The Stoddard Hotel Bar in La Crosse was a queer space as early as the 1940s. Named after the city's first mayor, The Stoddard was built in 1905 as the city's only fireproof hotel. The historic landmark hosted presidents, celebrities, conventions, and events for decades. The bar was featured in national gay guides in 1976 and 1977, noted for "cruisy" lobby and tearoom action. In later years, the Stoddard became a SRO hotel that residents remember as a "flop house." Demolished in February 1982, the property has been a parking lot ever since.