West Salem, Wisconsin
West Salem is a village of 5,330 people in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, founded in 1856.
Why visit West Salem
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 10 parks and trails, 6 places to eat and 4 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Hamlin Garland House and Palmer Brothers Octagons.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; January lows average 8°F, and about 54 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in West Salem
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About West Salem
West Salem is a village in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States, along the La Crosse River. It is part of the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,277 as of the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article West Salem, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks2
Hamlin Garland House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
West Salem, Wisconsin, listed on the NRHP in La Crosse County
Palmer Brothers Octagons
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic houses in Wisconsin, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds10
Restaurants and cafes6
Linda's Bakery
Bakery · 0.9 mi
190 State HIghway 16, West Salem
06:00-18:00
Where to stay4
Veterans Memorial County Park & Campground
Campground · 1.6 mi
N4668 County Road VP, West Salem
AmericInn Motel & Suites of West Salem
Motel and hotel · 0.7 mi
125 Buol Road, West Salem
History
West Salem was platted in 1856. It was named Salem by a Baptist minister named Elder Card because the word meant "peace" in Arabic and Hebrew. The word West was added to the name when mail was confused with another town in the state named Salem.
The donation of approximately ten acres of land to a railway company led to the creation of West Salem. A station was built in West Salem on the original Milwaukee and La Crosse Railway which ran to La Crosse. It was later taken over by the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway (later becoming the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad). The railway used the land to build a depot and tracks.
From the History section of West Salem, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship3
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries13
Onalaska Prekindergarten Partner School
School · 5.7 mi
200 Eagle Bluff Ct, Onalaska
Map of West Salem
41 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°F | 8°F | 1.1 in | 10.5 in |
| Feb | 29°F | 13°F | 1.1 in | 12.4 in |
| Mar | 41°F | 24°F | 1.9 in | 8.3 in |
| Apr | 55°F | 36°F | 4.0 in | 4.5 in |
| May | 67°F | 48°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 76°F | 58°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 80°F | 62°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 78°F | 60°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 71°F | 52°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 58°F | 40°F | 2.9 in | 0.5 in |
| Nov | 42°F | 28°F | 1.9 in | 3.5 in |
| Dec | 29°F | 15°F | 1.5 in | 14.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for La Crosse Wfo (7 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
La Crosse County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-08-27: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2018-10-18: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (Flood)
- 2017-10-07: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud (Severe Storm)
- 2016-10-20: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
La Crosse Regional Airport (LSE) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Bangor 5 mi east, about 8 min by car
- Onalaska 6 mi west, about 9 min by car
- La Crosse 9 mi southwest, about 14 min by car
- French Island 9 mi west, about 15 min by car
- Holmen 10 mi northwest, about 16 min by car
- Brice Prairie 11 mi west, about 18 min by car
- La Crescent 12 mi southwest, about 19 min by car
- Sparta 14 mi east, about 22 min by car
- Trempealeau 18 mi northwest, about 30 min by car
- Galesville 19 mi northwest, about 30 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
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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
- WestSalemWisconsinDowntown, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- PalmerGullicksonOctagonHouseWestSalemWisconsin, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2014GarlandHouse, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.