Going, Going . . . Gone!

While on a recent bike ride I came across this old house being razed at 215-217 Ferry Street (not far from downtown La Crosse). A check of local building records shows the house was built in 1886 by John Dryer as a double unit (a replica of this unit shown being razed was located just to the left and had already been razed by the time I arrived on the scene). Dryer, who was listed as a carpenter in early 1880 La Crosse city directories, must have died shortly after the house was constructed because the 1888 City Directory lists "Dora Dyer, widow of John" as one of the occupants of the house along with her two daughters, Mary and Phena, in addition to George Barry, laborer; Henry Barry, teamster; Martha Parker, widow of Levi; and William E. Parker, Burlington Railroad worker. All lost to history as their old abode . . . which was razed to make way for a new car parking lot.

Old Shoemaker's House

This old brick house at 830 S. Second St. is located on the edge of La Crosse's downtown area in what is mostly a commercial business area with very few houses. Just out of curiosity I checked a La Crosse city directory from 1907 to see who lived here 100 years ago and it listed a "Mary Leisgang, widow of John." Further research found that John Leisgang was a shoemaker who lived at this location as early as 1873. He died in the 1880s and Mary died on Jan. 16, 1914, at age 79.
Postnote: I was disappointed in the fall of 2007 to discover this house had recently been razed but at least I have a photo record of the place.