish Days officially over" or archived (here)
book:
"Strange Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Trails Books (2007)
page(s) 109
buy it at
buy it at Barnes & Noble.comicon
2
Grotto of the Holy Family
at St. Joseph Parish
location:   St. Joseph
grotto / religious shrine

Grotto of the Holy Family
Grotto of the Holy Family
This site was designed by Paul Dobberstein, known for building the Dickeyville Grotto in Grant County. The Grotto of the Holy Family was finished in 1930 for the Franciscan Sisters at St. Joseph's Ridge.

blinking arrow Click here for MORE PHOTOS
black_arrow   W2601 Hwy 33
La Crosse, WI 54601
Saint Joseph Ridge Parish
www.saintjosephridgeparish.com
Grotto Communications
www.grottocom.com
New Low
www.newlow.org
State Trunk Tour
www.statetrunktour.com
book:
"Sacred Spaces and Other Places"
by Lisa Stone and Jim Zanzi
School of Art Inst. of Chicago Press (1993)
page(s) 18 – 19
buy it at
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com
book:
"Miracles of The Spirit: Folk, Art, and Stories from Wisconsin"
by Don Krug & Ann Parker
University Press of Mississippi (2005)
page(s) 4 – 6
buy it at
3
Dinosaur Skeletons Along Highway
location:   West Salem
roadside oddity

Dinosaur Skeletons Along Highway
Three metal dinosaur skeletons are visible on the side of a hill, placed there in 2000 in hopes of eventually being located at the nearby library.

2013 UPDATE: The three dinos are up for "adoption" due to the village of West Salem wishing to be rid of them.
Dinosaur Skeletons Along Highway
Dinosaur Skeletons Along Highway
black_arrow   south of West Salem on the south side of Highway I-90 on Buol Road (the frontage road), west of the BP gas station.
Roadside America
www.roadsideamerica.com
New Low
www.newlow.org
Flickr photo by White Star Shelties
www.flickr.com
La Crosse Tribune
article "Village seeks volunteers to ‘adopt’ dinosaurs" or archived (here)
4
Hidden Trails Corn Maze
location:   West Salem
crop labyrinth / maize maze

"The farmland on which the maze sits has been in the family since 1902. The family continues to farm the fertile land of the front range, producing corn and hay. Dave planted his first corn maze back in 1998, and ever since, when the corn reaches it's full height each fall, the farmland opens to the general public for outdoor fun in a farm setting"
– section from the official website
black_arrow   W 4704 Highway 16
West Salem, WI 54669
Hidden Trails Corn Maze
2012 Spiderman maze
Official Site
www.hiddentrailscornmaze.com
Facebook (official)

Maze Play
www.mazeplay.com
Corn Maze of America
www.cornmazesamerica.com
Wisconsin Energy Co-op News
www.wecnmagazine.com
5
Wilson Schoolhouse Inn
location:   La Crosse
accommodations with character

Wilson Schoolhouse Inn
Wilson Schoolhouse Inn
"The old schoolhouse desks are replaced by modern, comfortable furniture in the newly restored Wilson Schoolhouse. Where students once studied, you can now relax in comfort surrounded by Wisconsin hills, just a mile from the beautiful upper Mississippi River. The Wilson school was built in 1917 and functioned as a one-room school until 1965. It was recently restored and elegantly furnished to retain the "open" atmosphere of the original schoolhouse. It still maintains much of its original character and charm with the original slate blackboard and school desks. The schoolhouse is listed on the Wisconsin and National Register of Historic Buildings. It is located in a rural setting on 10 acres of woods, fields, and gardens only 8 minutes from historic downtown La Crosse. Rental includes the entire schoolhouse and will comfortably accommodate 2 to 8 adults during their stay in La Crosse, WI."
– section from the official website
black_arrow   W5720 Highway 14-61
La Crosse, WI 54601
Official Site
www.wilsonschoolhouseinn.com
Trip Advisor
www.tripadvisor.com
Bed & Breakfasts of Southwest Wisconsin's Hidden Valleys
www.wisconsin-inns.com
6
Giant Arrow
and
Giant Paintbrush
location:   La Crosse
roadside oddity

Giant Arrow
Giant Arrow
Thanks to Terry Hicks of La Crosse for helping solve the mystery of the giant objects east of the city. They were embedded in the ground by Mike Collins of Collins Outdoor Advertising Inc. Mike also placed an over-sized fire address sign on his property and had plans for a giant pencil to be added to the collection as well, but no proof of that addition has shown itself.
black_arrow   around 2½ miles west of West Salem on north side of Highway 90 near billboards.
La Crosse Tribune
article "Ask the Trib - Roadside arrow draws questions" or archived (here)
7
Polar Bear Statue on Roof
at Paul's Heating & Air Conditioning
location:   Onalaska
roadside oddity

