Garland Homestead spotlights West Salem’s literary roots
Set along the winding La Crosse River, the Village of West Salem has nurtured a tight-knit, small-town rhythm since its founding in 1851. Literary history runs deep here: Pulitzer Prize–winning author Hamlin Garland spent his childhood in the community, and his restored Garland Homestead still welcomes visitors eager to glimpse 19th-century rural life. Today, families cite strong academics and an easy commute into nearby La Crosse as the village’s biggest magnets. “The schools in the community are the biggest draw,” says Lisa Kind, a Realtor with Re/Max Results. “Families rave about the school district and the proximity to La Crosse.”
Median home price spans split-levels to lakeside estates
The median sales price in West Salem hovers around $350,000. Prices swing widely with a home’s age, size and perch above Lake Neshonoc. On the lakefront and in newer enclaves such as Saddlewood and Neshonoc Point, late-1990s to 2010s brick traditionals and contemporary two-stories stretch 2,500 – 4,500 square feet and usually command $550,000 up to the high $900,000s. Closer to downtown, the bulk of listings are 1970s- to 1990s-era split-levels and ranch-style homes of 1,500 – 2,000 square feet, generally trading in the $250,000 – $350,000 range. Entry-level shoppers can still snag 1950s bungalows or compact ranches under 1,200 square feet for less than $200,000 when they surface, but competition is brisk in this La Crosse-County seller’s market.
A-minus West Salem schools remain a top draw for families
Local kids can start school at West Salem Elementary, then continue to West Salem Middle; both earn A-minus grades from Niche. West Salem High earns a B-plus and offers extracurriculars such as the Ecology Club, Fishing Club, Trap Team, Ski Team and Pep Band.
Speedway thrills and Lake Neshonoc leisure shape outdoor scene
Motor-sports fans pack the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway on summer nights for NASCAR-sanctioned racing and the storied Oktoberfest Race Weekend. Quieter days unfold at Neshonoc Lakeside Campground, where families fish, kayak and lounge on Lake Neshonoc’s sandy shore before settling into RV or tent sites beneath the pines. Inside the village limits, the parks department maintains roughly a dozen green spaces, headlined by Veterans Memorial Park along the La Crosse River—a 120-plus-site campground featuring playgrounds, riverfront trails and a spur of the La Crosse River State Trail that lets cyclists roll straight from their campsites onto the crushed-limestone path.
Jolivette Family Farms and Brambleberry Winery flavor local dining
West Salem’s food-and-drink trail hops from farm stands to live-music bars in a single mile. Jolivette Family Farms, a 500-acre operation just off State Road 16, keeps locals in peak-season strawberries, sweet corn and year-round baked goods straight from its on-site market. For weekly staples, Hansen’s IGA Supermarket on Highway 16 offers a full grocery lineup with the small-town service of a family-run chain. Downtown, Brambleberry Winery pours rotating flights of more than 50 house-made wines like dry Cabernet and fruit-forward sangria alongside pizzas and charcuterie boards in a restored storefront on North Leonard Street. Two blocks south, Whiskey River Bar & Grill pairs live music and big-sky patio seating with hearty pub plates and crowd-favorite Bloody Marys. "La Crosse has the larger shopping and dining scene, but the mom-and-pop shops are all right here in West Salem," Kind adds.
I-90 and shared-ride transit link West Salem with La Crosse and beyond
West Salem leans on Interstate 90 for quick drives east to La Crosse and west toward Sparta, while County Highway C and State Road 16 steer local traffic to Holmen, Onalaska and the valley’s big-box retail strip. Residents without a car can book the shared-ride Onalaska/Holmen/West Salem Public Transit taxi for door-to-door trips seven days a week, with free transfers to La Crosse’s city buses at Valley View Mall. A park-and-ride lot at the I-90/County C interchange lets commuters meet regional carpools, and Amtrak service in neighboring La Crosse provides rail links to Chicago and the Twin Cities.
