Posted 1:35 p.m. Friday, June 29, 2012
[caption id="attachment_756" align="alignright" width="500" caption="Les Crocker, who taught art history at UW-L for 30 years, sits at the gazebo at Pettibone Beach. "]
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p.m. Thursday, July 12 at the La Crosse Public Library, 800 Main St., followed by a book signing.
La Crosse’s historic buildings have architectural influences from around the world, says Crocker.
Readers will likely be surprised to learn that the well-preserved gazebo at Pettibone Beach, built in 1901, is a Moorish-revival style structure, he says. The style is rare because the Moors, Muslim people of mixed Berber and Arab descent, and the rest of the Islamic world are not considered to be part of American’s cultural history, explains Crocker. But these “revival styles” showed up in America on occasion starting around 1750 and continued until the manufacturing of glass, steel and concrete significantly transformed architecture in the early 1900s, he says.
The book has other interesting facts such as background on the swing bridge located just up stream of La Crosse’s Cass Street bridge until 1934 when a car hit it, causing the swing bridge to collapse into the water. The bridge, for wagon traffic across the river, swung open at a central point on its axes, turning parallel to the riverbanks.
“It was built for wagons and, by the time cars came along, it was much too light weight,” says Crocker.
Crocker’s curiosity about La Crosse architectural history started in the 1970s when he was a professor of art history at UW-L.
“I felt very strongly that local art should be part of the material — it’s well and good to talk about Gothic cathedrals in France, but most people in La Crosse will never see a cathedral in France. To show a cathedral in La Crosse with Gothic style helps more with understanding.”
During that same time period, a movement to preserve historic buildings was starting in La Crosse after the La Crosse Federal Building — known as the old post office to most locals — was torn down in 1977. The historic building is featured on the cover of his book.
Crocker started his research for the book as a professor and began working more heavily on it after he retired 10 years ago. He researched newspaper articles, history books on La Crosse written in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and collected photos from UW-L’s Murphy Library archives and the public library archives. He has also shot more than 4,000 images of La Crosse buildings since 1971.
He features 12 fire stations, 10 parks, seven bridges, three jails, three courthouses, two city halls, two bath houses and diverse other examples including several grottos and gazebos.
Crocker notes he could have researched the many historic buildings abroad, but they’re far away and he’s a bit partial to learning about the history right around him.
“I like American architecture. It’s my story. It’s all of our stories,” he says.
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Book by professor emeritus explores art history of 79 La Crosse sites
People can study Gothic architecture in Paris, France and Moorish styles in southern Spain. Or they can walk around La Crosse with Les Crocker’s art history book in hand. Crocker, a retired UW-L art history professor, published the book “Places and Spaces: A century of public buildings, bridges and parks in La Crosse, Wisconsin.” The 350-page, hard cover book includes the history of 79 La Crosse buildings, sites and structures, beginning with the first County Courthouse in 1851 and ending with the 12th fire station from 1956. Crocker will give a public lecture on the changing role of public buildings in La Crosse from 6-7 [caption id="attachment_760" align="alignright" width="500" caption="This Moorish-style gazebo at Pettibone Beach was built in 1901 by the architectural firm Schick & Roth. The style is rare to find in the United States and a well-preserved example, says Crocker."][/caption]
p.m. Thursday, July 12 at the La Crosse Public Library, 800 Main St., followed by a book signing.
La Crosse’s historic buildings have architectural influences from around the world, says Crocker.
Readers will likely be surprised to learn that the well-preserved gazebo at Pettibone Beach, built in 1901, is a Moorish-revival style structure, he says. The style is rare because the Moors, Muslim people of mixed Berber and Arab descent, and the rest of the Islamic world are not considered to be part of American’s cultural history, explains Crocker. But these “revival styles” showed up in America on occasion starting around 1750 and continued until the manufacturing of glass, steel and concrete significantly transformed architecture in the early 1900s, he says.
The book has other interesting facts such as background on the swing bridge located just up stream of La Crosse’s Cass Street bridge until 1934 when a car hit it, causing the swing bridge to collapse into the water. The bridge, for wagon traffic across the river, swung open at a central point on its axes, turning parallel to the riverbanks.
“It was built for wagons and, by the time cars came along, it was much too light weight,” says Crocker.
Crocker’s curiosity about La Crosse architectural history started in the 1970s when he was a professor of art history at UW-L.
“I felt very strongly that local art should be part of the material — it’s well and good to talk about Gothic cathedrals in France, but most people in La Crosse will never see a cathedral in France. To show a cathedral in La Crosse with Gothic style helps more with understanding.”
During that same time period, a movement to preserve historic buildings was starting in La Crosse after the La Crosse Federal Building — known as the old post office to most locals — was torn down in 1977. The historic building is featured on the cover of his book.
Crocker started his research for the book as a professor and began working more heavily on it after he retired 10 years ago. He researched newspaper articles, history books on La Crosse written in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and collected photos from UW-L’s Murphy Library archives and the public library archives. He has also shot more than 4,000 images of La Crosse buildings since 1971.
He features 12 fire stations, 10 parks, seven bridges, three jails, three courthouses, two city halls, two bath houses and diverse other examples including several grottos and gazebos.
Crocker notes he could have researched the many historic buildings abroad, but they’re far away and he’s a bit partial to learning about the history right around him.
“I like American architecture. It’s my story. It’s all of our stories,” he says.