LaCrosse is a town in Whitman County, Washington, United States. The population was 297 at the 2020 census.
History
With the completion in 1888 of the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company (O.R. & N) railroad line between 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. The town was named for LaCrosse, Wisconsin, to match with nearby Winona (named for the Minnesota town), by settlers from the Midwest.
LaCrosse was incorporated on February 19, 1917. 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. 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. LaCrosse also enrolled in the state government's "Washington Main Street" program to advertise its historic downtown.
Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, LaCrosse has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dsb) if using the 0 C isotherm or warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb) if using the -3 C isotherm.