La Crosse, Kansas
La Crosse is a city of 1,154 people in Rush County, Kansas, founded in 1876.
Why visit La Crosse
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 3 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Barbed Wire Museum and Rush County Courthouse.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; January lows average 16°F.
Weather in La Crosse
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About La Crosse
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of Rush County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 1,266. La Crosse proclaims itself the "Barbed Wire capital of the world.
From the Wikipedia article La Crosse, Kansas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks4
Barbed Wire Museum
Museum · 0.5 mi
101 West 1st Street, La Crosse
May 01-Sep Mo[1] Mo-Sa 09:45-16:30; Su 13:00-16:30
Rush County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Courthouse in La Crosse, Kansas, United States
.jpg){kind=link}
Kansas Barbed Wire Museum
Museum · 0.5 mi
Museum in La Crosse, Kansas
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes3
Where to stay2
History
La Crosse was founded in 1876, was named after the city of La Crosse, Wisconsin. La Crosse subsequently became the intended county seat, and county records were transferred there from the temporary county seat, nearby Rush Center. A county seat war ensued between the two communities, lasting until La Crosse was declared the permanent county seat and the construction of the county courthouse in 1888.
In the 1960s, La Crosse became a regional center of barbed wire collecting, leading to the establishment of the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum and the nicknaming of the city as "The Barbed Wire Capital of the World".
From the History section of La Crosse, Kansas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Healthcare2
Map of La Crosse
20 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 16°F | 0.7 in | 3.4 in |
| Feb | 47°F | 18°F | 0.8 in | 2.4 in |
| Mar | 58°F | 28°F | 1.5 in | 3.6 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 37°F | 2.3 in | 0.1 in |
| May | 76°F | 48°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 88°F | 60°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 92°F | 64°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 62°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 83°F | 54°F | 2.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 39°F | 1.8 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 26°F | 0.9 in | 1.0 in |
| Dec | 44°F | 18°F | 1.0 in | 3.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Bison 3Nw (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Rush County has had 21 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-09-01: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2026-09-01: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-05-21: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires (Severe Storm)
- 2024-08-20: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2022-05-25: Severe Winter Storms And Straight-Line Winds (Snowstorm)
- 2022-02-17: Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Hays Regional Airport (HYS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 22 miles away.
- Otis 14 mi east, about 22 min by car
- Bazine 22 mi west, about 35 min by car
- Hays 24 mi north, about 39 min by car
- Victoria 24 mi north, about 38 min by car
- Burdett 26 mi southwest, about 42 min by car
- Larned 27 mi southeast, about 43 min by car
- Hoisington 29 mi east, about 46 min by car
- Gorham 29 mi northeast, about 46 min by car
- Great Bend 30 mi southeast, about 48 min by car
- Ellis 31 mi northwest, about 50 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- La Crosse, Kansas (14311839797), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Rush County, Kansas, courthouse from E 2, Ammodramus, CC0
- Asperger's Are Us at barbed wire museum, Ethan Finlan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.