The Saving of a Landmark

This informative plaque outlines the story of how Granddad's Bluff in La Crosse was originally utilized as a quarry location in the mid-1800's and then saved from complete destruction by a group of area founders and businessmen in the early 1900's. Thank goodness for community activism!

Granddad's Sunset

Another dramatic sunset view from atop of Granddad's Bluff in La Crosse, Wisconsin. You can see across the Mississippi River to eastern Minnesota in the distance.

See all SkyWatch Friday entries here.

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If you arrived here via the "SkyWatch" link - thank you!  Feel free to peruse all my other photo posts by visiting the Pewaukee Daily Photo's home page. 

You can see for miles and miles

The above photo was taken on the way up to Granddad's Bluff point, off the right side of the road.  It's looking north towards Onalaska, Wisconsin, and westward to Minnesota.  You can see parts of both the Black River and the Mississippi River in the distance. It had rained earlier in the day and was still very warm so there was a misty haze illuminated by the sunset.

The image below was taken from the top of Granddad's (where the telescopic view finders are) and it also looks northwest, but with a closer focus.  The marsh at the bottom of the picture is part of the La Crosse River flowage, which goes through Myrick Park, and eventually meets up with the Mississippi River in downtown La Crosse.

Click each one to see the enlarged images. These seem quite appropriate for Skywatch Friday!

Gimme Shelter

Above is the remodeled shelter house on top of Granddad's Bluff in La Crosse at sunset. Below is the view of the fenced path that goes to the lower look out.  From this vantage point you can see up and down the Mississippi River valley, including areas of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. The last image is looking back up at the shelter from the lower level.

I'll post a few more panoramic sunset views tomorrow.

Wall-E

While visiting my old hometown, La Crosse, Wisconsin, a few weeks ago, I finally had a chance to drive up to Grandad's Bluff.  Bliss Road, the winding road leading up to the top, has washed out & crumbled over the past few years, and they finally have it (permanently?) repaired.  The visitor area at the top has been remodeled with a new shelter house, bathrooms, safety fencing, and robotic telescopic view finders - which as you see from the photo, are reminiscent of something out of the movie "Wall-E" !

I will post more vista views over the next few days.

1908

On Mother's Day we took my mom on a drive around the city of La Crosse, to places we hadn't been for years. This barn and silo is at the east end of Cass Street, which turns into Ebner Coulee Road and meanders up behind Granddad's Bluff. From this angle, you can barely see the sign that says '1908' at the top of the roof...this farmstead was established over a century ago! Below is a back view of the barn from the next street over where you can better see how it is nestled at the bottom of the bluff.