La Crosse, Wis., county seat of La Crosse County 1887. Beck & Pauli Lith. Co. Beautiful bird's eye view map of the historic Mississippi River town of La Crosse, Wisconsin, published in 1887 by H. Wellge, reprint. President Thomas Jefferson commissioned Zebulon Pike to explore the upper Mississippi in 1805. A region that had long been inhabited by Native American tribes, when Pike reached the area of today's La Crosse, he observed the Winnebago Indians playing a game with sticks that reminded him of the game La Crosse, giving him the idea to call the place Prairie La Crosse. The largest city on Wisconsin's western border, La Crosse's first United States settler arrived in 1841, when Nathan Myrick established a trading post up the river from Prairie du Chien. New York native Myrick, initially built his trading post on Barron Island, but moved to the mainland the following year and partnered with H. J. B. Miller to run the post. This proved an ideal location, near the junction of the Mississippi, the La Crosse and the Black Rivers. A small village began to develop around the trading post throughout the 1840's. The village was platted in 1851 and had a population of almost 2,000 by 1855. The completion of the La Crosse & Milwaukee Rail Line in 1858, combined with the Mississippi River steamboat traffic, made La Crosse a major transportation hub and boosted development dramatically.
This map captures the city of La Crosse as it appeared at the peak of lumber transport and sawmill production, when steamboats had ceased to be an important mode of transport. By the 1890's, only one steamboat line continued to operate on the upper Mississippi. Ever expanding railroad connections with the entire country fueled growth for La Crosse. The lumber industry peaked during the period of this map. Between 1860-1869, the average output of La Crosse sawmills was less than 20 million board feet. It increased to 47 million between 1870-1879 and then jumped to 169 million board feet in 1880-1889. The lumber industry was to decline even more rapidly than it had developed, with the average cut falling to 40 million board feet by 1900. Sawmill jobs, that employed nearly 2,000 people in La Crosse in the 1880's, dwindled to under 500 jobs by 1900 and by 1904, only 40 sawmill jobs in La Crosse existed.
Illustrations of the following buildings are featured in the lower margin:
The John Gund Brewing Company. Burlington House, Louis A. Meister, Proprietor. Residence of Dr. D. Frank Powell, White Beaver Park. Residence of Mr. N. Birnbaum, 1006 Mississippi St. C. & J. Brewing Co.
Features numbered & lettered references to the following locations:
1. St. Joseph Cathedral. 2. Congregational Church. 3. First Presbyterian Church. 4. First Methodist Episcopalian Church. 5. St. Paul Universalist Church. 6. St. Marys Catholic Church. 7. German Lutheran Church. 8. Norwegian Lutheran Church. 9. German Methodist Church. 10. Governors Guard Armory. 11. Scandinavian Baptist Church. 12. St. Wenceslaus Church. 15. Methodist Church. 15. Roman Catholic School. 20. Sawyer & Austin Lumber Co. 21. McDonald's Mills, Saw Mill. 22. La Crosse Lumber Co. 24. N. B. Holaways Mills. 25. Trow's Saw Mill. 26. Tannery - Davis, Medary & Platz Co. 27. Carriage Factory, Dittmann & Co. 28. A. A. Freeman, Flouring Mill. 29. Wm. Listman, Flouring Mill. 30. A. H. Coleman, Saw Mill. 31. La Crosse Soap Co. 32. G. Heileman, Brewery. 33. C. & J. Michel Brewing Co. 34. John Gund, Brewing Co. 35. John A. Salzer, Seed Ware House. 36. Ole Larson, Sash Factory. 37. Burlington House, L. A. Meister. 39. Pamperin & Wiggenhorn Cigar Factory. 39. Geo. Zeisler, Brewery. 40. John Dengler, Wholesale Cigars. 41. John Ullrich, Druggist. 41a. J. Tuteur, Wholesale Cigars. 42. S. Gantert, Fine Furniture. 43. Der Nordstern, German Newspaper. 45. Mather Block, August Franz Restaurant. 46. Magill Bros., Exchange Bank. 47. John Wachter, Livery. 48. H. J. Anderson & Co., Lumber Yard and Planing Mill. 49. G. G. Voegele, Brewery. 50. John Wacker, Restaurant. 51. H. C. Techmer, Flour and Feed Mill. 52. Franz Bartl, Eagle Brewery. 53. Jacob H. Grates, Garden. 54. Bosshard & Doerflinger, Dry Goods. 55. Rose & Bros., Druggists. 56. Dr. Frank Powell. 57. Dr. Frank Powell's Residence, White Beaver Park.
