The Gideon C. Hixon House is a National Historic Landmark and one of the best-preserved Victorian homes in Wisconsin. Built in 1859 in the Italianate style, it stands on a residential street close to downtown and is open for tours during the warmer months. Unlike many historic houses that have been stripped and redecorated over generations, the Hixon House retains a remarkable amount of its original furniture, wallpaper, and decorative objects.
The house tells the story of La Crosse's lumber boom years, when the city was a major processing point for the white pine forests of northern Wisconsin. Hixon's parlors, dining rooms, and upstairs bedrooms give a vivid picture of upper-middle-class life in a river town in the 1860s and 1870s. The garden and carriage house are also worth a look. Tours are guided and run for about an hour; check the La Crosse County Historical Society's website for current hours.