Editing LaCrosse, Washington

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{about|a town in Washington state|other uses|Lacrosse (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = LaCrosse
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|image_skyline            = Lacrosse Washington IMG_1285.JPG
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Photo of LaCrosse taken from the south
|image_alt                = 
|image_map                = Whitman_County_Washington_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_La_Crosse_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of LaCrosse, Washington
<!-- Location ----->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Washington|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Whitman County, Washington|Whitman]]
<!-- Government ---->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = 
|established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = February 19, 1917
<!-- Area ---->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_53.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=July 24, 2022}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 2.21
|area_land_km2            = 2.21
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.85
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.85
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
<!-- Population ---->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 294
|pop_est_as_of            = 2022
|pop_est_footnotes        = <ref name="USCensusEst2022"/>
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
|population_total         = 297
|population_density_km2   = 144.14
|population_density_sq_mi = 373.54
<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific (PST)]]
|utc_offset               = –8
|timezone_DST             = PDT
|utc_offset_DST           = –7
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 1483
|coordinates              = {{coord|46|48|26|N|117|53|48|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 99136, 99143
|area_code                = [[Area code 509|509]] 
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 53-36850
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2412853<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2412853}}</ref>
|blank2_name              = [[Sales tax]]
|blank2_info              = 7.9%<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avalara.com/taxrates/en/state-rates/washington/cities/lacrosse.html|title=LaCrosse (WA) sales tax rate|access-date=January 8, 2024}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|http://www.lacrossewa.us/|lacrossewa.us}}
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''LaCrosse''' is a [[rural]] small [[town]] in [[Whitman County, Washington|Whitman County]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], United States. The population was 297 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="2020 Census (City)">{{cite web|title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/LaCrosse_town,_Washington?g=160XX00US5336850 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 8, 2024}}</ref>

==History==
With the completion in 1888 of the [[Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company]] (O.R. & N) railroad line between [[Riparia, Washington|Riparia]] and LaCrosse, George Dawson and his wife built a shack constructed from railroad ties. By 1889, LaCrosse had a population of 12. The first real store was constructed in 1899 by Tom Shobe.{{cn|date=February 2025}} The town was named for [[LaCrosse, Wisconsin]], to match with nearby [[Winona, Washington|Winona]] (named for the [[Winona, Minnesota|Minnesota town]]), by settlers from the Midwest.<ref name="Spokesman-2022">{{cite news |last=Hanlon |first=James |date=November 23, 2022 |title=LaCrosse residents unite to revitalize downtown and preserve tiny southwest Whitman County community |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/nov/23/after-years-without-a-grocery-store-lacrosse-resid/ |work=[[The Spokesman-Review]] |accessdate=February 9, 2025}}</ref>

LaCrosse was incorporated on February 19, 1917.{{cn|date=February 2025}} Beginning in the 1980s, many farmers in the area surrounding LaCrosse opted to enroll in the federal [[Conservation Reserve Program]] and leave their lands unused for agriculture. The loss of business is cited as one factor in the town's population decline.<ref>{{cite news |last=Stucke |first=John |date=March 6, 2011 |title=Census: Dwindling small towns determined to fight extinction |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/mar/06/census-2010-swindling-small-towns-determined-to/ |work=The Spokesman-Review |accessdate=February 9, 2025}}</ref> A community benefit group formed in 2012 to fund revitalization projects and lure new businesses to replace closed services; the lone grocery store in LaCrosse closed in the 2000s and was followed by the town's [[hardware store]] a few years later.<ref>{{cite news |last=Stucke |first=John |date=July 15, 2012 |title=Residents of LaCrosse, Wash., work to revitalize town |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/jul/15/down-but-not-out/ |work=The Spokesman-Review |accessdate=February 9, 2025}}</ref> LaCrosse also enrolled in the state government's "Washington Main Street" program to advertise its historic downtown.<ref name="Spokesman-2022"/>

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|0.78|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all of it land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=December 19, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archivedate=January 25, 2012}}</ref>

===Climate===
According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, LaCrosse has a [[Mediterranean climate#Warm-summer Mediterranean climate|warm-summer Mediterranean climate]], abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.

