Local Industry History

In 1975, the La Crosse Area Home Builders Association selected their fourth president with Joe Doucet, a contractor from Caledonia, Minnesota. Following Doucet was Finn Posass (Finn Posaas Construction), Ted Rohde (Rohde...

Two years after forming the La Crosse Area Home Builders Association, contractor Harley Gibbons is named Wisconsin Builder of the Year

Two years after forming the La Crosse Area Home Builders Association, contractor Harley Gibbons is named Wisconsin Builder of the Year

In 1972, the newly-formed La Crosse Area Home Builders spoke up on housing issues to a Wisconsin Assembly panel reviewing how to get municipalities tools to address housing issues.

In the late 1930s the Master Builders and Contractors Association changed its name to the Contractors Association. 1941 they discussed forming a cooperative lumberyard.

The creation and implementation of a national building code filled 1934, including education on what the code is, how to implement it, and delaying labor agreements to allow time for implementation.

After repeated years of strikes and wage adjustments, the La Crosse Master Builders Association began discussions in 1933 of creating a minimum wage.

Coming off of the end of 1931 discussions of how to spark building projects, the La Crosse Master Builders Association proposed cutting mechanics wages to reduce cost as a barrier. The industry must have been worried...

La Crosse Master Builders Association called a meeting to find ways to spark building interest and securing a new home for the organization.

Discussions to create a five-day work week got nowhere by the time labor agreements came to expire April 30, 1931. As a result, more than 300 union men discontinued work on Friday, awaiting a new agreement. The union...

After two years earlier stating they want to host the Wisconsin Master Builders Association convention in La Crosse again, the city is named as the 1932 location.

The 1931 annual banquet of the La Crosse Master Builders Association united contractors with labor despite an ongoing dispute over a five-day work week.

The La Crosse Master Builders Association and several other groups expressed concerns about zoning code changes that would prohibit larger homes being broken into smaller apartments in 1930.

Citing a need to protect the public, the La Crosse Master Builders Association in 1930 began issuing a monthly list of certified trade workers. The list met the approval of architects and the La Crosse Chamber of Commerce.

In 1920, the City of La Crosse looked to build a monument to former La Crosse Mayor W.A. Anderson. Anderson envisioned and created Levee Park (aka Riverside Park) as well as the park system for the City. The monument was...

Photo Credit: Hunter Haley for UnsplashStating their state convention can't come to La Crosse due to the small size of its meeting space, the Master Builders Association said La Crosse needs a large auditorium or...

In 1928, the La Crosse Master Builders Association proposed to the City of La Crosse an inspection program that would include construction and equipment.

Photo Credit: Hunter Haley for UnsplashIn 1928, the Master Builders Association and the Building Trades council (union) urged the City of La Crosse Council for not adopting a building code ordinance the home builders...

More than 200 men got arrested from the Wisconsin Master Builders Association convention after Milwaukee police raided the Club after midnight. The morals squad of the police department heard of a stag party taking place....

With a wage agreement expiring, the mortar mixers and hod carriers went on strike, demanding a raise from $1.25 to $1.37 1/2 per hour. Without these two sets of workers, bricklayers could not work. The request for wage...

The La Crosse Master Builders Association spoke up when the City created an ordinance that would "regulate and establish standard and requisites of labor employed in all public works in the City of La Crosse."  The...

A shortage of houses in various cities along with plans already in place lined 1922 to be a building boom statewide, according to the Wisconsin Master Builders Association. They announced the news while at a statewide...

Some of La Crosse's finest businessmen welcomed more than 500 attendees to the Wisconsin Master Builders Association state convention in January of 1922. The event's planners included many names whose busineses have since...

The Master Builders Association asked the La Crosse Chamber of Commerce to welcome its 800 to 1,000 contractors attendees coming to the Wisconsin state convention in January of 1922. The Chamber said they would extend "a...

One year after the building trades union workers went on strike, discussion of a wage cut went quiet. The Master Builders Association and the union met for about a month with labor leaders saying they were being told by...

One year after the building trades union workers went on strike, discussion of a wage cut went quiet. The Master Builders Association and the union met for about a month with labor leaders saying they were being told by...

Fresh off of an agreement to work under the same labor agreement reached after building-trades-workers went on strike a year earlier, the Master Builders Association and building trades union agreed to meet to discussion...

In March of 1921, the building trades laborers union supplying workers to the Master Builders Association members voted to continue to work under the agreement struck after the laborers went on strike a year earlier. 

The La Crosse Tribune & Leader-Press weighed in on labor asking the Master Builders Association to meet before announcing wage cuts. The newspaper stated that the laborers union represents the same right to assemble as...

As the Master Builders Association announced a 17-to-18 percent reduction in wages, the La Crosse Trades and Labor council that represents building laborers met to respond. They stated they're not opposed to reduction of...

Photo Credit: Jan Canty for UnsplashIn 1921 the Bricklayers Union voted to reduce wages by ten-percent, in agreement with the Master Builders' Association (formerly known as the La Crosse Builders' Association).  The wage...

Photo Credit: Jan Canty for UnsplashBuilders in 1921 proposed a 17 and 18-percent reduction in wages saying "it was necessary to stimulate building and keep men and contractors at work.” The proposal would lower wages for...

The Wisconsin Master Builders Association chose La Crosse as the site for their state conference in 1921.

A few days after laborers working for members of the Master Builders Association went on strike, they declare they will be back at work in a few days. The strike organizer, R.G. Knutson said after the strike began, he...

Photo Credit: Onder Ortel for UnsplashIn 1920, more than 66 businesses formed a La Crosse Employers Association, joining more than 50 members of the Master Builders Association. They jointly signed an Open Shop pledge in...

Photo Credit: Onder Ortel for UnsplashIn 1919, the La Crosse Tribune posted  a Building Trades Contractors meeting to be held at the Chamber of Commerce to perfect the Master Builders Association Committee.

Photo Credit: Onder Ortel for UnsplashThe newly formed La Crosse Builders' Association (circa 1901) predicted a record year in 1913 despite usual trends that presidential-election years often slowing the economy as people...

Photo Credit: Hunter Haley for UnsplashThe La Crosse Builders Association first formed as the effects of the Teamsters' Strike of 1905 in Chicago began rippling through the country. From bakers to newspaper typographers to...