LA CROSSE, a county in the W. part of Wisconsin, bordering on Minnesota, from which it is separated by the Mississippi river, contains 5065 square miles. It is drained by La Crosse and Black rivers, and bounded on the N. W. by Buffalo river. Pine timber is abundant in the county. Capital, La Crosse. This county had not been organized when the census of 1850 was taken. (Baldwin's New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States..., 1854)
LA CROSSE, County, is bounded on the north by Chippewa, on the east by Portage, Adams, and a portion of Sauk, and on the west by the Mississippi, by which it is separated from the territory of Minnesota. This county was set off from Crawford, and organized March 1, 1851, the seat of justice being established at La Crosse, on a beautiful prairie of the same name, on the eastern bank of the Mississippi, 90 miles above the junction of the Wisconsin, and on the line between townships 15 and 16 north. It is watered by Black and La Crosse rivers, and Mormon, Eagle and Billings' creeks, and the headwaters of the Lemonwier. Many of the streams are of pure water, with abundance of hydraulic power, abounding with speckled trout. The soil may be considered as first rate, and is mostly of vegetable mould, mixed with a sufficient quantity of sand to give it warmth. In the northeastern portion of the county is a heavy growth of pine timber, which is manufactured into lumber and shingles, the export of which amounts to $175,000 per annum. Near the head of some of the large streams are cranberry marshes, yielding in good seasons several hundred bushels per acre. The population in 1850, all of which was confined to Black river, was 460. In 1851, about 46,000 acres of school lands, known as a part of the 500,000 acre grant, was brought into market upon very reasonable terms, and many of the enterprizing and industrious inhabitants of the older counties have changed their residence to one in this. The increase of population has probably been greater during the last two years than in any other locality in the State. This county is connected with the nineteenth senate district, and forms a portion of the sixth judicial circuit, and of the second congressional district, and, with Chippewa, sends one member to the assembly. County Officers for 1853: County Judge, George Gale; Sheriff, A. Eidred; Clerk of Court, Robert Looney; District Attorney, Edward Flint; Register, Chase A. Stevens; Treasurer, F. M. Rublee; Surveyor, William Hood. (John Warren Hunt, Wisconsin Gazetteer..., Madison, 1853)