Ellen’s Circle
The La Crosse County Historical Society is pleased to announce the creation of Ellen’s Circle, a philanthropic organization within LCHS that supports a new vision for Hixon House through financial pledges for its upcoming restoration and rehabilitation project. This project includes completion of the interior restoration; aesthetic and mobility improvements of the grounds; and rehabilitation of the Visitors Center to make it ADA-compliant and to broaden the scope of site interpretation.
We are honored to have Maude Glore, Gideon and Ellen’s great-great-granddaughter, serve as the Honorary Chairperson of Ellen’s Circle!
What is the group’s objective? To serve as a unique support organization comprised of philanthropically-minded individuals, following in the footsteps of Ellen and Alice Hixon. This organization will provide financial assistance for the restoration and site improvement, thereby helping to create a safer and more relevant and engaging site for new and broader audiences.
How can one belong? There are three levels of membership as outlined below. Individuals may choose a single or multi-year pledge.
Ellen Hixon Charter Members: $1K for each of 5 years, for a total of $5K
Ellen Hixon was the matriarch of the Hixon family, and an important philanthropist in the La Crosse community at the turn of the century. She helped found the La Crosse Hospital, one of the first Free Kindergartens, the predecessor to the Family and Children’s Center, and of course, spearheaded the effort to preserve Grandad Bluff and create Hixon Forest as a city park.
Alice Green Hixon Charter Members: $500 for each of 5 years, for a total of $2.5K
Alice Green Hixon was Ellen’s daughter-in-law and the person responsible for stewarding the house through the first part of the 20th-century after Ellen’s death. She also arranged for the gift of the site to LCHS. She was involved in numerous charitable works, and was the first President of the La Crosse chapter of the League of Women Voters.
Mary (May) Crosby Members**: $200 for each of 5 years, for a total of $1K
May Crosby, Ellen’s niece, lived in Hixon House from 1899 until 1936, serving as a close companion to her aunt and helping pay for the maintenance of the property after her aunt’s death.
** A broader campaign to identify 100 additional Ellen’s Circle members beyond the Charter Members will begin in January under the guidance of “100 Extraordinary Women.”
All monies collected that exceed necessary project funding will be placed into an endowment for the maintenance of the Visitors Center.