A. Court House. B. Post Office. C. Water Works. D. Electric Light Towers. E. Convent. G. Ward Schools. K. Fire Engine House. N. Birnbam, Residence, 1006 Mississippi Ave. Joseph Burgemeister, Architect, 128 9th St.
We use top-notch materials printed on demand using the Giclée printing method, so you get amazing detail and bright colors every time.
Archival Paper
Premium fine art paper that provides accurate color reproduction with high-contrast, high-resolution print output and maximum image permanence. A high-quality Giclée print ready for framing.
Museum quality paper for high-quality fine art.
Ultra smooth, neutral white matte finish.
Heavy-weight 230 gsm, 9.5 mil thickness.
Printed with pigment inks for longer print life and enhanced fade resistance.
Pigment based Canon LUCIA inks provide smooth tones and rich colors in fine, precise detail.
Canvas Gallery Wrap
A high quality canvas giclee print is hand stretched over a sturdy wood frame. Printed on demand and handcrafted in Seattle, WA. The canvas gallery wrap serves as a stunning piece of art ready to hang on your wall.
Premium 19 mil canvas material.
Pigment based Canon LUCIA inks provide smooth tones and rich colors in fine, precise detail.
High quality giclee fine art print with a lightfastness rating of over 100 years.
Durable canvas mounted to a 1.25" deep wood frame.
Ready to hang with included easy-to-use hanging kit.
Canvas on Wood Rails
A canvas giclee print that is mounted to wood hanging rails placed along the top and bottom of the map. Rail mounted maps are ready to hang via the attached hanging cord. Solid wood rails have a natural finish.
Premium 19 mil canvas material.
Wood rails are 1 1/8" wide, round front.
USA sourced solid maple wood.
High quality giclee fine art print with a lightfastness rating of over 100 years.
Pigment based Canon LUCIA inks provide smooth tones and rich colors in fine, precise detail.
Luster Photo Paper
A premium semi-gloss photo paper with a subtle texture that produces a vivid, richly detailed print. This material results in an exquisitely detailed giclee print of substantially higher quality than a standard poster.
Printed on 10 mil premium luster photo paper resulting in a brilliant, colorful image with a vivid life-like quality.
Pigment based Canon LUCIA inks provide smooth tones and rich colors in fine, precise detail.
Inks have a lightfastness rating of over 100 years, guaranteeing minimal noticeable fading over a very long period of time.
Printed using very high resolution source files.
Giclee printing is superior to traditional lithography in a number of ways: colors are brighter, lasts longer, and is a higher resolution.
Framed Map Print - Black Finish
Our gallery quality frames are made of solid wood and feature optical-grade acrylic. Each framed map is printed on premium archival matte fine art paper.
Printed on thick, luxurious acid-free fine art paper & dry-mounted to foam board.
Pigment inks ensure a vivid print with amazing colors and excellent fade resistance.
Solid wood frame with a black finish has a 1.25" face & 7/8" depth.
Kraft paper protective backing & hanging wire installed.
Framed Map Print - Natural Oak Finish
Our gallery quality frames are made of solid wood and feature optical-grade acrylic. Each framed map is printed on premium archival matte fine art paper.
Printed on thick, luxurious acid-free fine art paper & dry-mounted to foam board.
Pigment inks ensure a vivid print with amazing colors and excellent fade resistance.
Solid wood frame with a natural oak finish has a 1.25" face & 7/8" depth.
Kraft paper protective backing & hanging wire installed.
Gallery quality map prints made in the USA
We specialize in producing high-quality, detailed maps using advanced printing technologies and premium materials. Stringent quality control and ultra-high-resolution printing guarantee absolute clarity and precise detail at any size. Whether it's a smaller wall map print or a gigantic wallpaper map mural, no print will appear blurry or pixelated. You can expect every detail on the map to be sharp and clear.
Finely Crafted Cartographic Works of Art
Many of the maps we provide are created by our small team of cartographers under the name Academia Maps.
Museum Quality Materials
We source the best materials for our map prints and wallpaper maps. Premium archival inks guarantee rich vibrant colors with excellent fade resistance.
