429 7th St. North, La Crosse, WI 54601

Hixon House was built in 1858 by pioneer Gideon Hixon, who went on to become a wealthy lumber baron in La Crosse. He and his wife Ellen raised their five sons in this home and expanded it to the size it is today. The family had for many years retained the home in close to the same state that Ellen Hixon left it when she died in 1913. In 1965, their descendants gifted the house to LCHS complete with its original Victorian and Arts and Crafts furnishings. Our knowledgeable docents will guide you through this piece of La Crosse history.

After many years of stewarding the property, LCHS held a capital campaign and the house and its furnishings underwent a major restoration beginning in 2004. Original floor and wall coverings were meticulously cleaned or reproduced, and furniture was reupholstered. The house re-opened in 2005 with its former glory restored and looking much as it did when Mrs. Hixon was still alive.

Today a tour of Hixon House reveals a true family home that embodies stories of the first half-century of the city of La Crosse. The Hixons were community builders who helped finance many early community institutions such as schools and hospitals, as well as public parks, most notably Riverside Park and Granddad Bluff. Their home reflects their values as well as their social status and reveals how people incorporated the decorative styles of their era into their lives.

A special treat is Mrs. Hixon’s “Turkish Nook,” a fashion of the late 19th century that died out completely in later years. It survives now as a rare example of the Victorian taste for the “exotic.”

Hixon House is closed for the winter and will reopen in May 2024.

Adult $12, Senior $10, Student $6, LCHS Members Free

Special tours are also available for groups and classes.

LCHS is proud to recognize Torrance Casting as a sponsor of Hixon House.