This La Crosse icon moved away in late 2009 as Paul's Heating & Air Conditioning had outgrown their old location. Owned by cousins Peter Schneider and Mike Schneider, the fiberglass bear accompanied its real-life stuffed counterpart when they moved from 1513 George Street in La Crosse.
black_arrow   1241 Oak Forest Drive
Onalaska, WI 54650
Polar Bear Statue on Roof
polar bear at old location
Official Site
www.paulsheating.com
Roadside Architecture
www.agilitynut.com


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natural category logo natural resources logo
1
Grandad Bluff
location:   La Crosse
high spot / scenic overlook

"The 600-ft high bluff overlooks the city of La Crosse. The view of the Mississippi River Valley includes the three states of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. Wisconsin Trails readers voted this “the most scenic view in the state”. The park features a shelter house, coin-operated binoculars, picnic areas and is the site of the annual Skyrocker`s New Year`s Eve Fireworks Show."
– section from City of La Crosse website
tan_arrow   Head east out of town on Bliss Road. Turn right on Grandad Bluff Road.
Explore La Crosse
www.explorelacrosse.com
City of La Crosse
www.cityoflacrosse.org
State Trunk Tour
www.statetrunktour.com


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paranormal category logo paranormal resources logo
1
Brothers Experience Separate Incidents in Haunted Home
haunted
haunted
location:  Onalaska

"This scared the living hell out of me. I woke up paralized (sic) with fear and looked across the room towards the door where, from the moonlight through the window, I could see the form of a little boy."
– section from The W-Files report
The W-Files
www.w-files.com
2
Onalaska UFO Sightings
ufo
ufo
location:  Onalaska

"I called my daughter and wife out to the patio after about 20 minutes and they agreed that the star-like objects were indeed moving around in freakish, irregular patterns..."
– section from UFO Wisconsin 06-22-2004 report
UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com
3
Unidentified Craft Hovers Over Pond (1975)
ufo
ufo
location:  Holmen

"...every time the main body revolved around the stationary dome on top at a certain point around the periphery a flash of light and a blip sound occurred."
– section from UFO Wisconsin 1975 report
UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com
4
Bigfoot Sighting Near Mt. La Crosse (2000)
bigfoot
bigfoot
location:  La Crosse

"They thought it was a bear, but when they got a better look it more looked like a gorilla."
– section from The W-Files report
The W-Files
www.w-files.com
5
Bigfoot Seen During Deer Season (1996)
bigfoot
bigfoot
location:  Holmen

"...a woman in LaCresent was doing her dishes at night and looked up to see what was a large hairy faced man looking into her window that was over her sink."
– section from BFRO incident report
BFRO (Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization)
www.bfro.net
6
Man-Bat of Briggs Road
   mystery creature mystery creature
location:  Holmen

Man-Bat of Briggs Road
inverted image of drawing made by the witness for Linda Godfrey
In her books, author Linda Godfrey thoroughly details an incident that occurred in 2006 when a father and son witnessed a human-size winged creature during a nighttime drive. The encounter left them mentally shaken and physically ill.

"The creature almost flew into their windshield, was an estimated 6-7 feet tall, sported batlike, leathery wings with a span of 10-12 feet, long claws on its feet and 'hands' and a snarling expression on the face. They both somehow felt it was angry it had been seen."
– section from original story on Linda Godfrey's CNB Scene website
 web links
Beast of Bray Road
www.beastofbrayroad.com
Linda Godfrey's Blog
lindagodfrey.com
Cryptomundo
www.cryptomundo.com
Monsters USA
monsterusa.blogspot.com
Phantoms and Monsters
www.phantomsandmonsters.com
Jess Witkins' Happiness Project
jesswitkins.wordpress.com
Monster Digest
drvhitz.com
Coulee News
article "RANDOM ERUPTIONS: Man Bat tale tops 2006 for weirdness" or archived (here)
 books & video
book:
"Strange Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Trails Books (2007)
page(s) 52 – 54
buy it at
buy it at Barnes & Noble.comicon
book:
"Monsters of Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Stackpole Books (2011)
page(s) 37 – 40
buy it at
buy it at Barnes & Noble.comicon
book:
"Haunted Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Stackpole Books (2010)
page(s) 27 – 31
buy it at
buy it at Barnes & Noble.comicon
7
“The Ghost of Hamlin Garland?”
ghost
ghost
location:  West Salem

In her book Strange Wisconsin," Linda Godfrey discusses what may very well be the spirit of one of Wisconsin's famous authors, who is said to remain at his birthplace.

"Noiseless as a ghost, through greenish gleam..."
– section from Hamlin Garland, On the Mississippi
grey_arrow   357 W. Garland Street
West Salem, WI 54669
“The Ghost of Hamlin Garland?”
West Salem Official Site
(no mention of ghost)
www.westsalemwi.com
Unexplained Research
www.unexplainedresearch.com
Coulee News
article "Ghosts in the coulees?" or archived (here)
book:
"Strange Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Trails Books (2007)
page(s) 160 – 161
buy it at
buy it at Barnes & Noble.comicon
book:
"Ghosts Along the Mississippi River"
by Alan Brown
University Press of Mississippi (2011)
page(s) 208 – 210
buy it at Amazon.com
"Ghosts of America" Haunted Location Reports
(take with a grain of salt)
ghosts
ghosts
location:  STATEWIDE

The reports on this site are presumably fiction, using random Wisconsin place names in the stories listed there. Even so, you might get a kick out of reading them.

