La Crosse Catholic Cemetery (La Crosse, Wisconsin)

 church, cemetery, catholicism

La Crosse Catholic Cemetery
519 Losey Blvd S
La Crosse, WI 54601
(608) 782-0238

Due to a fire that destroyed all early records of La Crosse's Catholic Cemetery, little is known about its exact origins. However, it is believed that in the early 1850's, the original section of land, just south of Market Street, was donated by Joseph Ebner to be used for Catholic burials. Dates on several stones from as far back as the mid-1850's help to verify its early existence. Throughout the latter years of the 1800's, local Catholic churches bought additional land and the cemetery expanded into the surrounding areas. Today the main entrance of the cemetery is located at the corner of Losey Blvd. and Market Street. This section was the original plat with the newer additions spreading south extending to Mississippi Street

Probably the most impressive cemetery feature is the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin of the Seven Dolors, which was dedicated on November 1, 1891. The brick building, with its pointed arches, buttresses, stone pillars and window molding, echoes Gothic architecture throughout its craftsmanship. The chapel was built as a burial location for the bishops of the La Crosse Diocese.