If you found yourself in the city of La Crosse when nuclear war started, you could choose from 140 fallout shelters around town — mostly churches, schools, and government buildings. If you got caught downtown, you could shelter in St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral, the former La Crosse Tribune building at the corner of Fourth and Cass streets, or the Rivoli, among others.

"A major emergency affecting a large number of people may occur anytime and anywhere. It may be a peacetime disaster such as a tornado, flood, fire, blizzard, or earthquake. It could be an enemy attack on the United States. … If you and your family take action as recommended in this plan, you will have maximum chances for survival."

So began the "La Crosse County Community Shelter Plan," an instruction manual and map mailed to each household and business in La Crosse, Bangor, West Salem, Holmen, and Onalaska in 1971.