Holmen

Holmen is another small town that has evolved into a bedroom community for La Crosse.

You can pick up brochures at the Village Hall (421 S. Main St.) or library (see below).

European settlers began building homes in the area around 1850, with the Jenks family perhaps being the first to call Holmen home, before it was Holmen. The area was initially called Frederickstown in honor of the village blacksmith, Frederick Anderson, then the name Cricken (Norwegian for creek) caught on. The origin of the town’s name is a bit of a mystery, but there are two theories: 1) in 1851, a surveyor passed through whose name was Holmen and who went on to win election as a State Senator in Indiana; the postmaster may have suggested naming the town after him; or 2) the name has a Norwegian origin based on the word Holm, which means something like a projection of low, level, rich land extending into the water. (Or it might mean island. The town once had a large pond in the middle of town created by backup water from a dammed creek. There was an island in the middle of that pond that was a favorite recreation site. All you Norwegian speakers out there, let me know.) The second one is more likely.

Holmen was never a thriving industrial center, but it had its share of goings-on: the Casberg Mill opened in 1876, grinding corn, wheat, rye, and buckwheat into flour. Holmen also had a factory that made the pins that held log rafts together, a sorghum mill, and an ice harvesting operation. Most of the early settlers were Norwegian and many of the customs they brought with them were practiced by generations of Holmen residents. One of those was a Norwegian Christmas tradition called jule bakking. To participate, one had to dress up in a funny, tacky costume and don a mask, then gather with a big group of friends in similar attire. Once assembled, all would head to the neighbors’ houses to see if they could guess who’s who. Once identities are revealed, everyone celebrates with food like lefse, lutefisk, rosettes, and grog. This custom seems to have died out in recent years, which seems like a shame.

Just outside of town, Holland Sand Prairie (McHugh Rd.; 608.784.3606) preserves 61 acres of native sand prairie and natural dunes which you can hike around.

Halfway Creek Bike Trail is a 3.4 mile paved multi-use path that connects to the Great River Trail via a mile stretch on a county road.

The Holmen farmers market (Festival Foods, 600 N. Holmen Dr.; 608.526.3339) is on Wednesday afternoons (3-7) from late May through October.

Holmen’s major festival is called Kornfest (mid-August; 608.526.4444) where you can eat all the corn-on-the-cob you desire, then enjoy the swap meet, parade and music.

When you walk in the door of the Holmen Locker and Meat Market (412 N. Main St.; 608.526.3112) be prepared to be knocked off your feet with the scent of smoked meats. This place is a traditional butcher shop fused with a boutique grocer: fresh and smoked meats, plus local artisanal food items like jams, flour, and Wisconsin cheese. They also have a good selection of regional beer and wine.

Whispering Pines Campground (N8905 US Highway 53N; 608.526.4956; open mid-April–mid-Oct.) has several overnight sites in a field with no shade (at least for a few years until the saplings mature), plus a few overnight sites among the seasonal campers in an older section of the campground that is more pleasant.

Prairie Inn & Suites (3913 Circle Dr.; 888.841.3480/608.781.4490) is located at the intersection of County OT and Highway 53 in a new Prairie Style-inspired building. The 38 rooms are spacious and look great; each is equipped with a microwave, fridge, and cable TV.

The local newspaper is the weekly Coulee Courier.

Post Office: 1111 Linden Dr.; 608.526.4055.

Holmen Area Library: 103 State St.; 608.526.4198.

Heading upriver? Check out Brice Prairie.

Heading downriver? Check out Onalaska.