Yesterday in La Crosse
Rain on our parade, 50 years ago
Fifty years ago, a nearly constant rain fell on the 1967 Oktoberfest Maple Leaf parade…leading to flocks of umbrellas along the route. The parade began at Rose and Clinton Streets, about where it starts now…and ended near the WKBT studio at 6th and King. Channel 8 and WKBH radio personality Jack Martin served as festmaster that year. The big name entertainers at the ’67 Fest were the Jimmy Dorsey orchestra and the married comedy team of Phil Ford and Mimi Hines.
Joseph Houska died on the day of the Maple Leaf parade in ’67. Houska made his living as a barber, but for 42 of his 94 years, he served on the La Crosse city council…starting in 1901. One of Houska’s major accomplishments was developing Isle La Plume…especially the sewage treatment facility near the park that now bears his name.
The Deep Rock chain of gas stations was offering free Packers key chains, listing the team’s ’67 schedule, with any purchase. Deep Rock had three stations in town…on Ward Avenue, South Avenue, and La Crosse Street. Fifty years ago, 1967, yesterday in La Crosse.