On Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 5:30 pm, researcher Jeff Rand will explore how the booming lumber industry and the work of lumberjacks and rivermen helped shape La Crosse during its formative years. Once one of the leading lumber centers on the Mississippi River, the city grew rapidly thanks to the timber trade and the labor of the men who harvested and transported the logs.
Rand brings both professional knowledge and personal connection to the topic. A lifelong resident of the region, he worked for 37 years as a reference and research librarian at the La Crosse Public Library before retiring in 2022. Today, he serves as a tour guide with LCHS. His interest in lumber history is also personal—his great-grandfather and several other relatives worked as lumberjacks and rivermen during the industry’s boom years.
The presentation will take place at the La Crosse Area
Heritage Center.
Admission is free, and donations are appreciated.