"A beheaded man was spotted giving a directed trip of Cliffwood Bluff to a troop of phantoms late in the night. There have been further accounts concerning this ghost in the vicinity. Locals who have perceived this ghost allege this ghost gets pleasure from startling folks who have the nerve to upset the quiet in La Crosse."
– section from Ghosts of America website
Ghosts of America
www.ghostsofamerica.com
Disco Ball in the Sky
ufo
ufo
location:  Coon City

"The only moment there was a gap in the trees we witnessed that the source of the lights looked like a large disco ball shaped object, hovering, mostly in place."
– section from UFO Wisconsin 06-03-2007 report
UFO Wisconsin
www.ufowisconsin.com
10
The La Crosse Lizard Man
   mystery creature mystery creature
location:  La Crosse

In her books, author Linda Godfrey details the sighting of a reptilian terror that was reported on the banks of the Black River in the mid 1990's by a father and son.

"They saw what they described as a "lizard man," covered in brownish scales and very reptilian-looking. It did not have its mouth open or arms extended Around the same time, a state DNR warden and separately, a group of highway workers saw what they described as a "reptile man" on Hwy. 13 near Medford. It also possessed wings and was able to fly out of their view (see Hunting the American Werewolf, p. 240-245) As I noted in "Hunting," the Medford spot was very near the Black River which winds up from LaCrosse!"
– section from original story on Linda Godfrey's CNB Scene website
grey_arrow   on shoreline across from French Island
The La Crosse Lizard Man
drawing of similar lizard man by Linda Godfrey
Linda Godfrey's Blog
lindagodfrey.com
Beast of Bray Road
www.beastofbrayroad.com
Frontiers of Zoology
frontiersofzoology.blogspot.com
book:
"Strange Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Trails Books (2007)
page(s) 52 – 54
buy it at
buy it at Barnes & Noble.comicon
book:
"Hunting the American Werewolf"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Trails Media Group (2006)
page(s) 240 – 245
buy it at
buy it at Barnes & Noble.com
book:
"Monsters of Wisconsin"
by Linda S. Godfrey
Stackpole Books (2011)
page(s) 36 – 37
buy it at
buy it at Barnes & Noble.comicon


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history category logo history resources logo
1
Bangor and Area Historical Society Museum
location:   Bangor
museum

"The Bangor and Area Historical Society Museum was formerly a harness shop and then a variety store on Main Street. The variety store's candy counter has been preserved by the Bangor Historical Society. The museum has four display windows, one a permanent exhibit of a tinsmith's workshop. The other windows feature revolving exhibits (sheep shearing, old-fashioned items, etc.)"
– section from Portal Wisconsin website
green_arrow   1525 Commercial Street
Bangor, WI 54614
hours:
(Wednesdays) 1pm – 3pm & (Saturdays) 10am – Noon
Village of Bangor
www.villageofbangor.com
Portal Wisconsin
www.portalwisconsin.org
2
Onalaska History Museum
location:   Onalaska
museum

"The Onalaska Historical Museum located in the Onalaska Public Library has exhibits that focus on the area’s history, from the Ice Age to modern times. There are exhibits that cover the archeological finds from the area that point to Onalaska’s earliest inhabitants. Artifacts include ancient bones, tools, weapons and pottery. Other exhibits focus on Onalaska’s rich lumbering past, the area’s early settlers and railroad history."
– section from Onalaska official site
green_arrow   741 Oak Avenue S.
Onalaska, WI 54650
hours:
(Wed - Fri) 2pm – 4pm
Onalaska Official Site
www.discoveronalaska.com
Facebook (official)

Portal Wisconsin
www.portalwisconsin.org
3
Norskedalen Heritage Center
at the Skumsrud Farm & Bekkum Homestead
location:   Coon Valley (Vernon County)
museum / historic structure(s)

Norskedalen Heritage Center
photo courtesy of official site
"Norskedalen Nature and Heritage Center has permanent and revolving museum displays. Our displays are both indoors and outdoor buildings with their own flavor and character. In our visitors center one museum focuses on heritage and the other on nature; we also have displays in our adjacent rooms and live animals on display. A permanent display in our heritage room includes farming and logging implements; artifacts brought from Norway during emigration; and civil war paraphernalia."
– section from Explore La Crosse website
green_arrow  (3 miles north of Coon Valley)
N455 County Road PI
Coon Valley, WI 54623
hours:
check official website for full schedule
Official Site
www.norskedalen.org
Facebook (official)

Norskedalen Thrune Heritage Nature Center Youtube Channel

“#16 Ah Ho! greeting traditional - Norskedalen Thrune ”
video by NorskedalenThrune


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