Grandad Bluff facts for kids
Grandad Bluff (sometimes called Granddad Bluff) is a tall, flat-topped hill located on the east side of La Crosse, Wisconsin. It stands about 590 feet (180 meters) higher than the land around it and 1,183 feet (361 meters) above sea level. You can reach the top of the bluff by driving on Bliss Road.
From the top, visitors can enjoy amazing views of La Crosse. There's a special park area with a shelter. Inside, you'll find a large photo from 2004 that points out important places in the city. You can see the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, the mighty Mississippi River, other bluffs in Minnesota, and Interstate 90.
What is Grandad Bluff Made Of?
The land around Grandad Bluff looks quite new, geologically speaking. This is because of what happened during the Pleistocene Ice Age. The Mississippi River probably didn't flow in this exact spot before that time.
The bluffs along this part of the Mississippi River are made of two main types of rock. The top layer is a hard rock called dolomite. Below that, you'll find older Cambrian sandstone. Grandad Bluff, like other bluffs along the river, is a classic example of a mesa. A mesa is a flat-topped hill with steep sides.
The Story of Grandad Bluff
The land that makes up much of Grandad Bluff was first bought from the state in July 1851 by a judge named George Gale. Over the next 60 years, the property changed hands 83 times!
For many years, the bluff was used as a source for building materials. Its limestone was dug out from quarries. However, when plans were made to sell the bluff for even larger quarrying, the people of La Crosse were very upset. They wanted to save their beautiful bluff.
In 1909, a well-known La Crosse family, Joseph and Irene Hixon, bought the land. They held onto it until 1912, when they generously gave it to the city of La Crosse to become a park. A group of local residents, led by G. C. Hixon, helped raise $15,000. This money was used to build roads and buy more land around the bluff. The area below Grandad Bluff later became the heart of Hixon Forest, which is still a popular place for hiking today.
In 1928, some people wanted to change the bluff's name to "Granddad Mountain." They even suggested calling the entire series of bluffs along the Mississippi River "The Mississippi Mountain Range."
A shelter was built in Grandad Bluff Park in 1938. This work was done by the Works Progress Administration, a government program that created jobs during the Great Depression. The stone for the shelter came from the south side of the bluff itself. In 1941, a 65-foot (20-meter) flagpole was put up. School children helped raise money for it!
Eleven years later, in 1952, a rustic fence made of oak wood was built. Two new picnic areas with parking were also added. The shelter got electricity in 1954, and public restrooms were built about ten years later. A new pump house for water was constructed in 1976. During the 1980s, the park saw many landscaping improvements. In 1994, the La Crosse Jaycees put up a new, taller 75-foot (23-meter) flagpole.
Since 1929, a group called the La Crosse Skyrockers has put on a fireworks show from Grandad Bluff. This amazing display happens at midnight on New Year's Eve. It's similar to the New Year's fireworks show over Pikes Peak in Colorado.
