On March 14, 1856, La Crosse was officially incorporated as a city in the State of Wisconsin. In 1857, work on city streets, authorized by resolutions passed by the Common Council, generated papers regarding La Crosse’s streets and alleys. The first official opening of streets in La Crosse was 1857. Acting on resolutions passed by the Council, legal proceedings were undertaken to view the land in question, vote on the openings, and assess the benefits and damages to the property owner, before contracts for the work could be awarded. This was a lengthy process, with petitions filed, and funding and weather delays.
The Common Council formed the Committee on Streets & Alleys to deal with various aspects of opening and paving the streets of La Crosse. One of the functions of the committee was to study the merits of proposed openings, either from citizen’s petitions or proposed Council resolutions. The committee considered each proposal and then sent a recommendation to the Mayor and Council, which then voted on the matter. The committee’s recommendations were not always followed. The Committee on Streets & Alleys also examine the bills sent by individuals and companies to the city then sent orders for them to be paid to the Common Council. The first committee recommendation was dated 1858. The members of that committee were George Scharpf, Bob A. Rogers, and E. G. Hanscome.
When a resolution to open a certain street was passed, the City Attorney petitioned the County Judge to appoint a jury of disinterested citizens to view each piece of land in question, who then voted on whether or not the land should be condemned for street use. The verdict of the jury was sent to the Judge, who then discharged the jury. Three commissioners “freeholders and residents of La Crosse and disinterested parties in the land” were then appointed to ascertain the damages and benefits to the landowners. Notices were sent out to owners and occupants, and a series of meetings were held, during which individuals could protest the amounts charged to them, or elect to accept the judgment. The commissioners then made their final report to the Council, who decided the final assessments. The Board of Public Works often did this step on behalf of the Council.
There were major groups of street openings in 1885, 1906, 1911, 1918, and 1924. In the period between 1885-1906, the major effort of the City was to pave opened and new streets with brick.