{{Weather box
 | width       = auto
 | collapsed   = yes
 | single line = yes
 | location    = La Crosse, Washington (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1901–2021)
 | Jan record high F  = 64
 | Feb record high F  = 70
 | Mar record high F  = 80
 | Apr record high F  = 95
 | May record high F  = 100
 | Jun record high F  = 113
 | Jul record high F  = 110
 | Aug record high F  = 113
 | Sep record high F  = 104
 | Oct record high F  = 92
 | Nov record high F  = 76
 | Dec record high F  = 66
 | year record high F = 
 | Jan high F = 38.8
 | Feb high F = 44.8
 | Mar high F = 53.7
 | Apr high F = 61.9
 | May high F = 71.5
 | Jun high F = 79.4
 | Jul high F = 90.0
 | Aug high F = 88.8
 | Sep high F = 78.5
 | Oct high F = 62.7
 | Nov high F = 47.3
 | Dec high F = 37.9
 | year high F = 62.9
 | Jan mean F = 32.3
 | Feb mean F = 35.8
 | Mar mean F = 42.3
 | Apr mean F = 48.7
 | May mean F = 56.7
 | Jun mean F = 63.6
 | Jul mean F = 71.3
 | Aug mean F = 70.3
 | Sep mean F = 61.2
 | Oct mean F = 49.3
 | Nov mean F = 38.6
 | Dec mean F = 31.2
 | year mean F = 50.1
 | Jan low F = 25.8
 | Feb low F = 26.9
 | Mar low F = 30.8
 | Apr low F = 35.5
 | May low F = 41.9
 | Jun low F = 47.7
 | Jul low F = 52.5
 | Aug low F = 51.8
 | Sep low F = 44.0
 | Oct low F = 35.8
 | Nov low F = 29.8
 | Dec low F = 24.5
 | year low F = 37.3
 | Jan record low F  = -30
 | Feb record low F  = -24
 | Mar record low F  = -6
 | Apr record low F  = 8
 | May record low F  = 19
 | Jun record low F  = 26
 | Jul record low F  = 30
 | Aug record low F  = 28
 | Sep record low F  = 15
 | Oct record low F  = 3
 | Nov record low F  = -17
 | Dec record low F  = -34
 | year record low F = 
 | precipitation colour   = green
 | Jan precipitation inch = 1.96
 | Feb precipitation inch = 1.34
 | Mar precipitation inch = 1.66
 | Apr precipitation inch = 1.30
 | May precipitation inch = 1.26
 | Jun precipitation inch = 0.96
 | Jul precipitation inch = 0.31
 | Aug precipitation inch = 0.32
 | Sep precipitation inch = 0.50
 | Oct precipitation inch = 1.12
 | Nov precipitation inch = 1.96
 | Dec precipitation inch = 2.37
 | year precipitation inch = 15.06
 | unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
 | Jan precipitation days  = 14.0
 | Feb precipitation days  = 11.4
 | Mar precipitation days  = 11.9
 | Apr precipitation days  = 9.1
 | May precipitation days  = 7.9
 | Jun precipitation days  = 6.3
 | Jul precipitation days  = 2.9
 | Aug precipitation days  = 2.7
 | Sep precipitation days  = 3.6
 | Oct precipitation days  = 8.3
 | Nov precipitation days  = 13.2
 | Dec precipitation days  = 14.6
 | year precipitation days = 105.9
 | Jan snow inch = 4.1
 | Feb snow inch = 2.2
 | Mar snow inch = 0.8
 | Apr snow inch = 0.1
 | May snow inch = 0.0
 | Jun snow inch = 0.0
 | Jul snow inch = 0.0
 | Aug snow inch = 0.0
 | Sep snow inch = 0.0
 | Oct snow inch = 0.0
 | Nov snow inch = 1.8
 | Dec snow inch = 8.1
 | year snow inch = 17.1
 | unit snow days = 0.1 in
 | Jan snow days  = 4.4
 | Feb snow days  = 1.7
 | Mar snow days  = 1.1
 | Apr snow days  = 0.2
 | May snow days  = 0.0
 | Jun snow days  = 0.0
 | Jul snow days  = 0.0
 | Aug snow days  = 0.0
 | Sep snow days  = 0.0
 | Oct snow days  = 0.1
 | Nov snow days  = 1.2
 | Dec snow days  = 5.3
 | year snow days = 14.0
 | source = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="NOWData">{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=otx
|title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = December 12, 2023}}</ref><ref name="NCEI">{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00454338&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = December 12, 2023}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1930= 471
|1940= 475
|1950= 457
|1960= 463
|1970= 426
|1980= 373
|1990= 336
|2000= 380
|2010= 313
|2020= 297
|estyear=2022
|estimate=294
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2022">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |date=January 8, 2024|title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=January 8, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 24, 2014}}</ref><br>2020 Census<ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], there were 313 people, 153 households, and 96 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|401.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 181 housing units at an average density of {{convert|232.1|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the town was 95.8% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.6% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.3% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.3% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 2.6% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.3% of the population.

There were 153 households, of which 19.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.3% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.53.

The median age in the town was 51.8 years. 15.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 14.8% were from 25 to 44; 34.2% were from 45 to 64; and 30% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 50.2% male and 49.8% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]], there were 380 people, 164 households, and 105 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,101.6 people per square mile (431.5/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 187 housing units at an average density of 542.1 per square mile (212.4/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the town was 93.42% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 3.16% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.26% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.53% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.63% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.53% of the population.

There were 164 households, out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the town, the age distribution of the population shows 28.2% under the age of 18, 1.6% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 22.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,893, and the median income for a family was $40,833. Males had a median income of $30,972 versus $20,313 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $16,656. About 2.1% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Notable groups and events==
{{unsourced|section|date=January 2025}}
The La Crosse Arts and Beautification Council was created in 2005 with aspirations of renovating downtown LaCrosse while promoting the arts, local culture, and history of LaCrosse and the Palouse. Events have included the Valentine Fine Arts Night and the Spring Faire.

The La Crosse Gun Club holds an annual "Bacon & Crab Shooting" event at the end of January.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.lacrossewa.us/ Town of LaCrosse]
* [http://www.lacrossearts.us LaCrosse Arts & Beautification Council]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
*Community name per the website:  https://www.lacrossewa.us/

{{Whitman County, Washington}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Towns in Whitman County, Washington]]
[[Category:1917 establishments in Washington (state)]]