USA Print Production
We are a small business located in Seattle, WA that has been printing maps for over 15 years. Each map is printed on-demand using high-end fine art printers.
Shipping Costs
Free Ground Shipping within the contiguous United States and a flat rate of $20.00 to AK and HI.
Canada via UPS Standard is $40.00 USD.
Worldwide Shipping is available and shipping costs will be calculated at checkout.
Shipping Times
Most items are made to order and ship from our Seattle, WA facility. Typical production lead times are listed below. Shipping transit time is 2-5 business days depending on the delivery location. If you need your map by a certain deadline please contact us for expedited options.
Archival Paper, Laminated Maps, and Peel & Stick - 5-7 business days
Wood Rail Mounting - 3-4 weeks
Canvas Gallery Wraps & Framed Maps - 3-5 business days
Push Pin Maps - 3-5 business days
Spring Roller Maps - Varies, see product description
Wallpaper Map Murals - 7-10 business days
Returns
If you are unhappy with your order for any reason you can return it within 30 days of the delivery date. Customized items are non-returnable.
Yes, we can produce a majority of the map titles found on our website in a custom size. If you would like to request a custom size, take note of the map title and item#, then follow one of the links below to make your request. We will follow up with a link to checkout.
(for rolled or mounted prints)
(for larger peel & stick / wallpaper maps)
We accept purchase orders from schools and government entities. You can e-mail a copy of your PO to [email protected].
View more information and download our W-9.
No problem, send a screenshot or PDF of your shopping cart to [email protected] and will promptly follow up with a quotation.
Our products are printed on demand and have the following production lead times:
Archival Paper, Laminated Maps, and Peel & Stick - 5-7 business days
Wood Rail Mounting - 3-4 weeks
Canvas Gallery Wraps & Framed Maps - 3-5 business days
Spring Roller Maps - Varies, see product description
Shipping transit time is 2-5 business days and will vary depending on your location. Most products ship from Seattle, WA.
Many of the maps found on our website can be customized, including adding a personalized title/legend or company logo, modifying the color scheme, change text labels, adding points of interest, and placing GIS data on the map.
If the order is shipping outside of Washington state, sales tax may not apply. We collect sales taxes per state and local laws. Sales tax is calculated at checkout based on the delivery address.
We can ship to nearly any country. The shipping cost is determined for Canada and most European countries at checkout. If you find that shipping is unavailable to your country when checking out then please contact us with a list of the products you would like to order as well as size and material options.
We can produce a custom map for any location in the world. Whether you are looking for a detailed city street map or high resolution satellite imagery of a remote area, we have you covered.
We use museum grade papers and canvas along with high quality solid wood mounting options.
Made in the USA
Archival Paper
Premium Giclée fine art print on thick acid-free paper with a matte finish. Features rich, vibrant colors with precise detail.
Luster Photo Paper
Giclée fine art print on semi-gloss photo paper. A richly detailed print with vivid colors.
Canvas on Wood Rails
High-quality giclée print on artist-grade canvas mounted to natural finish solid wood hanging rails placed along the top and bottom of the canvas. Hanging cord at top.
Canvas Gallery Wrap
High-quality giclée print on artist-grade canvas. Wrapped around a sturdy wooden frame, this print is perfect for adding depth and texture to any space.
Framed Map Print - Black
Printed on high-grade fine art paper and mounted in a solid wood frame with a black finish. The print is protected behind optical-grade clear acrylic.
Framed Map Print - Natural Oak
Printed on high-grade fine art paper and mounted in a solid wood frame with a natural oak finish. The print is protected behind optical-grade clear acrylic.
Size Guide
These mockups are to be used as a general visual aid to assist you in choosing a size. The measurements may not reflect the exact sizes of the product you are viewing. It is always best practice to measure your wall space prior to ordering.
Our wall maps and wallpaper map murals are handcrafted by our small team in Seattle, WA.
School Purchase Orders
We accept purchase orders from schools and other government institutions. Learn more here.
High Quality Materials
Maps are printed on premium fine art papers, canvas, and durable wallcovering materials using archival inks.
Stunning Cartography
Original and up-to-date maps designed by our cartographic team at Academia Maps include a range of high quality maps for geographic exploration, home decor, and classroom learning.
